FAQ for Faculty & Staff

Students in several associations at Concordia, and elsewhere in the province, have voted or will soon be voting in favour of holding strike days over the coming weeks. The length varies from association to association. Some are voting for a one- or two-day strike while others are voting for a one-week strike. Many of these mandates call for further votes to extend the strikes.

The list below includes student associations that have held votes as of 9 a.m. on April 1.

Faculty of Fine Arts – undergraduate

• Members of Concordia’s Fine Arts Student Alliance (FASA) have voted in favour of holding a strike on March 23 and April 2.

Faculty of Arts and Science – undergraduate

• Students of Philosophy Association have voted in favour of a strike on March 23 and a one-week strike from March 26 to April 2.
• Members of the Geography Undergraduate Student Society have voted in favour of a strike on March 23 and April 2.
  
• Members of the Women Studies Student Association have voted in favour of a strike on March 23 and a one-week strike from March 30 to April 3.
• Members of the School of Community and Public Affairs Association have voted in favour of a strike on March 23 and April 2.
• Members of the Coms Guild have voted in favour of a strike on April 2.
• Members of the Liberal Arts Society have voted in favour of a strike on April 1 and 2.
• Members of the Political Science Student Association at Concordia University (PSSA) have voted in favour of a strike on April 1 and 2.
• Members of the Concordia Association for Students in English have voted in favour of a strike on April 2.
• Members of the Loyola College Student Association have voted in favour of a strike on April 2.

Faculty of Arts and Science – graduate

• Members of the Graduate Philosophy Student Association have voted for a strike on March 23 and a one-week strike from March 26 to April 2.
• Members of Geo Grads have voted in favour of a strike on April 2.
• Members of the Graduate History Students’ Association have voted in favour of a strike on April 2.
• Humanities PhD-GSA

This is a challenging time for Quebec society as a whole and we respect that members of our community will be voicing their opinions in a number of ways. We especially understand the concerns raised by students, and by other members of our community, regarding the funding cuts that have affected Concordia and the Quebec university network since 2012.

As an institution, we came away with several lessons learned from the spring of 2012, including the need to have continuous, open dialogue on campus and to support our faculty and staff so that everyone has the information they need to effectively respond to different situations that may arise during strike days.

Days of reflection

For that purpose, we decided to hold a day of dialogue and reflection on Monday, March 23 for those student associations that had received a strike mandate at that time. On March 23, classes were not held for the following:

• Faculty of Fine Arts – undergraduate students
• Department of Geography – undergraduate courses beginning with GEOG
• Department of Philosophy – undergraduate and graduate students
• Women Studies classes – undergraduate courses (WSDB)
• School of Community and Public Affairs – undergraduate courses (SCPA).

Since March 23, a number of other student associations have voted in favour of a strike mandate. We have decided to hold a second day of reflection on April 2 for those student associations, as listed below:

• Coms Guild, undergraduate
• Liberal Arts Society, undergraduate
• Political Science Student Association, undergraduate (POLI)
• Concordia Association for Students in English, undergraduate (ENGL)
• Loyola College Student Association, undergraduate (LOYC)
• Geo Grads, graduate (GEOG, ENVS, HENV)
  
• Graduate History Students’ Association, graduate (HIST)

Academic course requirements

All course academic requirements, shared with students at the beginning of the term, remain in effect even if students choose not to attend class as a form of protest. This means students are still expected to fulfil these requirements if they want to complete the course unless a faculty member chooses to change them.

Concordia is unable to extend the term.
 

Expectations of faculty and staff

All faculty and staff members are expected to carry out their duties and responsibilities. Faculty members may use their discretion in dealing with coursework and course completion.

Safety first

We are asking everyone to put safety first. We respect the freedom of students to express their views on important issues and we are hopeful that strike action will not be confrontational nor prevent people from entering or leaving our buildings and classrooms. This is clearly outlined in our Code of Rights and Responsibilities.

In the Faculty of Arts and Science, the following undergraduate classes will not be held on April 2:

• COMS – Communication Studies 
• LBCL – Liberal Arts College
• POLI – Political Science
• ENGL - English
• LOYC – Loyola College

In the Faculty of Arts and Science, the following graduate classes will not be held on April 2:

• GEOG, ENVS, HENV – Geography
• HIST - History
  
• HUMA - Humanities

To minimize conflict between students, courses that are cross-listed with any of the above classes will be included in the day of reflection. A cross-listed class is one where there are two course names and numbers that meet in the same location at the same time and have the same instructor.

This means that courses that are cross-listed with Communication Studies, Liberal Arts College, Political Science, English, Loyola College, at the undergraduate level will not be offered on April 2.

Graduate courses that are cross-listed with Geography, History, and Humanities will not be offered.

Please refer to the list of classes not being held on the Concordia website, accessible from the home page under the yellow banner at the top of the page.

The Provost is asking faculty members to use their discretion in making judgements about academic accommodation.

In practice, this means all academic requirements for courses and programs, announced at the beginning of term, remain in effect unless specifically changed by individual faculty members. This means there is an expectation that students will fulfil these requirements if they want to complete the course.

Students who choose to miss classes, do not submit assignments, write tests or quizzes, may be subject to normal academic sanctions administered by faculty members unless they have made special arrangements with you.

We are asking everyone to put safety first.

We recognize the right of students to protest and are hopeful that protest action will not be confrontational nor prevent people from entering or leaving our buildings and classrooms. Do not, under any circumstances, try and force your way into a blocked classroom or building.

If faculty, staff or students are prevented from entering their classroom, office or building, they should call Security at 514-848-3717, and press 1, or if calling internally, please dial ext. 3717, and press 1.

This number is the same for both Loyola and Sir George Williams campuses, and can be used from a cellular phone or free of charge from any campus pay phone.

Faculty members should arrive at their classes and be prepared to deliver lectures or oversee studios and labs, as scheduled.

Faculty members faced with an empty classroom may choose to cancel class. In this case, they should advise their Academic Unit Head (Department Chair or College Principal), or the Office of the Dean.

If only a few students attend class, or if basic pedagogical conditions are not met (e.g. insufficient numbers for effective seminar discussion, etc.), faculty members should exercise their judgement on whether to continue class. If a decision is made to cancel the class, the Academic Unit Head (Department Chair or College Principal), or the Office of the Dean, should be notified.

Concordia is unable to extend the semester.

If faculty members are unable to continue teaching a class because of ongoing disruptions, then they should exercise their judgement on whether to cancel the class. The Academic Unit Head (Department Chair or College Principal), or the Office of the Dean, should be notified if the class is cancelled.

It will be up to the faculty member to decide if there will be a make-up class. Faculty members should speak with their associate deans or deans if they have specific questions or concerns. 

Field trips are certainly possible in line with existing university policies; however, we do not recommend holding classes in private residences or facilities due to insurance and liability concerns. 

We appreciate that faculty and staff members may feel uncomfortable crossing a picket line during the student strike, but we are asking faculty and staff members to report to work as usual.

If faculty, staff or students are prevented from entering their classroom, office or building, they should call Security at 514-848-3717, and press 1, or if calling internally, please dial ext. 3717, and press 1.

This number is the same for both Loyola and Sir George Williams campuses, and can be used from a cellular phone or free of charge from any campus pay phone.

Do not, under any circumstances, try and force your way into a blocked classroom or building.

If you believe your safety, or that of anyone else, is threatened, you are advised to close and lock doors, if possible, then call Security at 514-848-3717, then press 1, or if calling internally, please dial ext. 3717, and press 1.

This number is the same for both Loyola and Sir George Williams campuses, and can be used from a cellular phone or free of charge from any campus pay phone.