There is a continuous misunderstanding at university campuses, amongst some tenured faculty and staff of the university administration but also in the public at large, about the meaning, purpose, and scope of tenure and academic freedom. In our collective agreement they are defined in article 6 Academic Freedom, and article 15.2 Purpose of Tenure. As academics, we […]
Read More »For ten years now, the USFA has sponsored an annual Academic Freedom Event. This year, Dr. Dianne Miller, a historian and sociologist of education, raised the question of whether women can inquire in a manner free from institutional restraints where they are victims of sexual predation and violence. Read what she had to say in […]
Read More »Voting is underway for the faculty representative on the U of S Board of Governors, with ballots closing on May 25th. If you have not yet voted, consider participating in the process to determine who will take the seat of the faculty member on our Board of Governors. As recent events across Canada have shown, […]
Read More »“The Politics of Austerity and Academic Freedom: An Inevitable Collision?” April 7, 4:00 to 5:45 p.m. Neatby-Timlin Theatre (241 Arts) Keynote: Dr. Root Gorelick, Carleton University “Academic Freedom in University Governance: Blogging and Gagging” Last November, just months after the University of Saskatchewan agreed to a one-time holdback of $20 million to help the provincial […]
Read More »With pleasure, we announce the 2015 recipients of the Peter C. Dooley Legacy Award, the USFA Academic Freedom Award and the Peter T. Millard Award. Thank you to the multiple nominators for making the selection committee’s task challenging. The 2015 Peter C. Dooley Legacy Award goes to Joan Sawatzky, Professor Emeritus, College of Nursing, University […]
Read More »Throughout the upheaval of the past six months, the USFA Executive directed considerable efforts toward reaching a settlement at the negotiating table. We reached a tentative three-year agreement on July 30 and ratified it on September 2. We anticipate the Board of Governors will vote on the agreement at their meeting in early October. We […]
Read More »Notwithstanding the very public and powerful words last week from President Ilene Busch-Vishniac about the importance of tenure and academic freedom after reversing the decision to strip Professor Robert Buckingham of his tenure, there are clear indications that the tenure process at the University of Saskatchewan is under full attack. Despite assurances by the President […]
Read More »Important changes are facing all of us as members of the University. TransformUs, in particular, has been the lightning rod for critical comment by colleagues not only in the pages of VOX but in other print media. Nor should it surprise us that the “Dickeson model” guiding TransformUS has been rejected by universities and colleges […]
Read More »Last week we sent out an e-Letter about tenure not being a term appearing in Saskatchewan legislation. While tenure and the ideals it holds have been a part of academia and the task of imparting knowledge to others for a very long time, it is not something that exists in the laws of our province. […]
Read More »If you have ever wondered why faculty might choose to unionize, read the University of Saskatchewan Act and the University of Regina Act. Neither piece of legislation contains the word “tenure”. It does appear in the Collective Agreement, where it is defined as “the appointment of an employee to a permanent position on the academic […]
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