Part-time faculty talk in the open

 

Part-time faculty members conducted interview with students in the atrium of the J.W. McConnell Building last week to protest lagging contract talks.

It was part of an action called Campus Equity Week taken by the Concordia University Part-time Faculty Association to draw attention to what they see as inadequate access to offices.

A handout says, in part, “While most departments do provide some office space, CUPFA points out that very small offices furnished with worn-out second-hand furniture is not adequate to meet and work properly with students. Moreover, these offices are used by anywhere from five to 15 part-time faculty members at a time.

“Not surprisingly, many part-time faculty choose to meet their students in coffee houses or restaurants around campus.”

The handout adds that department offices are inaccessible to part-time faculty who teach courses in the evening and the summer. CUPFA is currently negotiating for a new contract. Their previous contract ended in April 2002. CUPFA represents 1,200 part-time teachers, of whom 85 per cent are active voting members.