Updates

MEMORANDUM

To:                   Dalhousie students

From:              Frank Harvey, Provost and Vice-President Academic

Date:               Thursday, November 3, 2022

Re:                   CUPE update for students regarding remainder of the fall term

By now, you will have received the latest labour relations update indicating that the negotiating teams representing the Board of Governors and CUPE Local 3912 were unable to come to an agreement at the bargaining table this week. This means the CUPE strike continues.

We know this is concerning news to our students, especially as we approach the fall study break. We continue to hold out hope the strike could end soon, which would return our valued CUPE members to work and allow suspended classes and teaching supports to resume. However, it is in the best interest of our students and our academic community as whole that we prepare in case the disruption continues.

• Contingency plans are well underway to complete as many fall term courses as possible, to the best of our abilities. We are leveraging university-wide planning and resources to make this possible.
• Strategies for completing courses and the fall term will vary across the university. This is because the duties CUPE members perform are varied, and differ between Faculties, departments, programs and even individual courses.
• Everything possible will be done to ensure any changes do not disadvantage students in their progression through their academic programs. Your success is our top priority. Mechanisms are being explored that would allow for changes to courses and programs, and we are working to make sure those changes will be fair and supportive to students.
• We know you are eager for specifics — and we expect to be able to share those with you when classes resume after study break. We ask for your patience as we work through these important contingencies with our Faculties, departments and programs. We promise to update you as soon as we can.

Students with specific questions or concerns in the meantime are encouraged to contact the appropriate academic advising resource in their Faculty or department. We also encourage international students with concerns specific to their circumstances to contact the International Centre for immigration advising and support.

Please know the university is doing everything possible to bring this strike to a conclusion. The Dalhousie bargaining team representing the Board has tabled a fair deal that better supports our important CUPE members. Please continue to visit the CUPE Strike Information Page for the latest updates and information.

Sincerely,

Frank Harvey
Provost and Vice-President Academic

Dalhousie University is located in Mi'kma'ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi`kmaq. We are all treaty people.

We recognize that African Nova Scotians are a distinct people whose histories, legacies and contributions have enriched that part of Mi’kma’ki known as Nova Scotia for over 400 years.