We Are Mcgill
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We are McGill On September 20, 2011, Provost Anthony Masi and Vice-Principal Michael di Grappa issued a communiqué concerning classes being held off-campus during the MUNACA strike. This followed an incident a week earlier in which a McGill professor was threatened with suspension for carrying out her academic duties by teaching off-campus so that she and her students would not have to cross the MUNACA picket line. The message from the Provost and the Vice-Principal was clearly intended to justify this threat in the eyes of the McGill community, and to intimidate other faculty members who might be contemplating similar action in support of their MUNACA co-workers. In presuming to express “McGill’s position” on this issue – as if the senior Administration were identical with the University—the Provost and the Vice-Principal selectively invoked regulations which they interpreted as requiring that academic duties be performed on campus. They also suggested that professors who teach off-campus during the strike are failing in their obligation to students by inconveniencing them and exposing them to unsafe learning conditions. We reject all of this. Teaching off-campus during strikes is a practice with a long and noble history at North American universities, one that allows faculty members and students to respect their co-workers, and their own consciences, while still meeting their obligations to each other. The Administration’s aggressive disregard for the integrity of this practice displays the very same lack of respect for the University’s diverse constituents that has characterized its treatment of McGill’s unionized support staff. We, the undersigned, call for the immediate removal of the threat of suspension against professors who teach their classes elsewhere while the campus is being struck and picketed. Our commitment to our students demands more than providing for their immediate convenience; it requires that we also commit to each other to protect the university as a space free of arbitrary authority and coercion. We are members of the McGill community who believe in academic freedom, freedom of conscience, decent working conditions and fair compensation for everyone who works at the University. We respect the dignity of our co-workers. We believe in collegial governance. We are McGill. Nous Sommes McGill Le 20 septembre 2011, le Vice-principal exécutif Anthony Masi et le Vice-principal (administration et finances) Michael di Grappa ont émis un communiqué concernant les classes qui ont lieu hors-campus pendant la grève de MUNACA. Ce communiqué est intervenu à la suite d’un incident survenu la semaine précédente à la suite duquel une professeure a été menacée de suspension pour avoir exercé ses tâches universitaires en enseignant hors du campus afin qu’elle et ses étudiant(e)s ne se trouvent pas dans l’obligation de franchir le piquet de grève de MUNACA. Le communiqué du Vice-principal exécutif et du Vice-principal (administration et finances) visait clairement d’une part à justifier cette menace auprès de la communauté de McGill mais aussi d’autre part à intimider d’autres membres du corps enseignant qui seraient tentés de suivre ce type d’action pour soutenir l’action de leurs collègues de MUNACA. Prétendant exprimer « le point de vue de McGill » – comme si le point de vue des responsables administratifs était celui de l’Université dans son ensemble – le Vice-principal exécutif et le Vice- principal (administration et finances) ont fait appel de manière sélective à des dispositions règlementaires interprétées comme nécessitant que les tâches universitaires aient lieu obligatoirement sur le campus. Ils ont aussi insinué que les professeur(e)s enseignant en dehors du campus pendant la grève manquaient à leurs devoirs envers les étudiant(e)s en leurs créant des désagréments et en les exposant à des conditions d’apprentissage potentiellement dangereuses. Nous rejetons l’ensemble de ces affirmations. Enseigner hors-campus lors des grèves est une ancienne et noble tradition des universités nord- américaines. C’est une tradition qui permet au corps professoral et aux étudiant(e)s de montrer leur respect envers les autres travailleurs et travailleuses mais aussi de respecter leur conscience tout en remplissant leurs obligations mutuelles. De la part de l’administration, le rejet agressif du maintien de cette tradition témoigne du même manque de respect envers les différents groupes qui forment McGill que celui démontré envers le personnel de soutien syndiqué. Nous, les soussignés appelons au retrait immédiat de la menace de suspension à l’encontre des professeur(e)s assurant leurs cours hors-campus pendant la grève qui touche le campus. Notre engagement envers nos étudiant(e)s va au-delà de répondre à leur simple confort; il requiert aussi notre engagement réciproque afin de défendre l’université comme un espace exempt d’autorité et de coercition arbitraires. Nous sommes des membres de la communauté de McGill qui croient à la liberté universitaire, à la liberté de conscience, à des conditions de travail décentes et à une juste rétribution pour tous ceux et toutes celles qui travaillent à l’université. Nous respectons la dignité de ceux et celles qui travaillent avec nous. Nous croyons en une gouvernance collégiale. Nous sommes McGill. (Traduction: Thierry Battut) McGill Community Signatories (248 Signatures) 1. David Hensley, Associate Professor, English, McGill University 2. Bruce Reed, Professor, Canada Research Chair and Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, Department of Computer Science 3. Anthony Paré, Professor, Integrated Studies in Education, McGill University 4. Alison Laywine, Associate Professor, Philosophy, McGill University 5. Michelle Hartman, Associate Professor, Institute of Islamic Studies, McGill University 6. Abby Lippman, Professor Emerita, Epidemiology, Biostatistics, & Occupational Health 7. Adrienne Hurley, Assistant Professor, East Asian Studies, McGill University 8. Alanna Thain, Assistant Professor, English, McGill University 9. Darin Barney, Associate Professor, Art History & Communication Studies, McGill University 10. Calvin Normore, Macdonald Professor of Moral Philosophy, Philosophy, McGill University 11. Kristin Norget, Associate Professor, Anthropology, McGill University 12. Sam Noumoff, (Retired), Political Science, McGill University 13. Aziz Choudry, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Integrated Studies in Education, McGill University 14. Alia Al-Saji, Associate Professor, Philosophy, McGill University 15. Victor Fan, Associate Professor, East Asian Studies, McGill University 16. Amelia Jones, Professor, Art History & Communication Studies, McGill University 17. Derek Nystrom, Associate Professor, English, McGill University 18. William Clare Roberts, Assistant Professor, Political Science, McGill University 19. Narendra Subramanian, Associate Professor, Political Science, McGill University 20. Stephen Menn, Associate Professor, Philosophy, McGill University 21. Steven Jordan, Chair, Integrated Studies in Education, McGill University 22. Becky Lentz, Assistant Professor, Art History & Communication Studies, McGill University 23. Thomas Lamarre, James McGill Professor, East Asian Studies, McGill University 24. Tamara Sandor, MA2 English, McGill University 25. Mela Sarkar, Associate Professor, Integrated Studies in Education, McGill University 26. Desmond Manderson, Professor, Law, McGill University 27. Felix Johnston, U1 English Literature, McGill University 28. Seu Na Park, U3 Arts, McGill University 29. Stephen Peters, PhD 2 Educational Studies, McGill University 30. Abigail Mooney, MA1 English, McGill University 31. Evan Fox-Decent, Associate Professor, Faculty of Law, McGill University 32. Dirk Schlimm, Assistant Professor, Philosophy, McGill University 33. Emann Allebban, PhD candidate, Philosophy, McGill University 34. Rafico Ruiz, PhD 5, Communication Studies, McGill University 35. Thierry Battut, MA2, Department of Integrated Studies in Education, McGill University 36. Paulina Mickiewicz, PhD 6, Communication Studies, McGill University 37. Ian Gold, Canada Research Chair in Philosophy and Psychiatry, McGill University 38. Gregory M. Mikkelson, Associate Professor, Philosophy, McGill University 39. Klara du Plessis, MA2, English Literature McGill University 40. Hussam Eldin Ahmed, PhD 2, History 41. Margaret Allen, Library Assistant, McLennan Library 42. Amy Alt, Technician, Medical Simulation Centre 43. Alexander Anderson, PhD 4, Philosophy 44. Kirsten Anker, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Law 45. Lucy Armstrong, B.A. '10 English 46. Fariduddin Attar, MA, Islamic Studies 47. Nicholas Barber, PhD 3, Anthropology 48. Ingrid Bejerman, PhD student, AHCS 49. Caroline Bem, PhD4, Art History and Communication Studies 50. Adelle Blackett, Associate Professor and William Dawson Scholar, Faculty of Law 51. Alexandra Blair, U3 Arts, Environmental Studies Major 52. Lara Bober, PhD student, Faculty of Education (DISE) 53. Dana Broadbent, PhD Candidate, Art History 54. Jenny Burman, Associate Professor, AHCS 55. Fred Burrill, Bachelor of Arts, McGill '10 56. David Chabot, PhD4, Philosophy 57. Marie-Andrée Champoux, U2, Joint-Honours Philosophy/French Lit 58. Miriam Clouthier, 1L, Faculty of Law, and BA ‘09 59. Maureen Coote, Graduate Administrative Coordinator, AHCS 60. Cassandra Cotton, PhD3, Dept. of Sociology 61. Melanie Coughlin PhD3, Department of Philosophy 62. Jonathan Cushing, PhD2, English 63. Peter Davoust, U2, Dept. of Computer Science 64. Emery Dalys Fine, U1, English Major 65. Patrick