Email sent to the membership Mon. Aug 10, 2020 on behalf of David Monod, WLUFA President:
Dear colleagues,
Many of you will have already seen the attached document setting out principles for Fall teaching. The document is already being circulated to chairs and from them to many of you. I’m sorry we didn’t get something like this to you earlier, but it was a long time in the making; we began working on it in the middle of June!
Like all such agreements, this one was the product of negotiation. As a result, there are things in it that we like very much and things that we wish we could have improved upon. This is true for both sides. But it’s important to note that while we debated words and numbers, both sides aligned over the core principles: 1) flexibility for faculty to determine how best to deliver the learning objectives of their courses; 2) recognition that remote delivery involves extra work and that the burden falls heavily on our most vulnerable and lowest-paid members; 3) protection for the health and security of all faculty (Contract and Full Time); 4) acknowledgement that working from home may involve added costs, that it may not be possible for all faculty, and that it may be absolutely necessary for others; and 6) a commitment to approach the problems ahead and questions that will arise in a common-sense, problem-solving way.
I’m sure you’ll have questions; there is a Q&A attachment with answers to some that have arisen already. We look forward to hearing from you. The WLUFA staff and I will do our best to address your questions in a timely fashion. The attachments will be posted to the WLUFA website under “Resources and FAQ” | “Additional Questions”.
all the best,
David
David Monod
President
Wilfrid Laurier University Faculty Association