Information from CUPE

Information from York

Updates from Winters

BACK TO CLASS ON MONDAY!

Saturday 31 January

1.  CUPE on timetable for settlement and other matters: cupe-31-jan.htm

2. Clarification: the advice given here that you bring late assignments to your first class next week did not imply that rules had been changed in courses where there was no policy about handing in late assignments.  If a late assignment would have been refused had there been no strike, it will be refused now.  Your only hope is to try  to seek as nicely as possible a favour from your instructor.  Such a situation is not at all covered by the remediation documents; it has everything to do with a situation already existing before the strike.

3. For Auditions and application for the Diaspora Workshops: diaspora.htm

Friday 30 January

1.  Important - Revised Time Table for Fall and Winter Terms: http://www.registrar.yorku.ca/disruption/index.htm 

The features that you should note are that classes begin on Monday; the last class for Fall Term will be Thursday 19 February;

Wednesday 18 February will be a Monday which was one of the quirks in the old Fall schedule now still important for the absence of classes on Family Day, 16 February;

the examination period for Fall term runs from Friday 20 February to Tuesday 3 March;

Winter Term starts on Wednesday March 4 and goes to Thursday 21 May;

examinations begin on Friday 22 May and end on Tuesday 2 June.

The recommended page for York Students is: http://www.yorku.ca/yorkweb/cs.htm  It is sometimes difficult to navigate but all the necessary links are there.

The following is from Michael Legris of the York University Bookstore regarding refund policy, given these extenuating circumstances:

The bookstore will relax its refund policy due to the extenuating circumstances.  We normally allow a maximum of 14 days to return books, but will extend it for fall/winter books that are no longer being required.  Unfortunately, students need to present books in re-salable, mint condition.  Some books are simply not returnable, such as those with 'broken' or opened Access codes, and so on.  We normally need a receipt but if it is misplaced, we will refund books that appear to have been purchased at the York bookstore.  It would be helpful to hear directly from the instructors with specifics about any books being dropped.

2.  In addition to the events in Fine Arts listed below, there will be a variety of information services available today, Friday, in Vari Hall.

3. Open House in Fine Arts today Friday:

Hello everyone,

This note is to let you know that an invitation is being sent shortly to all Faculty of Fine Arts undergraduate students inviting them to an Open House tomorrow, Friday, January 30th from 10 am (10 am-noon).  Students are invited to the Price Family Cinema to talk with Associate Vice-President Fisher-Stitt, Dean Sellers-Young, Associate Deans Tenhaaf and Zatzman and myself; light refreshments will be served in the lobby prior to the forum.
Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.

Lynda Tam
Director, Academic Affairs
Faculty of Fine Arts

4. The best way to lubricate rusty intellectual joints this week-end may be reading something related to your courses and/or proof reading the essays and assignments that were due before the strike and are now handing in at your first classes!

Now that dates are set for the ending of Fall Term and all of Winter, many of you may seem to be seeing real (or hypothetical) difficulties with the extension of the Winter Term into May.  Deferment is the best strategy but, before rushing to the deferment forms, for which I shall shortly provide a link,  think your real or imagined problem through and carefully describe it for yourself in a brief written form.  Look at it again and ask yourself whether there are ways around it besides deferment.  Your first stop should be a brief meeting with your instructor.  You may be able to write examinations early (or later), substitute longer essays for written examinations, or negotiate take home examinations or final assignments.  These should be worked out course by course.  Take care that deferment is not an excuse or crutch for doing less work!  Prior obligations are, of course, the most persuasive reasons for granting deferment or rearrangements for a course.  There will be many others.

Please do not become obsessed with your real of possible problems in May.  Rather, get back to your studies at full speed.  Your instructors and any number of other advisors will be at your service with sympathy, experience and understanding. 

During the strike we had all sorts of idle time to imagine every possible and impossible worrisome worst case scenario for ourselves and others. By next week you won’t have time to worry!

“Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead !”

Or as my good friend Vergil said “forsan et hoc olim memenisse iuvabit.”

Thursday 29 January

A. Two announcements from Senate: senate-29-jan.htm  including a preliminary note on the end of Fall term: http://www.yorku.ca/secretariat/Strike2008/Additional%20Information%20Bulletin%208.pdf

1. Latest from CUPE: cupe-29-jan.htm   CUPE states that it will not appeal the Back to Class Legislation when it passes.  This means that classes will resume on Monday 2 February. 

2.  Today's "Tool Kit": http://www.yorku.ca/yfile/archive/index.asp?Article=11930 Information about the rest of the Fall and dates for Winter Term will be available several hours after legislation receives Royal assent.  It will be sent to you from wcaa@yorku.ca  and Faculty or Departmental addresses.

3. Remember that assignment due at the class that would have followed 6 November may be delayed to your second class in February.  No tests will be given at the first class. Nothing has been stated by Senate concerning assignments due before the strike began.  To be safe, bring them if you can to the first class in February.  If you will have difficulties attending the first class in February, send a note in advance to your instructor in which you briefly explain your circumstances.  There will be no classes on Family Day 16 February.  The Senate's revised time table for the Fall and Winter Term* will be available by late Saturday or on Sunday.

4. For Auditions and application for the Diaspora Workshops: diaspora.htm

Wednesday 28 January

A. CUPE will not go to court: cupe-25-janb.htm 

It this latest communication from CUPE, the Union states that it will not appeal the Back to Class Legislation when it passes.  This means that classes will resume on Monday 2 February.  There should be no picketing at York on Thursday and perhaps Friday.

B. Remember that assignment due at the class that would have followed 6 November may be delayed to your second class in February.  No tests will be given at the first class. Nothing has been stated by Senate concerning assignments due before the strike began.  To be safe, bring them if you can to the first class in February.  If you will have difficulties attending the first class in February, send a note in advance to your instructor in which you briefly explain your circumstances.  There will be no classes on Family Day 16 February.  The Senate's revised time table for the Fall and Winter Term* will be available late Saturday or on Sunday.

C. POST STRIKE PLANS: Post Strike Plans and Activities.doc

Individual Session:   Post strike individual sessions1.doc

Post Strike Stress Busting Group 1: Post strike group1.doc

D. For Auditions and application for the Diaspora Workshops: diaspora.htm

1. Table of return to classes:

2. From CUPE: cupe-28-jan.htm

3.  From York about CUPE's last offer: http://www.yorku.ca/yfile/archive/index.asp?Article=11927

4. Those who missed our "Reorientation 2009" last Wednesday may wish to attend an information session in Founders today:  founders.htm.

Poster: Information Session Jan 26.pdf

5. “Tool Kit”: http://www.yorku.ca/yfile/archive/index.asp?Article=11922 

6. Atkinson Faculty of Liberal & Professional Studies & York International present...
CULTURAL GALA: An Expression of Dance
Today January 28th, 2009
5pm to 7pm
Winters Dining Hall        Poster: cultural gala 2009.pdf
***FREE EVENT***

*  You may wish to note that second term in English Universities traditionally began on the Feast of the Purification on which day candles for the years in churches were blessed.  Hence the popular name for the day became Candlemas (=mass at which candles were blessed.)  But we have gone in another direction and will watch our shadows instead of our candles and hope for an early thaw at York.

Tuesday 27 January

1. Table of return to classes:

2. Those who missed our "Reorientation 2009" last Wednesday may wish to attend an information session in Founders on this Wednesday:  founders.htm.

Poster: Information Session Jan 26.pdf

3. “Tool Kit”: http://www.yorku.ca/yfile/archive/index.asp?Article=11913

4. For those who missed Thursday's message here is the note from Albert Tam about the  Textbook &  Technology Grant from Ontario. -"This is the link for the Textbook & Technology Grant. The students that have qualified for OSAP are automatically given the grant. Those who did not can still apply -- there is no requirement to demonstrate financial need. It's $150 of free money. : https://osap.gov.on.ca/eng/not_secure/ttg_12.htm "

5. Again, students who believe that they will experience difficulties because of the extended Winter term, should consult with Faculty and Advisors in their Departments and Programmes as soon as they can clearly describe their problems.  Have another look at the notes for Sunday 25 January listed below.

6. Atkinson Faculty of Liberal & Professional Studies & York International present...
CULTURAL GALA: An Expression of Dance
Wednesday January 28th, 2009
5pm to 7pm
Winters Dining Hall        Poster: cultural gala 2009.pdf
***FREE EVENT***

Monday 26 January

1. Table of return to classes:

2. Full text from Senate: http://www.yorku.ca/yfile/archive/index.asp?Article=11911

3. Latest "Tool Kit":  http://www.yorku.ca/yfile/archive/index.asp?Article=11903

4.  Yesterday's message about busses on Campus has been changed to "after 5:30 pm".

5.  Those who missed our "Reorientation 2009" last Wednesday may wish to attend an information session in Founders on this Wednesday:  founders.htm.

Poster: Information Session Jan 26.pdf

6. Message from CUPE: We have received word from our external liaisons that the NDP has encouraged us to watch the debate, which is going on right now. The web cast is available here: http://www.ontla.on.ca/web/go2.jsp?Page=/webcast/webcast_main&locale=en

You can also watch this on Cable TV, a channel called CPAC, which is 105 on Rogers. It should be freely available.           

Sunday 25 January

The Legislature meets this afternoon to be presented with a bill to end the strike by suspending job action and sending outstanding issues to binding arbitration.  Since New Democrats will oppose unanimous reception of the bill, the debate will extend into the week before the bill is passed.  Even then CUPE will ask for an injunction against implementation of the law until it has appealed the legality of the bill through the courts.  If such an injunction were to be granted,  the current disruption would extend indefinitely until resolved by courts in Ontario and eventually the Supreme Court.  The issue for CUPE and probably New Democrats is important- does Parliament have power to interfere with strikes staged by non-essential workers? 

As of this moment nothing is as certain as it may appear.  Students may wish to appeal to all parties involved and voice opinions against or for the pending legislation.  Otherwise all that remains is hope and, for believers, prayer!

Students who will have difficulties returning to class once the strike is over should immediately contact all their instructors with brief but clear explanations of their problems.  Follow the line of communication that we discussed on Wednesday.  See Professor Spotton'sa note #1 below and: http://www.yorku.ca/pswarney/Winters/meeting-20-jan.htm

1. Professor Spotton's notes on Wednesday's meeting: spotton.htm

2.  Back to work legislation: http://www.yorku.ca/mediar/archive/Release.php?Release=1594

3.  Mesage from CUPE: cupe-25-jan.htm

4. Message from Senate on Accommodation: senate-22-jan.htm

    Printable version: senate-22-jan.doc

5. Those who have firm (and demonstrable) commitments for the spring that may be difficult or impossible to meet because of an extended Winter Term should consult the document above in #2.  As stated at our meeting yesterday,  the time to act is now.  There are ways to obtain deferred standing and accommodating students in this position.  The time to act is now while doors should be open.  Immediately contact by e-mail your instructors, even those on strike, all of whom should have the courtesy to answer you.  If not approach chairs of Departments.  If no one responds within a reasonable time, contact an Associate Dean in your Faculty.  In your correspondence you must be clear and brief about your problem and at all times courteous.  Leave aside any ill feelings about the strike.  Your message must be about your problem not about how you and your fellow students have been wronged.  That can be addressed on another day.  If you can show clearly that you will have difficulties, act now!

6. Return to classes for some lucky students: http://www.yorku.ca/mediar/archive/Release.php?Release=1587

7. Those wishing further information and to make contact with other students should contact Winters College Council at: www.winterscouncil.com

8.  Busses will again come onto the Campus each day  after 5 PM when CUPE promises to suspend picketing. http://www.yorku.ca/mediar/archive/Release.php?Release=1593

Information from CUPE

Information from York

Updates from Winters