DCFA Update aims to engage and inform DCFA members with updates, information, and direction on topics related to DCFA membership at Douglas College.
Updates – June 19, 2023
UPDATES
Item 1 – Bargaining Update – Observer
Item 2 – Faculty Matters – Fall 2023 Edition
Item 3 – Move Up Strike – Solidarity / Picket Line Rules
Item 4 – DCFA Member Questions
1. Bargaining Update – Observer Call Out
The DCFA and the Employer return to the bargaining table on the following dates:
- June 26, 28
- July 10, 11, 12
- July 17, 18, 19
Both sides have canvassed their proposals (including financial proposals). The DCFA VP Negotiations believes there is a path to a deal, but the Employer needs to heed the mandate that our members delivered.
DCFA members who wish to attend as observers should write dcfa.devin.shaw@gmail.com.
2. Faculty Matters – Fall 2023 Edition
Call for Submissions – Fall 2023 Edition
CALLING ALL RESEARCHERS, WRITERS, AND SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS
The Faculty Matters Editorial Team cordially invites you to contribute an article to an upcoming edition of the publication. The mandate of Faculty Matters is to provide insightful, honest, intelligent, and well-informed commentary on the academic and societal events and issues that impact Douglas College faculty. The past two years have provided many commentary-worthy events, so we encourage you to provide your expert evaluation and editorial. If writing an article is of interest to you, please contact the FM Editorial Team via the DCFA Update Feedback box (at the bottom of this update). Past editions of Faculty Matters are electronically available via the following weblink – https://www.dcfa.ca/faculty-matters/
If you have an article topic in mind, please contact Ralph Ferens @ dcfamemberatlarge@gmail.com to get your article on the Fall 2023 Edition roster.
3. Move Up Strike – Solidarity / Picket Line Rules
At Capilano University, workers who are neither faculty nor management are members of MoveUp. They are currently on strike and are welcoming acts of solidarity from allies, such as the DCFA. Already DCFA members have joined their picket line and offered other forms of support, as well.
As members of the Capilano Faculty Association honour and join that picket line, they are also now behind a digital picket line, as well. Faculty are being directed not to log into their online courses or even respond to student emails. The Capilano Students’ Union has been supportive of the job action, too.
In the digital age, both the physical and digital picket lines come with expectations for DCFA members, even though our campus is not directly affected.
For example, DCFA members should not be emailing members of the Capilano Faculty Association in relation to their jobs as faculty. To illustrate, if you’re on an articulation committee with somebody at Capilano, sending them an email right now is an invitation for them to cross the digital picket line. If they respond to your email, they have crossed a digital picket line.
Equally, if a member of the DCFA also teaches courses at Capilano University, they can continue all of their work as it pertains to Douglas College, but should not do any of their work as it pertains to Capilano University. For example, if you’re attending a conference that is paid for through Douglas College professional development funds, then everything is fine. However, if you then handed out a business card at the conference from Capilano University, you would have crossed a picket line. On the other side, if the professional development funds came from Capilano University, going to the conference during the job action is crossing a picket line, even if you presented yourself there as being from Douglas College.
These are complicated issues; if you have any questions, reach out to DCFA Executive Council Representatives or Table Officers. The most important point is to honour and respect the picket line and show solidarity with our allies at MoveUp.
Updates – May 24, 2023
Item 1 – Implementation of the Dues increase
Item 2 – Calls for Expressions of Interest Executive Council and Contract Committee Representatives
Item 3 – Calls for Expressions of Interest on other committees
Item 4 – DCFA Member Questions
1. Implementation of the Dues increase
A dues increase was approved by the membership at the AGM on May 1, 2023. Our dues have been raised from 1.75% to 2.00%, bringing our organization in line with the provincial average.
The DCFA is working with the College to implement the increase effective June 1, 2023. Please expect an additional deduction of approximately $10 per pay cheque if you are a faculty member earning top of scale.
2. Calls for Expressions of Interest Executive Council and Contract Committee Representatives
With summer semester underway it is time to prepare for the next academic year. Each constituency group, Faculties for the most part, elects a regular member and an alternate member for two-year terms to the Contract Committee and Executive Council. If your constituency group has positions up for election, you should have received a Call for Expressions of interest on Wednesday May 17,2023. If you are interested in putting your name forward May 24 at noon is the deadline. Voting will take place at the end of May and early June.
If you have general questions about the roles, consider reaching out to your current representative or dropping a line to Dcfa@douglascollege.ca.
3. Calls for Expressions of Interest on other committees
Calls will be going out over the next two weeks. There are positions to fill on the Joint Occupational Health, Safety, Committee (JOHS), and some FPSE Committees. Please watch your email for further information.
Our organization is powered by volunteers!
Updates – April 24, 2023
Item 1 – Why is the DCFA proposing an increase in Member Dues?
Item 2 – Time Release Costs – Why are these challenging to estimate?
Item 3 – DCFA Annual General Meeting
Item 4 – DCFA Member Questions
1. Why is the DCFA proposing an increase in Member Dues?
The association is facing a structural deficit, a deficit that is built into our budget. The key to understanding this situation is to look at the time release costs. This is our second largest line item, and this amount varies from year to year.
We have not had a deficit for years. Why? Because we benefited from contract faculty replacing table officers. This year most of the time release was charged at the top of scale. Please see the item below for more information.
Our dues are among the lowest in the 19 locals in British Columbia and we have not had an increase in a long time. We are proposing an increase in our dues to reduce the possibility of a deficit in the future and to bring us in line with the average percentage dues across the sector.
2. Time Release Costs – Why are these challenging to estimate?
The Association and the College have an agreement that time release costs will be charged at the lowest possible cost. This means that if a contract instructor replaces one time release section the cost is $7990 but if a top of scale regular faculty member replaces the table office the cost is $15,625.
Here are two calculations to illustrate how this works. Consider the position of the President which has 8 sections of time release.
Calculation A – All 8 sections replaced with top of scale faculty
Replacement Cost = (8 x $15,625) = $125,000
Calculation B – 8 sections split between 3 contracts and the remaining 5 sections at top of scale
Replacement Cost = (3 x $7990) + (5 x $15,625) = $102,095
With a $22,905 range on what the actual cost may be, it creates a challenge for estimating the time release costs in the budget.
To address the original question, with a total of 30 sections of time release there is simply a wide range between the minimal cost for time release cost and the maximum time release cost and we only find out after the academic year starts what the costs will be.
3. DCFA Annual General Meeting – Monday, May 1st @ 11am
We had an excellent response for the AGM. There are over 100 people attending in person and 50 who confirmed they would be attending virtually. The room that we have S1812/S1814 is at capacity. Our ZOOM license will accommodate all members who wish to attend virtually. If you are attending virtually please identify your first and last name as you enter the ZOOM waiting room so that the host can let you in and we have the correct information for the minutes.
Zoom link:
https://zoom.us/j/98530144997?pwd=NGdvOUlqdEx4dGQyTFAxZDJienhZdz09
Meeting ID: 985 3014 4997 Passcode: 040404
Updates – March 14, 2023
Item 1 – It’s Election Time – deadline
Item 2 – It’s Election Time Again: Chair Election
Item 3 – It’s Election Time Again: Selection Committees
Item 4 – Future Elections: Professional Development Committees
Item 5 – DCFA Member Questions
1. It’s Election Time – deadline
Elections need to occur each year during the Winter semester, please ensure your department meets this deadline by holding elections prior to the end of April. For more detail on the Chair and Selection Committee roles, please keep reading.
2. It’s Election Time Again: Chair Election
All departments, even those that have long standing Chairs are required to conduct elections. Doing so provides interested faculty to nominate themselves. For more details about the process, please read below.
What is a Department Chair?
A Chair is a faculty member that performs assorted operational/administrative roles on behalf of a DDP (Department, Discipline, Program). Typical duties may include: timetabling, monitoring education plans, coordinating curriculum design, representing DDP interests across the college, and assisting faculty colleagues.
Chair Term Duration and Resources?
Chairs receive course time release resources to fulfill work duties, and shall be elected for a one-year period (Article 11.01a).
Who is Eligible?
All regular faculty members are eligible to nominate themselves to be a chair, and may do so at any time prior to the election (Article 11.01b i). Only regular faculty members of the DDP or closest related DDP shall be eligible to vote for and be elected as Chair (Article 11.01b i).
Elections for Chair will occur at a meeting of faculty, which is duly constituted by the Responsible Administrator (Article 11.01b iii). Chair elections will be determined by majority vote of the faculty, by either a show of hands or by ballot, as determined appropriate by the DDP (Article 11.01b vi). Following election, the Responsible Administrator will offer an appointment to the faculty member so elected and will advise Human Resources, in writing, of the name of the elected Chair and any associated time release (Article 11.01b vii).
Here are questions the DCFA has received regarding this role and the elections.
Question – Are Douglas College Chairs supervisors and/or managers?
Answer – No – Absolutely not. Chair positions at Douglas College are not supervisors or managers. These roles are performed by DCFA faculty members who are delegated task responsibilities but are not delegated any authority.
Question – My department Chair has served in the role for many years and is doing a good job. Why should I run?
Answer – Everyone in a DDP should understand the work of a chair, and the best way to understand it is to do the work.
Question – While I am interested in nominating myself, I am worried that this may upset the incumbent.
Answer – This is a good point, it may happen. It is an individual choice to run for the position. In an ideal collegial workplace, all regular faculty, including Chair incumbents, should willingly welcome nominations. The position of Chair provides great learning opportunities for faculty, and as such these positions should be rotated frequently so that all faculty have an opportunity. Any interested nominees should relay this information to their departments.
3. It’s Election Time Again: Selection Committees
Elections need to occur each year during the Winter semester. All departments, even those that have long standing Selection Committee Members are required to conduct elections. Doing so provides interested faculty to nominate themselves. Selection Committee Elections usually take place at the time of the Chair Election. For more details about the process, please read below.
What is a Selection Committee Member?
A Selection Committee Member is a faculty member who performs assorted functions related to recruitment and selection of faculty and/or DDP coordinator positions. Typical duties include, but are not limited to: establishing, maintaining and updating QTT language for each course in the DDP, maintaining contract faculty inventory lists, making QTT determinations, selecting regular and contract faculty in the DDP, selecting DDP’s Coordinator(s), selecting extra-DDP faculty, selecting faculty for program/curriculum development projects (Article 5.01a).
Selection Committee Composition & Decision-Making Authority
Each selection committee will consist of three members: two elected faculty members from each DDP; and the Responsible Administrator or designate. Additionally, each DDP shall elect up to two alternate/relief selection committee members. The Selection Committee will elect one of its three members to chair the Committee (Article 5.01b).
Where the Selection Committee determines that neither its members nor the elected alternate(s) have the necessary content expertise in relation to a particular selection, the Selection Committee may invite up to two faculty members who have such expertise to act as a resource to the Selection Committee throughout that selection. Such invited content expert(s) must comply with the conditions and rules of the Selection Committee process, and shall have voice but no vote (Article 5.01b).
Selection Committee Election, Term and Eligibility
Selection Committee Elections usually take place at the time of the Chair Election. Selection Committee Members serve one-year terms (Article 5.01cii). All regular faculty members are eligible to nominate themselves, and may do so at any time prior to the election (Article 5.01ci). Advance notice is not required, and nominees may nominate themselves on the day of an election. Only regular faculty members of the DDP or closest related DDP shall be eligible to vote for and be elected (Article 5.01cii).
4. Future Elections: Professional Development Committees (Article 9)
There are two committees, the College-Wide Faculty Development Advisory Committee and the Faculty Professional Development Committee. Faculty may participate on both or either of these committees. These elections take place at Faculty wide meetings in May. These roles will be highlighted in next week’s DCFA Update.
Updates – February 15, 2023
Item 1 – Bargaining Bulletin and Upcoming Bargaining Dates
Item 2 – In-Person Annual General Meeting May 1, 2023
Item 3 – Comprehensive Program Review Surveys
Item 4 – DCFA Member Questions
1. Bargaining Bulletin and Upcoming Dates
The employer and the DCFA met at the bargaining table last week on January 30th and February 1st. Despite the DCFA’s desire to return to the bargaining table, the employer has limited availability in February and March.
We sent out Bargaining Bulletin #3 on Feb 14. Bargaining Updates will be posted to https://dcfa.ca/
Bargaining will resume on March 31 and May 2-4, 8, 9. A call-out to observers will be issued a few weeks ahead of these dates.
2. In-Person Annual General meeting May 1, 2023 9:30 am to 12:30
For the Annual General Meeting this year we are returning to an in-person format. This will give us the opportunity to conduct our business, celebrate our talented and dedicated DCFA volunteers, and share a meal together.
We hope to see you there. Please RSVP to dcfa@douglascollege.ca so, we can begin to arrange food.
3. Comprehensive Program Review Surveys
The DCFA wishes to engage you regarding an important topic that is relevant to any faculty members who are currently participating in a ‘Comprehensive Program Review.’ This important process involves surveying stakeholders for the purpose of gathering information that may inform programming and curriculum changes.
The DCFA is concerned because the employer has taken upon itself to design the comprehensive review student surveys, and has advised faculty that only limited adjustments to the questions should be made. Yet, Douglas College operates in a shared-governance environment where the employer is responsible for the design and implementation of ‘operational activities,’ while faculty are responsible for the design and implementation of ‘curriculum and programming.’ Implementation of curriculum must adhere to the approved curriculum guidelines.
If administration should refuse to alter the survey package questions at the request of faculty, then faculty have the freedom to issue additional surveys to inform their curriculum design decisions. Should you have any questions related to this topic, please contact the DCFA. The anonymity of all faculty who report concerns will be ensured. Lastly, resource links to inform your actions and rights are provided below.
Resource Links:
- 2022-2023 Schedule of Comprehensive Program Reviews – (https://collegedouglas.sharepoint.com/sites/dcconnect/tools_resources/program-reviews/Documents/Forms/AllItems.aspx?id=%2Fsites%2Fdcconnect%2Ftools%5Fresources%2Fprogram%2Dreviews%2FDocuments%2F2022%20%2D%202023%20Schedule%20of%20Comprehensive%20Program%20Reviews%2Epdf&parent=%2Fsites%2Fdcconnect%2Ftools%5Fresources%2Fprogram%2Dreviews%2FDocuments)
- 2020 Sample Surveys – (https://collegedouglas.sharepoint.com/sites/dcconnect/tools_resources/program-reviews/Documents/2020%20Sample%20Surveys.pdf)
- Academic Freedom Policy – A35 (https://www.douglascollege.ca/sites/default/files/docs//A35%20Academic%20Freedom.pdf)
- Academic Freedom Article – “Freedom? What Freedom?” (Faculty Matters – Spring 2021 — https://dcfa.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/2021-Spring-issue-h.pdf)
- Academic Freedom Article – “Academic Freedom” (Faculty Matters – Summer 2019 — https://dcfa.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Faculty-Matters-No-13-Summer-2019.pdf)
- Faculty Surveys by Students Article – “Evaluation of Faculty by Students: The Iatrogenesis of Quantitative, Psychometric Methods for Obtaining Feedback” (Faculty Matters – Fall 2018 —
https://dcfa.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Faculty-Matters-No-12-Fall-2018.pdf)
- Shared-Governance – “Bicamerlism and the Role of Faculty” (Faculty Matters Spring 2022 — https://dcfa.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/2022-Spring-issue.pdf)
Updates – January 26, 2023
Item 1 – Bargaining
Item 2 – Election time
Item 3 – Ombudsperson duties
Item 4 – DCFA Member Questions
1. Bargaining
The DCFA and the employer are at the bargaining table Monday, January 30 and Wednesday, February 1. Please wear your DCFA Union card to show your solidarity. If you would like to be an observer please contact the VP Negotiations Devin Shaw at dcfa.devin.shaw[at]gmail.com by 9:00 am Friday, January 27th.
Future opportunities for observers will be posted as the dates are confirmed.
2. Election Time Again: Department Chairs, Selection Committees, and other committee representatives
Each Winter semester, all Douglas College departmental elections take place.
Chair elections
Each Winter semester, a Responsible Administrator (RA) will provide a written announcement of a meeting during which a Chair election will take place. This announcement will take place at least two weeks prior to the date of the meeting. Please see Article 11 of the Collective Agreement, pp. 68-69, for more information about this important role.
Future DCFA Updates will highlight other committee positions.
3. Ombudsperson Duties
This is a reminder that revisions to the duties of the Ombudsperson were approved by Membership at the AGM in 2022. The Ad Hoc Structural Review Committee recommended revisions after reviewing the history of this position.
Article 5.2 of the Constitution and By-Laws states these duties. The Ombudsperson is to ensure that the meetings of the Association run duly called and run according to the By-Laws and deal with any faculty to faculty conflict arising out of association business. For more information please click on the link below.
https://dcfa.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/DCFA-Con-ByLaws-April-6-2022-Print.pdf
Updates – January 5, 2023
Item 1 – Call Out for Observers
Item 2 – DCFA Member Questions
1. Call Out for Observers
The DCFA and the Employer are meeting at the bargaining table on January 16th, January 30th, and February 1st. We are seeking observers for these sessions (which are scheduled for the full day). Please contact VP Negotiations, Devin Shaw, at dcfa.devin.shaw[at]gmail.com to sign up.
-To participate in the January 16th session, contact Devin by Thursday, January 12th.
-To participate in the other sessions, contact Devin by January 26th.
In Solidarity – Your DCFA Contract Bargaining Committee
Devin Shaw
Vice President Negotiations, DCFA
Department of Philosophy and Humanities
Douglas College
Updates – December 22, 2022
Item 1 – Sign Language Interpretation Diploma Program
Item 2 – Responses to DCFA Member Questions
Item 3 – DCFA Office Closure and Emergency Contact Information
Item 5 – DCFA Member Questions
1. Sign Language Interpretation Diploma Program
We received faculty queries about the link we sent out about the College’s pause on admission to the Sign Language Diploma Program for 2023/24. This pause is of concern to the DCFA as it will affect faculty work and students seeking the program. Could more have been done without suspending enrollment?
This is a unique and important program to the community as is evidenced by the Dec 14, 2022 CBC news item. We sincerely hope there are efforts to boost admissions heading into 2024 to help alleviate the shortage of Interpreters. We shall be following up with the administration regarding the implications of the pause for affected members.
For the link to the CBC news article please see the email of Dec 14, 2022.
2. Responses to DCFA Member Questions – Copyright
With the increasing number of sites where students post faculty work does the DCFA have language that it suggests for members to use on course materials?
A simple copyright symbol and your name should suffice. For more information on copyright see the faculty resources on the library site.
3. DCFA Office Closure
The DCFA office will be closed from Friday Dec 23, 2022 at 3 pm. until Wednesday January 4, 2023 at 8 am.
The dcfa@douglascollege.ca email will be monitored as per usual starting January 4, 2023.
Emergency Contact Information via email only
From Dec 23, 2022 at 3 pm to Dec 27, 2022 at 5 pm DCFA President, Jasmine Nicholsfigueiredo – dcfapresident@gmail.com
From Dec 28, 2022 to January 3, 2023 at 5 pm contact DCFA Vice President Stewardship, Melanie Young at dcfavpstewardship@gmail.com
Updates – December 8, 2022
Item 1 – Holiday Hamper 2022
Item 2 – Bargaining Feedback Event: Chair & Coordinator Workload Discussion
Item 3 – 2023-2024 Douglas College Budget Review
Item 4 – Faculty Matters Winter 2023
Item 5 – DCFA Member Questions
1. DCFA Holiday Hamper 2022 – Still a chance to give
Every year, the DCFA sponsors a student in need during the holidays. This year, the DCFA will make a medium sized family donation: 2 children (Approximately $250.00). Our goal is to raise $300, and the DCFA has collected $180 to present.
Any faculty who are interested in contributing a donation towards the hamper, should contact Anne Swinton, DCFA Administrative Assistance @ dcfaannes@gmail.com Please make all donations by end of day Dec 8th.
2. Bargaining Feedback Event: Chair & Coordinator Workload Discussion
During the current round of bargaining, the DCFA intends to present an extensive Chairs and Coordinators workload proposal. A lot of time and effort has gone into this proposal, and the DCFA would like to present this proposal to you, and to attain your feedback. Additionally, the DCFA wishes to discuss plans related to a successful negotiation of this proposal.
Topic: Chair & Coordinator Workload
Guest Speakers: Bill Archibald (Retired Commerce & Business Administration Faculty Member and Chair),
Date/Time: Friday, January 6 @ 3:30-5:30pm
Location: Douglas Room, New Westminster campus
Food: Appetizers and Beverages
3. 2023-2024 Douglas College Budget Review
Douglas College has started the budget process for the upcoming year. Working from last year’s College budget, the DCFA will be putting together a submission to the College. Do you have an issue that you would like to see addressed with financial resources? If so, please email Rosilyn Teng, Temporary Member-at-Large, dcfa.rosilyn.teng@gmail.com. The College has scheduled the Budget Forum for Feb 3, 2023 time to be determined.
4. Thank You Jon-Paul Henry for dedicating years of service to Faculty Matters
We wish to thank long-time Faculty Matters Editor, Jon Paul (JP) Henry for his many years of contribution and hard work. Faculty Matters would not be what it is today without his dedication to the publication. Thank you Jon Paul for your service !
The mandate of Faculty Matters is to provide insightful, honest, intelligent, and well-informed commentary on the academic and societal events and issues that impact Douglas College faculty. If writing an article is of interest to you, please contact the FM Editorial Team via the DCFA Update Feedback box (at the bottom of this update).
If you are seeking some interesting reading over the holidays, the Faculty Matters Editorial Team cordially invites you to explore interesting editions that were published over the past two years: Weblink – https://www.dcfa.ca/faculty-matters/
Updates – November 24, 2022
Item 1 – DCFA HOLIDAY SOCIAL — Elks Club of New Westminster
Item 2 – FACULTY CALLOUT: Job Action Committee (JAC)
Item 3 – Holiday Hamper 2022
Item 4 – DCFA Member Questions
1. DCFA HOLIDAY SOCIAL — Elks Club of New Westminster
When: Wednesday Dec 7, 2022, @ 3:30 to 6:00
Who: All Douglas College Faculty Members Welcome
Where: 680 Clarkson St, New Westminster, BC V3M 6X9
Why: Laugh, talk, unwind and rejoice with Douglas College Faculty peers
2. FACULTY CALLOUT: Job Action Committee (JAC)
The DCFA has formed the Job Action Committee. Thank you to all faculty for your expressions of interest.
Faculty can expect to hear more about the initiatives of this committee soon.
3. DCFA Holiday Hamper 2022
Every year, the DCFA sponsors a student in need during the holidays. This year, the DCFA will make a medium sized family donation: 2 children (Approximately $250.00)
Any faculty who are interested in contributing a donation towards the hamper, should contact Anne Swinton, DCFA Administrative Assistance @ dcfaannes@gmail.com Please make all donations by December 7th.
Updates – November 9, 2022
We are headed to the bargaining table on November 14th and 16th. Show SOLIDARITY by wearing your Union Cards during the week of the 14th to raise visibility of the bargaining process!
Item 1 – Bargaining Updates: CALLOUT FOR OBSERVERS
Item 2 – FACULTY CALLOUT: Job Action Committee
Item 3 – FPSE Letter: Response to Ontario Government’s Attempt to Limit Union Rights
Item 4 – TRAINING: Health & Safety – Suicide Prevention
Item 5 – DCFA Member Questions
1. Bargaining Updates: CALLOUT FOR OBSERVERS
On November 7th, the DCFA and the Employer met at the bargaining table. The parties have reached a protocol agreement which outlines the bargaining process.
The DCFA has ensured that, as part of that process, we are able to proceed with open bargaining. We may–and we plan–to bring observers to the table! We are seeking members to participate as bargaining observers on November 14th (11:30am–5:00pm) and/or November 16th (9:30am–3:00pm). Both sessions will be held at N2320. We are starting with a small number of observer seats, so priority will be given to volunteers who are able to attend both sessions.
Please contact VP Negotiations, Devin Shaw, at dcfa.devin.shaw@gmail.com.
In Solidarity – Your DCFA Contract Bargaining Committee
2. FACULTY CALLOUT: Job Action Committee
Bargaining with the employer for a new Collective Agreement is underway. While it is our hope that a mutually satisfactory Collective Agreement can be negotiated without job action, we must be ready in the event that such an action is needed. To that effect, the DCFA is seeking volunteers for the Job Action Committee.
The DCFA’s Job Action Committee is responsible for coordinating strike pay and all expenses related to a strike, all aspects of picketing, and securing and running a strike headquarters. A well-run committee will be crucial to the success of any potential job action. We are seeking members who work at the following campuses: the New Westminster campus, Anvil Centre campus, and the Coquitlam campus.
If you are interested in joining the DCFA Job Action Committee, please contact VP Negotiations, Devin Shaw, at dcfa.devin.shaw[at]gmail.com.
3. FPSE Letter: Response to Ontario Government’s Attempt to Limit Union Rights
In response to the alarming attempts of the Ontario provincial government to invoke the Charter of Rights and Freedoms’ “notwithstanding clause”, to bypass the collective bargaining process, in an effort to prevent the Province’s CUPE education sector workers from striking, the Federation of Post-Secondary Employers (FPSE) has issued the following letter:
Dear Premier Ford,
I am writing you on behalf of the 10,000 members who make up the staff and faculty of the Federation of Post-Secondary Educators in BC.
While we understand education is a provincial responsibility, we feel compelled to speak out against your government’s willingness to invoke the Charter of Rights and Freedoms’ “notwithstanding clause”, to bypass the collective bargaining process, in an effort to prevent the Province’s CUPE education sector workers from striking.
We believe collective bargaining is a vital tool for both employees and employers, allowing the market to efficiently and effectively determine its wage-service equilibrium. Short circuiting the process, as your government proposes to do, robs everyone of a fair exchange of ideas and will only sow distrust among the parties. We urge you and your government to reconsider its position.
Yours sincerely,
Brent Calvert
President, FPSE
4. TRAINING: Health & Safety – Suicide Prevention
The Joint Occupational Health and Safety Committees are happy to sponsor the following training session for the Douglas College community:
LivingWorks safeTALK
When: December 9, 2022 9:00am – 12:15pm
Where: New Westminster S4213
At a LivingWorks safeTALK workshop, you’ll learn how to prevent suicide by recognizing signs, engaging someone, and connecting them to an intervention resource for further support. Learn and practice powerful, life-saving skills in just four hours using a simple yet effective model, LivingWorks safeTALK empowers everyone to make a difference through its four-hour face-to-face workshop featuring powerful presentations, audiovisuals, and skills practice with a skilled, supportive trainer to guide you through the course, and a community resource will be on hand to support your safety and comfort.
For more information, please visit the following link on DC Connect: https://collegedouglas.sharepoint.com/sites/dcconnect/news_events/news/Pages/LivingWorks-safeTALK-.aspx
Updates – October 19, 2022
Item 1 – Faculty Matters Magazine – Fall 2022 Edition
Item 2 – DCFA Member Questions
1. Faculty Matters Magazine – Fall 2022 Edition
The Fall 2022 Edition is ready for readership. Read it here.
Updates – October 12, 2022
Item 1 – Fair Employment Week – Contract Academic Employment
Item 2 – Faculty Matters Magazine – Fall Edition
Item 3 – DCFA Climate Emergency Action Committee Update – Call Out for New Members
Item 4 – DCFA Member Questions
1. Fair Employment Week – Contract Academic Employment
Fair Employment week, October 17 -21, 2022 is the Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT) annual campaign to highlight the precarious nature of academic contract faculty. The Federation of Post-Secondary Educators (FPSE) of which Douglas College Faculty Association is a member, is committed to improving the working conditions for non-regular faculty. Within our sector, precarious faculty work is an issue.
June Madison, DCFA representative to the FPSE Non-Regular Faculty Committee and Jeff Smith will have a table out at the Coquitlam Campus on Thursday, Oct 20 from 11;15-12:15 and Friday October 21 from 12:30 to 1:30 and possibly Monday the 17th, to highlight the inequities contract faculty face. If you wish to support this important initiative, please consider contacting your Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) so that they may work with the Post-Secondary Educator’s Association (PSEA) to address this issue.
2. Faculty Matters Magazine – Fall 2022 Edition
The ‘Faculty Matters Magazine’ – Fall 2022 Edition will be issued in the coming week. Do not miss this copy!! The Fall 2022 Edition will include information to inform members about topics related to the upcoming round of contract bargaining. DCFA Members can expect to access the magazine via email, or via visiting the DCFA website (https://www.dcfa.ca/faculty-matters/).
3. DCFA Climate Emergency Action Committee Update – Call Out for New Members
Dear faculty members: Please consider joining the DCFA Climate Emergency Action Committee! We are starting up our work for the Fall term, including a speaker series, and would love to have more representatives from faculties across the College. We welcome new ideas and fresh perspectives! Please contact Colin Cheng (ccheng22@douglascollege.ca) or Kim Trainor (trainork@douglascollege.ca) for more information!
Updates – October 5, 2022
Item 1 – DCFA Anti-Racism Action Committee Update
Item 2 – DCFA Roles and Duties
Item 3 – Trusted and Secure DCFA Email Addresses
Item 4 – DCFA Member Questions
1. DCFA Anti-Racism Action Committee Update
The DCFA Anti-Racism Action Committee is hosting a guest speaker on November 1st at 6:30pm at New west campus: Dr. June Francis. There will also be an information table on the concourse throughout the day. Please see the flyer for more information.
2. DCFA Roles and Duties – WHO DO YOU TALK TO AT THE DCFA WHEN YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS?
3. Trusted and Secure DCFA Email Addresses
Faculty regularly receive spam and/or junk email. Hence, DCFA wishes to proactively advise faculty about trusted and secure DCFA communications mediums.
The DCFA issues communication to Faculty:
- via faculty-wide emails (sent directly by Table Officers via Douglas College email addresses)
- via Envoke software (sent from email address – “dcfa@douglascollege.ca”)
- via Simple Survey (sent from email address – “messages-noreply@simplesurvey.com”)
In the event that you receive a DCFA request from an address other than those listed above, please contact the DCFA to validate the authenticity of the message.
Additionally, if you receive any questionable emails that appear to be phishing emails, follow the same practices you would follow for your email correspondence while working at the College: https://collegedouglas.sharepoint.com/sites/dcconnect/tools_resources/technologyresources/Pages/Phishing.aspx
The DCFA does not ask for money or any financial information from members via email.
4. DCFA Member Questions
Callout to all DCFA Members
If you have any general questions relating to DCFA membership at Douglas College, or you have topic suggestions for future DCFA Update editions, please submit such information below. To protect the privacy of all submitters, anonymity will be maintained. Please note that if you have any specific questions that you require response to, you will need to provide an email address. Feedback link.
If you have specific questions that you are seeking a response to, please leave your contact information.
Updates – September 27, 2022
A Message from the DCFA Status of Women Committee
The DCFA Status of Women Committee wants to express support for the family of Mahsa Amini, and to publicly condemn the horrific act which took her life, and the unconscionable conditions the women of Iran have been subject to since 1979.
On September 16, 2022, Mahsa Amini, a young Kurdish woman, because of “unsuitable attire” was taken by Iran’s morality police to a detention centre to be “re-educated” for allegedly wearing her head-covering incorrectly. Her family says that she was “tortured” and suffered a head injury as a result of the police beating, dying three days later. The police claim that she had died of ”sudden heart failure” and that her death was “unfortunate.” Protests have been held around the world, and in Iran, many protestors have died in clashes with the Iranian police. Thousands protested in downtown Vancouver this past weekend, to stand with Iranian women. Since the 1979 revolution, Iranian women have been living without the freedom to dress and express themselves, and live safely as self-determining individuals. The laws have become even more strict and violent since the installation of the new leader, a hard-line cleric, in August 2021.
The Canadian government on Monday issued a statement of support for the women of Iran. We of the DCFA Status of Women Committee express our solidarity, especially with the women of Iran, and with all those who suffer gender, sex-based, or racial inequity, persecution, and violence.
Updates – September 26, 2022
Item 1 – REMINDER: October 1st – Supplemental PD Fund Application Review Process Opens
Item 2 – DCFA Member Questions
1. REMINDER: October 1st – Supplemental PD Fund Application Review Process Opens
The DCFA wishes to remind all faculty that the Supplemental Professional Development Fund (SPDF) application review process opens on October 1st. Applications must demonstrate direct and tangible benefits to students. Professional development activities such as attending academic conferences are acceptable. Applications that meet this requirement shall be considered on a first-come, first-served basis while funds last. The Faculty PD Committee shall not rank or otherwise compare applications but shall distribute available funds to eligible projects/activities until the Fund is depleted each year. Any technology or non-consumable materials or supplies acquired or created as a result of the use of this Fund remain the exclusive property of the College.
All regular faculty members shall be eligible to apply once per academic year for supplemental PD funding, provided that, at a minimum, the first four hundred dollars ($400) toward the eligible project/activity is funded through PD funds available under Article 9.02.f, whether those funds are held in individual or in pooled accounts. The Supplemental Funds awarded per application shall not exceed three thousand dollars ($3,000).
For more information, faculty can contact their DDP PD Chair, or review Article 9.02 g in the DCFA Collective Agreement.
2. DCFA Member Questions
If you have any general questions relating to DCFA membership at Douglas College, or you have topic suggestions for future DCFA Update editions, please submit such information below. To protect the privacy of all submitters, anonymity will be maintained. Please note that if you have any specific questions that you require response to, you will need to provide an email address. Feedback link.
If you have specific questions that you are seeking a response to, please leave your contact information.
Updates – September 21, 2022
Item 1 – DCFA Union Card Drive
Item 2 – Provincial Labour News: 1) SFU – Living Wage & 2) BCGEU
Item 3 – Douglas College Board of Governors Meetings
Item 4 – DCFA Member Questions
1. DCFA Union Card Drive
In Fall 2022, the DCFA is headed to the bargaining table to negotiate a new contract with the employer. One way we attain leverage in bargaining is through organizing our members. As part of a larger organizing strategy, we are launching a union card drive for our members. This drive has two goals: first, to raise awareness and visibility of the bargaining process; and second, to collect non-Douglas College email and phone contacts.
Members will soon receive an invitation from the DCFA to enter their information via Simple Survey. The DCFA will collect two pieces of information for the card: your name and your department or title. At the conclusion of the form, you may upload a portrait for the card. The following information will be collected for DCFA business in order to communicate with members, but will not be included on the card: a non-Douglas College email address, a non-Douglas College phone number, and your non-teaching semester (if applicable).
Information about your non-teaching semester will be especially helpful for organizing members for open bargaining. The DCFA will be pursuing open bargaining, which means that any faculty member may attend scheduled negotiation meetings as an observer. More information on open bargaining is available in the Fall 2022 edition of Faculty Matters. We will inform you about how to participate when new practical information on dates and times becomes available.
The DCFA will send the union card and lanyard to your home department once the card is printed.
2. Provincial Labour News: 1) SFU – Living Wage & 2) BCGEU
The following articles provide insight into provincial labour news:
- July 19, 2022 – Simon Fraser University website – SFU announces move to become living wage employer – a first for a Canadian public university:
https://www.sfu.ca/sfunews/stories/2022/07/sfu-announces-move-to-become-living-wage-employer.html
- September 7, 2022 – BCGEU reaches tentative agreement with Victoria on an up-to-14-per-cent wage hike:
https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/bcgeu-reaches-tentative-agreement
3. Douglas College Board of Governors Meeting
Any faculty who are interested in attending the Open Session of the College Board meeting. There are generally ~10 observer seats available at each meeting. No notice is required, but all observers are required to sign-in. Observers are reminded to arrive 5-10 minutes before meeting commencement. The next meeting is scheduled to take place on Thursday, September 21, 2023 at 5:00 pm. Moving forward all meetings will be conducted in person. Additionally, the 2022/2023 Meetings schedule is listed below.
4. DCFA Member Questions
Callout to all DCFA Members
If you have any general questions relating to DCFA membership at Douglas College, or you have topic suggestions for future DCFA Update editions, please submit such information below. To protect the privacy of all submitters, anonymity will be maintained. Please note that if you have any specific questions that you require response to, you will need to provide an email address. Feedback link.
If you have specific questions that you are seeking a response to, please leave your contact information.
Updates – September 14, 2022
Item 1 – DCFA General Meeting Information and Schedule
Item 2 – DCFA Office Move Postponement
Item 3 – Faculty Matters – Call for Submissions Fall 2022
Item 4 – DCFA Member Questions
1. DCFA General Meeting Information and Schedule
During the 2022/2023 Academic Year, the DCFA will conduct meetings in face-to-face, online, and/or hybrid format. The September, October and November meetings will be conducted in a hybrid format. Because of limited capacity, the DCFA will send an event invite and request that faculty RSVP. Logistics, technology, accessibility and member preference will dictate the chosen mode for future meetings. As the DCFA commences bargaining, members are reminded about the importance of remaining engaged. Attending General Meetings is a great way to do so. As before, time sensitive updates will be provided via the DCFA Update and/or direct email from DCFA Table Officers.
The following is the 2022/2023 Academic Calendar Year DCFA General Meeting Schedule:
2. DCFA Office Move Postponed
Several months ago, the employer informed the DCFA that we will need to vacate the current New Westminster office (N2320) over the summer. The employer advised the DCFA that this move will be postponed.
3. Faculty Matters – Call for Submissions Fall 2022
Call for Submissions – Fall 2022 Edition
CALLING ALL RESEARCHERS, WRITERS, AND SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTS
The Faculty Matters Editorial Team cordially invites you to contribute an article to an upcoming edition of the publication. The mandate of Faculty Matters is to provide insightful, honest, intelligent, and well-informed commentary on the academic and societal events and issues that impact Douglas College faculty. The past two years have provided many commentary-worthy events, so we encourage you to provide your expert evaluation and editorial. If writing an article is of interest to you, please contact the FM Editorial Team via the DCFA Update Feedback box (at the bottom of this update). Past editions of Faculty Matters are electronically available via the following weblink – https://www.dcfa.ca/faculty-matters/
Deadline for article submissions is September 16th.
Timing of Publish Change
In response to member suggestions, the DCFA will publish the ‘Faculty Matters’ magazine at the start of each semester (or in around Week 4 or 5), rather than at the end of the semester.
Past Editions
Winston Churchill once said that “those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” Some of the challenges, difficulties and opportunities encountered by past Douglas College faculty may repeat themselves. Fortunately, over the years benevolent, talented, devoted and hardworking Douglas College faculty confronted, analyzed and narrated current and critical events that were of importance to faculty at the time. This work can be accessed in the Faculty Matters Past Editions Archives:
1) Digital Archive @ https://dcfa.ca/faculty-matters/
2) Print Archive @ New Westminster Main Campus Room North 2320 – NEW: Information Board
On display at present are the following ‘Past Editions’ organized by Date / Article Title / Author / Topic Summary:
4. DCFA Member Questions
Callout to all DCFA Members
If you have any general questions relating to DCFA membership at Douglas College, or you have topic suggestions for future DCFA Update editions, please submit such information below. To protect the privacy of all submitters, anonymity will be maintained. Please note that if you have any specific questions that you require response to, you will need to provide an email address. Feedback link.
If you have specific questions that you are seeking a response to, please leave your contact information.
Archives: