MUNSU releases statement on academic amnesty after President Timmons declines special meeting of senate

20230131 140115
20230131 140115
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MUNSU released the following statement regarding the issue of academic amnesty for students seeking to avoid crossing the picket line as non-MUNFA classes go ahead.

The Statement reads as follows:

“Last week, the MUNSU executive sent a formal request to President Vianne Timmons to call a special meeting of the university Senate before the January 30 deadline for job action. This request was denied.

The nature of this request was to raise a motion to grant academic amnesty to all students who would refuse to cross a picket line to attend their non-MUNFA classes in the event of job action. Furthermore, MUNSU’s student senators wanted it pre-approved that at the end of job action, students would see an extension in deadlines to drop courses without academic prejudice, as well as a commitment to tuition and housing refunds for all who needed them. Section IV of the Senate Handbook of By-laws and Procedures state that a special meeting may be called by the chair and so this was well within President Timmons abilities to do at anytime. As operations of the Senate were to be ceased upon the commencement of job action, it was essential to have this meeting before the strike deadline.

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In the letter of request, it was stated that “students deserve to have certainty that they will be accommodated despite the significant disruptions to their education at the hands of the administration. We firmly believe this to be a necessary meeting for the well-being of students and a refusal to have such a meeting would be a massive disrespect to your entire student body as well as every union on this campus.

In her response, Dr. Timmons stated that she “acknowledge[s] that this is a stressful time for students and the University community,” that she “recognizes the critical role that faculty play within the university,” but that “the Senate’s authority is limited to encouraging instructors to grant leniency and flexibility to students who were absent from class during a specified period of time.” She further stated that “course requirements at this time are, as always, set by the instructor of the course.”

To be clear, the statement that the Senate’s authority is limited in this matter is completely y and utterly false. MUNSU had a motion passed through the Senate in the 2022 Fall term granting academic amnesty to students who participated in the November 2nd, #AllOutLike99,Day of Action. The Senate secretary informed us on several occasions that a special meeting of Senate would be where these motions would have to be passed. This has additionally been repeated numerous times by Dr. Neil Bose in his media appearances on behalf of the administration.

The university administration has intentionally put students, in addition to the various other campus unions and non-unionized university staff, in an impossible situation intentionally. They are putting the onus of this job action, caused by the administration’s unwillingness to offer a fair deal, back onto the most vulnerable members of the University community in an attempt to undermine MUNFA’s negotiating efforts. These decisions are absolutely in the hands of the administration and have been made to cause division, fear-mongering, and break solidarity. This statement aims to make it clear that it is not working.

In response to Dr. Neil Bose’s statements to the media that discussions of what will happen for students who do not cross the picket line will occur following the strike, this is not good enough. The academic and financial status of students cannot be held in indefinite limbo in an attempt to intimidate members into strike-busting. These are disgusting scare tactics and our members are being used as tools. The administration is increasing the stress, workloads, and expectations of students, per-course instructors, and staff, in an attempt to turn them against MUNFA. We stand strong.

MUNSU would like to reiterate from our letter last week to Dr. Bose that students being forced to cross the picket line does not equate to the student body standing with the University during this dispute. Students and faculty are united, faculty working conditions are student learning conditions. We are asking our university leadership to value and respect the importance of high-quality learning and working conditions at our institution.

Since the strike began on Monday, more than 30 of MUNSU’s various student faculty societies have come out with statements of support for MUNFA. The Breezeway Cafe and Bar has been turned into a Student Strike HQ where from 11 am to 3 pm, Monday to Friday, students have had a space to come and make signs, warm up, and grab solidarity materials for those on the picket lines. The SafeDrive service has been readjusted to do coffee runs to the various pickets, CHMR radio has been reporting audio from participants, and The Attic has been closed aside from providing printing services to support the strike. Solidarity has come from other Memorial University Student Unions, Grenfell Campus Student Union and Marine Institute Student Union. It is clear that students overwhelmingly support our faculty’s efforts to get a fair deal and we call on the administration to end this disruption as soon as possible.

Students who require academic support should reach out to advocacy@munsu.ca. Students who would like to join MUNSU’s efforts to support MUNFA should contact campaigns@munsu.ca. Students seeking to share feedback should contact external@munsu.ca. MUNSU can be reached for comment via resource@munsu.ca or via (506) 469 4658.”

The statement details the request for which prior to the strike, MUNSU had requested to raise a motion to grant academic amnesty to all students who would refuse to cross a picket line to attend their non-MUNFA classes in the event of job action.

In an email correspondence with President Timmons and the Senate Recording Secretary, MUNSU requested a special meeting of the senate to bring forth these concerns prior to the commencement of potential labour action for which the chair (President Timmons) is authorized to do so.

email from isabel to timmons
Email from MUNSU requesting the chair, President Timmons, to call a special meeting of Senate

In a response from President Timmons, she stated the senates authority is “limited to encouraging instructors to grant leniency and flexibility to student who were absent from class during a specified period of time.”

Additionally, President Timmons said that a special meeting of the senate would be convened at the conclusion of the strike.

Timmons Response to Isabel 1
President Timmons Response to MUNSU

MUNSU stated that President Timmons response was “completely and utterly false” citing a motion that had passed the Senate in the 2022 Fall term, granting academic amnesty to students who participated in the November 2nd Protest at Confederation Building.

Likewise, in his media correspondence for the administration, Dr. Neil Bose said of academic amnesty, that he believes that the senate would support the motion to excuse students for missing classes during the strike. This was reported by CBC and pointed out by MUNSU in their statement.

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Bruce March
Bruce March is a 4th year student majoring in Political Science and Economics. He is passionate about student issues, public policy and our community at large