This message, published in the Summer 2019 edition of The Beacon, was written by StFXAUT President Mary Oxner.

Dear Members,

As summer begins, we reflect on highlights observed from the most recent academic year. A significant list of tenure and promotion announcements, numerous research presentations and panels on campus, successful hiring processes, presentations by guest speakers, migration of LTAs to tenure track positions, new discoveries, and innovations in classrooms and labs across campus reflect our Membership. All of these highlights were occurring in a context of effective mobilization of Members to support Coady employees, redevelopment of a policy on sexualized violence, unwarranted pressure on Departmental hiring committees to prioritize candidates early in the hiring process, unilateral decisions on timelines for submission of teaching assignments, departure of senior administration including President Kent MacDonald and Vice President June Webber, and the packing up of offices in Lane Hall for a move to new surroundings.

As we pack away course files and dust-off research papers needing attention, we turn our attention to the next round of negotiations. We have an impressive Negotiation Team to advance Members’ issues and priorities, a committed Executive to offer oversight, and an engaged Membership to provide input about issues affecting them. All of us have been asked to participate in this process.

An overriding theme of this year’s negotiation is Collegial Governance. Collegial Governance is the governance system by which Universities are both defined and effective. At this year’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) our guest speaker was Dr. Julia Wright of Dalhousie University who has published and researched on the topic of Collegial Governance. Dr. Wright provided insight about the importance of Collegial Governance in our work environment and our role within it.

I hope this academic year eases its way into the next without much of a fight!

Mary O.
StFXAUT President