Brian, I have a question about CAUT. With the support of my department (following a discussion in department meeting), I have repeatedly contacted them asking if it would be possible for them to stop sending a paper copy of their monthly newspaper, plus the massive yearly almanac, to every single faculty member in our department. Instead, I have suggested, they could send just a couple of copies, to be placed in our department lounge (although, for that matter, it is hard to see why they can't go to an electronic format). In this age of sustainability, it seems like a no-brainer. Not only has CAUT failed to honour this request--they have failed even to RESPOND to it. Is this what we're paying more than $100K a year for? Can SFUFA take up this issue?
Crankily,
JD Fleming
English
From: "Brian Green" <brian_green@sfu.ca>
To: sfufa-members@sfu.ca
Sent: Monday, 13 January, 2014 09:53:33
Subject: [SFUFA] CUFA/BC Awards and CAUT Event on Threats to Research
Dear Members:
SFUFA's provincial federation, CUFA/BC and national organization, CAUT have both announced initiatives that may be of interest.
CUFA is accepting nominations for its annual Distinguished Academics Awards, which honor faculty members whose scholarly work and community service have made outstanding contributions in the public interest. Nominations are open until February 3rd, and presented at an awards dinner on April 23rd.
We would urge you to nominate colleagues whose work in this regard has been exceptional. Details on the various awards and the nomination process can be found at:
http://www.cufa.bc.ca/awards-menu
At the national level, CAUT's "Get Science Right" campaign is coming to the Harbour Centre campus on January 28th. This project works to draw attention to funding cuts to and political interference with scientific research, and presents scholars' own experiences with and analyses of the challenges facing university and other publicly-funded research scientists in Canada.
A poster announcing the Get Science Right event, with full details on location and participants, is attached. Further information on the campaign can be found at http://getscienceright.ca/
Those interested may also want to watch a recent edition of CBC's Fifth Estate focused on cuts to federal scientific research. The program is available on-line at
http://www.cbc.ca/player/News/ID/2429411271/
Neither of the above events is a SFUFA initiative. We do, however, participate in both through our memberships in CUFA/BC and CAUT, and would be happy to assist any member seeking further information on either organization or its work.
--
James Dougal Fleming
Associate Professor
Department of English
Simon Fraser University
778-782-4713
"Upstairs was a room for travelers. ‘You know, I shall take it for the rest of my life,’ Vasili Ivanovich is reported to have said as soon as he had entered it."
-- Vladimir Nabokov, Cloud, Castle, Lake