- all-students - University of Manitoba Mailing Lists

President Barnard's statement on negotiations with UMFA
by all-students＠lists.umanitoba.ca 17 Oct '13

17 Oct '13

A message from David T. Barnard, President & Vice-Chancellor, University of Manitoba I am disappointed that the University of Manitoba Faculty Association (UMFA) leadership appears set on taking strike action next week. A strike will be harmful to our students and, indeed, the entire community. Let me assure you that we are doing everything we can to avoid a disruptive and unnecessary strike. The University of Manitoba has offered our faculty a four-year agreement with an 8.9 per cent salary increase. It is important that we compensate our faculty fairly and competitively. Our proposed four-year agreement would ensure long-term stability and certainty for our students. I want to be clear that we have not put forward anything in this bargaining process that would erode the academic freedom enjoyed by our faculty. We have not proposed a performance management system for UMFA members. Nor have we introduced any restrictions on research for UMFA members. We have suggested moving to binding arbitration to take the threat of a strike off the table. Arbitration would ensure the uninterrupted continuation of the academic year. This process would require UMFA and the University to present their cases to a third-party who would have the authority to mandate an agreement. In a show of good faith, the University of Manitoba expressed its willingness to use a person UMFA had recommended to act as an intermediary, to serve as an arbitrator. Unfortunately, UMFA leadership rejected this offer. Accepting this offer would have avoided a strike and enabled students to continue an uninterrupted academic year. We strongly encourage UMFA leadership to accept our offer to resolve this dispute through arbitration so as to avoid an unnecessary strike. Let's put our positions before an independent arbitrator, call off the strike and continue building an excellent university. Our students deserve nothing less. Students - who are at the heart of my concern today - can access updated information at www.umanitoba.ca/strikeinfo<http://www.umanitoba.ca/strikeinfo> and be assured that you will receive information the minute it becomes available. I also encourage the entire university community to review all of the information available including our rationale document that was provided to UMFA leaders in September. The document is located at www.umanitoba.ca<http://www.umanitoba.ca> under the bargaining updates icon. It is an accurate, detailed presentation of where the University of Manitoba stands on matters. The University of Manitoba remains committed to bargaining in good faith and will work diligently to prevent any disruption to students. I remain hopeful, even at this eleventh hour, that we can reach an agreement, or at least a process, that allows us to move forward without disrupting our students and the university community. Respectfully, David T. Barnard, Ph.D. President & Vice-Chancellor David T. Barnard, Ph.D., President and Vice-Chancellor 202 Administration Building, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB R3T 2N2 Canada Office: +1-204-474-9345 FAX: +1-204-261-1318 Email: president(a)umanitoba.ca [cid:image002.jpg@01CAEBD7.78870110] [cid:image002.png@01CECB69.69AFDA20]

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Message to All Students
by all-students＠lists.umanitoba.ca 16 Oct '13

16 Oct '13

[cid:image001.jpg@01CEC4DE.C0FA5C60] Dear Students, As you may have heard, a strike deadline has been set by UMFA for Tuesday, October 22. This means if an agreement between UMFA and the University cannot be reached by Monday, October 21, that a strike could begin on Tuesday. While we are disappointed that a strike date was set one day prior to the start of the conciliation process, we remain committed to seeking a settlement with UMFA through conciliation that will not disrupt your learning and success. Plan to attend your classes as usual, as we don't know yet what effect a strike will have on class schedules, mid-term exams or final papers. As soon as information becomes available, it will be posted on the website umanitoba.ca/strikeinfo (which will be live in the next 24 hours) and any major updates will be communicated to you by all-student email. You will likely have questions. Visit umanitoba.ca/strikeinfo for information on the negotiations, news, FAQs and contact information. Connect with us on our social media channels - facebook.com/umanitoba and twitter.com/umanitoba - as any updates to the website will be noted there as well. In the meantime, here is what you need to know: * Attend your classes as usual * The University remains open * Based on information at present, all student services, including Libraries, will be open during a strike * Check your email, umanitoba.ca/strikeinfo, and U of M social media for updates and information * A strike will not affect your academic record, work placements or co-op programs * Scholarships will not be affected * The University will answer all questions you may have as soon as possible We will update you again as soon as possible, hopefully with news that a settlement has been reached. Susan Gottheil Vice-Provost (Students) Marcia Davies Assistant to the Vice-Provost (Students) 204 474 6917 Student Affairs creating opportunities for student success

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No strike date set—Classes as usual
by all-students＠lists.umanitoba.ca 15 Oct '13

15 Oct '13

[cid:image001.jpg@01CEC4DE.C0FA5C60] Message to All University of Manitoba Students You may have heard some confusing media reports this past weekend regarding the bargaining process with the University of Manitoba’s faculty association (UMFA). Please note that no strike deadline has been set by UMFA and all classes and other campus activities are proceeding normally and as planned. We understand that many of you are concerned about the impact a labour disruption may have on your studies. With the assistance of a conciliator, the University of Manitoba administration is working with UMFA to reach a settlement and to avoid a disruption to the academic term. We are committed to keeping you informed while respecting the conciliation process. We will communicate any further updates to you by email. - Susan M. Gottheil Vice-Provost (Students) Marcia Davies Assistant to the Vice-Provost (Students) 204 474 6917 Student Affairs creating opportunities for student success

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Message to All UM Students from Susan Gottheil, Vice-Provost (Students)
by all-students＠lists.umanitoba.ca 09 Oct '13

09 Oct '13

[cid:image001.jpg@01CEC4DE.C0FA5C60] Dear Students, Many of you are aware that the University of Manitoba Faculty Association (UMFA), representing 1,250 faculty members, instructors, and librarians, has asked its members to vote on possible strike action. That vote took place October 7 - 9, and the results may be made known by UMFA on October 10. In this era of social media, we are hearing from many of you that you want to know more about what's happening and what it might mean to you, so we have decided to come forward now with what information we can share: * No strike deadline has been set * Classes continue as scheduled * The University has asked for a conciliator to help the parties reach an agreement * The University is doing all it can to avoid a strike * We will answer all questions students may have as soon as possible * Important information will be shared with you through all-students emails The University is doing its best to reach a settlement and avoid a strike. To that end, the University of Manitoba asked the Province this week to appoint a conciliator to help us negotiate a settlement. We are not content with the impasse that negotiations have reached; we want to keep the discussion going so that we can reach a settlement. We hope to be able to meet with UMFA and a conciliator this week or next. We remain hopeful that the conciliator will succeed in bringing the parties to an agreement. The University of Manitoba has made a competitive salary offer. The University of Manitoba values the tremendous contribution faculty make to this institution and recognizes the need to compensate them competitively if we are to attract and retain the best. We are offering UMFA a four-year agreement with salary increases of 2.9 per cent in the first year, and 2 per cent in each of the following three years. That is an 8.9 per cent increase over four years. There are additional financial improvements in the University's offer, as communicated on the University's website. The University of Manitoba has suggested a four-year agreement. UMFA is seeking a two-year agreement, with a 5.8 per cent increase over those two years. We believe a four-year agreement would offer the University community relative stability with respect to its academic function for at least four years. Further, if the length of the four-year contract is standing in the way of reaching a settlement, we have offered to reduce the term to three years, consistent with the duration of all recent UMFA contracts. There has not been a two-year contract for decades, and a short contract would perpetuate the uncertainty that students face over this bargaining process. The University of Manitoba did not propose that any rights presently enjoyed by faculty members be changed. We did not propose the addition of any new language or the removal of existing language around academic freedom. We believe the current language which has been in place for 40 years has served and continues to serve the community well, and reflects our strong commitment to academic freedom. The decision whether to strike or not to strike remains with UMFA. Although UMFA members have voted this week on whether to grant UMFA a strike mandate, UMFA has not made known to the University any strike deadline. That means that right now the academic year proceeds normally. There is no strike date set. We expect that we would receive fair notice from UMFA should a strike date be set. It is certainly not this week. At this point, we can say that - it warrants repeating - we are still working to avoid a strike, but in the event of a strike, we will do everything we can to minimize the impact of a strike on your academic success. We understand how troubling the uncertainty can be, but at this point it is very difficult to know what we would be facing. Past faculty strikes here and around the country have presented numerous scenarios, with varying start dates, durations, levels of support, and so on. We can also state that no Canadian University has ever cancelled a term because of a faculty strike, and that includes the 2011 Brandon University strike that lasted 47 days. We understand that as students you would like to know more, but we simply cannot provide a higher level of detail at this point because of our obligations to UMFA and the bargaining process. Rest assured, however, that, in the event of a strike, beyond continuing to work to reach an agreement, communicating with you will be our priority. We will answer your questions in a timely fashion. However, remember that it is difficult to foresee the circumstances presented by any individual strike, so please pay close attention to future communications from the University on this matter. We will update you again as soon as possible. I hope very much that the next update can be an announcement of a settlement, but if it is not, it will contain every possible detail we can share with you. Marcia Davies Assistant to the Vice-Provost (Students) 204 474 6917 Student Affairs creating opportunities for student success

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Desire2Learn System Maintenance
by all-students＠lists.umanitoba.ca 08 Oct '13

08 Oct '13

Information Services & Technology would like to inform you of upcoming Desire2Learn scheduled system maintenance. Desire2Learn will be unavailable on Sunday, October 13th from 12:00 AM to 6:00 AM. We thank you for your patience and understanding during this service interruption. Contact the Help and Solutions Centre at 204 474 8600 for further information and assistance. ----------------------------------------------------------------- IST would like to encourage all members of the university to sign up for the IST Alert Mailing list so that we may inform you of current and planned outages and problems. IST Alerts is intended to quickly communicate information that may impact your ability to access network or computer resources. Recent events show that communicating this information is important to all university members. This list is open to everyone; staff, students and faculty, who wish to subscribe. To subscribe go to: <http://lists.umanitoba.ca/mailman/listinfo/ist-alerts> ----------------------------------------------------------------- Information Services and Technology EMail: support(a)umanitoba.ca <mailto:support@umanitoba.ca> Help and Solutions Centre Phone: (204) 474-8600 123 Fletcher Argue Building Fax: (204) 474-7983 For our hours of operation please visit: <http://umanitoba.ca/ist/help/schedule.html> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- {CMI: UM431912}

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UM Student Health 101 - October Issue
by all-students＠lists.umanitoba.ca 01 Oct '13

01 Oct '13

U of M students, October's U of M Student Health 101 is now ready - check it out online at http://read101.ca/umanitoba.html Enter the October drawing for $1,000<http://read101.ca/umanitoba.html> - and check out what's in the October issue: [Going Beyond Pen & Paper]<http://read101.ca/1013/03/umanitoba.html> Going Beyond Pen & Paper How to enhance your note-taking techniques<http://read101.ca/1013/03/umanitoba.html> That Thing At The Gym? What it is & how to work it<http://read101.ca/1013/08/umanitoba.html> Do You Drink? Exploring the reasons behind your choices<http://read101.ca/1013/04/umanitoba.html> The FoMO Phenomenon Why you may have a fear of missing out<http://read101.ca/1013/05/umanitoba.html> Roommate Resolutions Finding common ground for stress-free living<http://read101.ca/1013/09/umanitoba.html> [This Weeks Poll] What's your favourite Halloween candy?<http://read101.ca/halloweencandy/umanitoba.html> Be sure to like us on Facebook<https://www.facebook.com/UniversityofManitobaStudentHealth101> & follow us on Twitter<https://twitter.com/SH101atUM> to find out when we announce the lucky winner. Thanks for your time, Marcia Davies Assistant to the Vice-Provost (Students) Student Affairs, University of Manitoba marci_davies(a)umanitoba.ca<mailto:marci_davies@umanitoba.ca> http://www.umanitoba.ca/student

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UMFA Bargaining Update (September 30, 2013)
by all-students＠lists.umanitoba.ca 30 Sep '13

30 Sep '13

[Paul Kochan header] September 30, 2013 To: All Employees and All Students The University of Manitoba began contract negotiations with the University of Manitoba Faculty Association (UMFA) in June, 2013. A new agreement has not yet been reached. The existing contract between the University of Manitoba and UMFA expired at the end of March, 2013. In 2010, the University and UMFA were able to reach a settlement in September without third party intervention. The University of Manitoba is committed to achieving a timely settlement. On August 16, 2013 we presented an offer to UMFA that included a generous salary position. We have offered UMFA members an 8.9 per cent salary increase over a four-year contract (2.9 per cent in Year 1, and 2 per cent in each of Years 2, 3 and 4) - this in a time of wage restraint across the broader public sector and within the post-secondary sector in particular. In addition to the 8.9 per cent increase, the University is proposing specific base salary adjustments for some ranks based on market comparisons, and structural revisions to the salary scales that result in higher maxima and increment values across all ranks. We want to attract and retain the best faculty and provide competitive salaries. We believe our monetary offer demonstrates our commitment to our faculty members, and to resolving this round of bargaining without a work stoppage. A salary calculator that allows UMFA members to calculate their salary over the next four years in accordance with the University of Manitoba's monetary offer is available at the Current Bargaining Update web page off the University of Manitoba homepage (umanitoba.ca). Simply find "Bargaining Update - Sep. 30/13" under "Updates", click and you will be taken to a page that includes the salary calculator. The direct url is: (http://umanitoba.ca/admin/human_resources/staff_relations/bargaining/academ…). The University of Manitoba has presented to UMFA its comprehensive position on all issues. UMFA has responded with only slight changes to its previous position, including holding to its proposal for a short-term agreement of one year or at most two years. UMFA has informed the University that it will be going to its members to call a strike vote. In these circumstances, the University felt it was important to share with its community the issues that stand in the way of an agreement. We did not propose that any rights presently enjoyed by faculty members be changed. We did not propose the addition of any new language or the removal of existing language around academic freedom. We believe the current language which has been in place for 40 years has served and continues to serve the community well, and reflects our strong commitment to academic freedom. We have not proposed the addition of an article on performance management. The only proposals we have made on these issues have been in response to UMFA demands. For example, we have proposed under the sections addressing tenure and promotion criteria that "no prescribed list of journals or other venues for publication, and no dollar amounts for research funding may be established or taken into consideration without consultation with faculty council." We have further added a clause under "Faculty Rights and Obligations" that explicitly states that faculty members have the right to comment on the University and on their Association. We have listened to and understand UMFA's position on recent University of Manitoba administrative initiatives such as Concur and print management, though we do not agree these matters belong in a collective agreement. We continue to believe that these new programs and processes are in the best interests of the University community and we will continue to consult with faculty and other members of the University of Manitoba community, listening and acting on their constructive input to make these initiatives a success. The savings generated by the innovations have helped put the University in a position to make the scale of offer it has for salaries. We are disappointed that UMFA has indicated our salary offer and our desire to keep the current language of the collective agreement with respect to academic freedom and other issues is not enough, and will seek a strike mandate from its membership. However, the University of Manitoba is committed to working to prevent any disruptions for our students, faculty and other staff and will continue to seek a settlement with UMFA through collegial and respectful negotiations. We are also committed to keeping all stakeholders informed as this process moves forward. Paul Kochan, CPA (Ill.), CBV, FCA | Vice-President (Administration) University of Manitoba Administration Building | Room 202 | Winnipeg, MB | R3T 2N2 vpadmin(a)umanitoba.ca<mailto:vpadmin@umanitoba.ca> | umanitoba.ca

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Weekend Parking and Access Restrictions
by all-students＠lists.umanitoba.ca 26 Sep '13

26 Sep '13

[cid:image001.jpg@01CEBACF.88345250] Weekend Parking and Access Restrictions There are a number of events happening on campus this Homecoming weekend that will affect traffic flow and parking on campus. Friday, September 27, 2013 On Friday, vehicle access to the Fort Garry campus and on-campus parking will be restricted between 5:30 p.m. and 11 p.m. due to an event at Investors Group Field. There will be no access restrictions for those travelling to and from campus on foot, by bike or by bus. Those students, staff and faculty members travelling to campus by car between 5:30 p.m. and 11 p.m. will require a valid U of M parking permit and must enter via Kings Drive. This dedicated entrance is for U of M permit holders only, providing a shorter, easier route of entry. After 5:30 p.m., permit holders wishing to access campus via University Crescent or Chancellor Matheson will be rerouted to the Kings Drive entrance. If you are unsure where the Kings Drive entrance is located, or how to access it, please follow this link to view a detailed map: http://goo.gl/maps/rh4qI Those with a U of M parking permit can use any of the following lots, regardless of the letter that appears on their pass: - A Lot - B Lot - L Lot - AC Lot (southeast corner of Freedman Crescent) - CTC Lot at the Crop Technology Centre For more information about event days, please visit http://investorsgroupfield.ca/ Saturday, September 28, 2013 Terry's CAUSE on Campus This five-kilometre fun walk, roll, or run in support of The Terry Fox Foundation will take place on the Fort Garry campus this Saturday beginning at 10 am. The event will not restrict access to the campus but there may be some delays at intersections during the race. The race will take place mostly on sidewalks throughout campus. However, in areas where there are no sidewalks - specifically Freedman Crescent and Saunderson Street - there will be pylons set up that will designate the race path as well as volunteers directing traffic. For more information on Terry's Cause or to register please visit: http://umanitoba.ca/terryscause/ Bisons Football Homecoming Game The University of Manitoba Bisons take on the Regina Rams at 1 p.m. Saturday at Investors Group Field. The Event Day parking plan is not in effect on Saturday, although a greater amount of vehicle traffic can be expected. Parking on campus is free and open to all, except in marked residence lots, the University Parkade and N Lot, which is located beside the Administration Building. To purchase tickets, please visit: http://www.ticketmaster.ca/event/11004B0293E85AE5 Thank you for your continued patience and support as we navigate this opening season at Investors Group Field. Sincerely, Andrew Konowalchuk Associate Vice-President (Administration) ---- Tannis Campbell Manager, Office of the Associate Vice-President (Admin.) University of Manitoba 202 Administration Building Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2 Phone: (204) 474-7822 Fax: (204) 261-1318

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Novell System Maintenance
by all-students＠lists.umanitoba.ca 24 Sep '13

24 Sep '13

Please be advised that IST will be performing maintenance work on the Novell system on September 24th at 9:00 P.M. to September 25th at 4:00 A.M. User impact is expected to be minimal. However during this time, the following services may respond slowly or may be briefly unavailable: 1. Novell authentication 2. Access to Novell network drives We thank you for your patience and understanding during this service interruption. IST Help & Solutions Centre 123 Fletcher Argue 204-474-8600 support(a)umanitoba.ca To sign up for IST-Alerts please visit the following link: http://lists.umanitoba.ca/mailman/listinfo/ist-alerts Updated information is also available on Facebook, Twitter and the IST Blog. Please visit http://umanitoba.ca/ist/help and click on the corresponding links. {CMI: UM423128}

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Investors Group Field Game Day - Friday, September 20
by all-students＠lists.umanitoba.ca 19 Sep '13

19 Sep '13

[cid:image003.jpg@01CE99CB.7A104320] Campus Access and Parking Restrictions for Friday, September 20 This Friday, vehicle access to the Fort Garry campus and on-campus parking will be restricted between 5:30 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. due to an event at Investors Group Field. There will be no access restrictions for those travelling to and from campus on foot, by bike or by bus. Friday evening's Winnipeg Blue Bombers game against the Edmonton Eskimos is one of four remaining "Event Days" scheduled at Investors Group Field this year. On Event Days, access and parking restrictions go into effect 90 minutes before the event begins, and end 60 minutes after it concludes. Those students, staff and faculty members travelling to campus by car between 5:30 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. will require a valid U of M parking permit and must enter via Kings Drive. This dedicated entrance is for U of M permit holders only, providing a shorter, easier route of entry. After 5:30 p.m., permit holders wishing to access campus via University Crescent or Chancellor Matheson will be rerouted to the Kings Drive entrance. If you are unsure where the Kings Drive entrance is located, or how to access it, please follow this link to view a detailed map: http://goo.gl/maps/rh4qI Those with a U of M parking permit can use any of the following lots, regardless of the letter that appears on their pass: - A Lot - B Lot - L Lot - AC Lot (southeast corner of Freedman Crescent) - CTC Lot at the Crop Technology Centre For more information about access to campus and parking on event days, please visit http://investorsgroupfield.ca/ You can find regular updates on Twitter at https://twitter.com/UMoutstanding I encourage all of you to take in an event at the new stadium. Cheer on your own University of Manitoba Bisons football team during this year's Homecoming game on Saturday, September 28 at 1 p.m. Having superior spaces like Investors Group Field serve the students, staff and faculty of our university, making for a more dynamic, innovative and community-focused campus. Thank you for your continued patience and support as we navigate this opening season at Investors Group Field. Remaining 2013 Event Days: * Friday, September 27, 7:00 p.m. - Winnipeg Blue Bombers vs. BC Lions * Saturday, October 19, 2:30 p.m. - Winnipeg Blue Bombers vs. Toronto Argonauts * Saturday, November 2, 1:00 p.m. - Winnipeg Blue Bombers vs. Hamilton Tiger-Cats University of Manitoba Bisons Games: * Saturday, September 28, 1:00 p.m. - Homecoming Game - Bisons vs. Regina Rams * Saturday, October 5, 1:00 p.m. - Bisons vs. UBC Thunderbirds Sincerely, Andrew Konowalchuk Associate Vice-President (Administration) ------- Janice Yates Assistant to the Associate Vice-President (Administration) 202 Administration Building, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg MB R3T 2N2 Phone: 204-474-8265 Fax: 204-261-1318 Email: Janice.Yates(a)umanitoba.ca<mailto:Janice.Yates@umanitoba.ca>

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