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<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Dear FDU listserv,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Below is an open letter to U of T colleagues
from Prof Alissa Trotz in Women's and Gender Studies and Prof Deb
Cowen in Geography. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Please give it a read and address any comments
and organizing ideas to Alissa <EM>off list</EM> at <A
href="mailto:da.trotz@utoronto.ca">da.trotz@utoronto.ca</A>.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Many thanks</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Cynthia</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT><FONT size=2
face=Arial></FONT><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT><FONT size=2
face=Arial></FONT><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT><FONT size=2
face=Arial></FONT><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT><BR></DIV>
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<DIV><FONT face=Arial></FONT><FONT face=Arial></FONT><FONT
face=Arial></FONT><FONT face=Arial></FONT><FONT face=Arial></FONT><FONT
face=Arial></FONT><FONT face=Arial></FONT><BR></DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"><FONT size=2><SPAN
style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white">Dear Colleagues,</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"><FONT size=2><SPAN
style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white"><BR></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"><FONT size=2><SPAN
style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white">We are now ten days into the strike by members
of CUPE 3902 Unit 1 at the University of Toronto.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"><FONT size=2><SPAN
style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white"><BR></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"><FONT size=2><SPAN
style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white">The University of Toronto homepage seeks to
assure the academic community and wider public that everything will be done
"</SPAN></FONT><FONT size=2>to minimize the impact of the strike on our
students" and that the administration "will continue to keep you apprised of
the situation. The University will remain open. Students are able to pursue
their courses. "</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"><FONT size=2><BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"><FONT size=2>As instructors of
large </FONT><FONT size=2><SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white">classes
with teaching assistants (members of CUPE 3902 on the picket
lines)</SPAN></FONT><FONT size=2>, we </FONT><FONT size=2><SPAN
style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white">have been inundated with e-mails and visits
from undergraduates worried about class assignments, worried about
examinations, worried about graduating on time. </SPAN></FONT><FONT
size=2><SPAN style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white">It is patently clear to us that
it is not business as usual. Our teaching assistants play a crucial role in
the delivery of course material. They are essential to ensuring academic
excellence and integrity in our classrooms. They help provide small group
experiences in large courses. </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"><FONT size=2><SPAN
style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white"><BR></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"><FONT size=2><SPAN
style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white">We do not accept that the responsibility for
answering these questions (which frankly we cannot) should be downloaded to
us, as per the website of the Vice-President and Provost which advises
students that "I</SPAN></FONT><FONT size=2><SPAN
style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white">f you are still unclear about the status of
your course after consulting Blackboard, contact your instructor or the
department offering the course." Nor do we accept, as the website of the
Vice-President and Provost directs, that if "</SPAN></FONT><FONT size=2><SPAN
style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white"><B>students are asking...questions about the
strike that I can’t answer," we "can </B></SPAN></FONT><FONT size=2><SPAN
style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white">refer them to the FAQs for students on this
page, or to status updates on the University
homepage." </SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"><FONT size=2><SPAN
style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white"><BR></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"><FONT size=2><SPAN
style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white">Our students deserve clear answers, which we
are unable to provide them. It is also impossible for us to respond in a
timely manner to the volume of individual questions we have been receiving
since the strike has started. This downloading is unfair and misplaced, and is
the unacknowledged cost of declaring that the University remains open and
classes continue.</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"><FONT size=2><SPAN
style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white"><BR></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"><FONT size=2>We have therefore directed our
students to write directly to:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"><FONT size=2><BR>The Vice-Provost of students at:
vp.students@utoronto.ca</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"><FONT size=2>Copied to the Vice-President and
Provost, Professor Cheryl Regehr, at </FONT><A
href="mailto:provost@utoronto.ca" target=_blank><FONT color=purple
size=2><FONT color=#0088cc><SPAN
style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white">provost@utoronto.ca</SPAN></FONT></FONT></A><FONT
size=2> </FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"><FONT size=2><BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"><FONT size=2>WHY are we suggesting that students
approach these offices? Because they explain their mandate thus:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"><FONT size=2><SPAN
style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white">"The</SPAN></FONT><FONT size=2><SPAN
style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white"> Office of the
Vice-Provost, Students & First-Entry Divisions has
responsibility for policies and procedures affecting students and student
organizations across the three campuses. The mandate of the Vice-Provost,
Students & First-Entry Divisions is to ensure that university-wide
programs and services are available in order for the academic divisions to
deliver an outstanding student experience."</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"><FONT size=2><BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"><FONT size=2>AND</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"><FONT size=2><BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"><FONT size=2><SPAN
style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white">"Welcome to the website for the University of
Toronto Vice-President and Provost’s Office. This office is responsible for
academic and budgetary matters at the University of
Toronto."</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"><FONT size=2><SPAN
style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white"><BR></SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"><FONT size=2><SPAN
style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: white">We invite you to join us in taking this
step. </SPAN></FONT><FONT size=2>We may all be affected in different
ways, but we are all in this together.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"><FONT size=2><BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"><FONT size=2><BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 13px"><FONT size=2><BR></FONT>
<DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>D. Alissa Trotz<BR>Caribbean Studies at New College<BR>and
Women and Gender Studies<BR>University of Toronto<BR>40 Willcocks
Street<BR>Toronto, Ontario<BR>M5S 1C6<BR>Tel: 416-978-8286<BR>Fax:
416-946-5561<BR>http://www.stabroeknews.com/category/features/in-the-diaspora/</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2><BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2>
<DIV> <BR>Deborah
Cowen<BR>Department of Geography <BR>University of Toronto</DIV>
<DIV>100 St. George Street, #5047</DIV>
<DIV>Toronto, ON</DIV>
<DIV>M5S 3G3<BR><FONT color=#333333>416.946.0567</FONT><BR><FONT
color=#333333>deb.cowen@utoronto.ca</FONT></DIV></FONT></DIV></DIV></DIV>
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