Dear CORFA Members,
Prior to the sharp drop in International student enrollment and the accompanying funding shortfalls, at least one third of academic staff at Canadian universities and colleges were employed on short term-contracts. Many earn less than a living wage. They do not have job security; part-time jobs are needed to pay the bills. Even when they are working in an Academic position, they often have no health benefits or life insurance, no long- or short-term disability insurance, no office – none of the things their colleagues benefit from – all while having the same qualifications and doing the same work as their Regularized counterparts.
Fair Employment Week (FEW) is upon us once again. Events are happening across Canada and internationally in the third week of October. If you are unaware, FEW is a campaign to bring attention to the working conditions of contract academic workers (CORFA’s Non-Regular faculty: Auxiliary and Term employees). Each October, we recognize the plight of precariously employed faculty working in universities and colleges across Canada, the US, and internationally. Contract and part-time academic work has quietly gone from a short-term stepping stone to a career-long condition for many faculty. The reliance on precarious instructor positions was growing. Now, they make up our “invisible layoffs”.
At College of the Rockies, it is apparent that the work of our Term and Auxiliary Faculty is valued. We see this through gradual changes to our Collective Agreement: improvements in Regularization language, options to participate in the Group Health and Dental Benefits, and the removal of the salary schedule for Auxiliary Faculty are just a few improvements we’ve seen in recent years. In the last round of Collective Bargaining, equity for Non-Regular Faculty was at the forefront, being prioritized across the province of BC and elsewhere. In this round of bargaining, we are working to remove the Auxiliary pay cap.
Whether they work in teaching or non-teaching roles, our Non-Regular Faculty are valued members of this College community. They are dedicated to the students they serve and to the goals of this College: to transform lives and enrich communities through the power of education, and to create and deliver the most personal student experience in Canada. Please consider showing your appreciation in some way this week. They deserve recognition for the work they do, and for the challenges they face as contract faculty. Without Non-Regular faculty, College of the Rockies would be less effective at adjusting course and lab sections for increased/decreased enrolment, changes in community needs, and limited-term/temporary program offerings (ESEP, UACE, HCA at other campuses).
If you’d like to read more about the experiences of auxiliary instructors, term faculty, sessional and other contract academic workers in BC, look for a copy of Terra Poirier’s book, Non-Regular. Better yet, sit down with someone you work with, share your experiences, and let them know they are appreciated.
Thank you,
Allison Platt
Non-Regular Faculty Rep
CORFA/FPSE