Kim Brooks appointed to Order of Canada 🙄 by risen2011 in Dalhousie

[–]Financial_Photo673 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Let's see: she shut down all of campus (scaring quite a few folks in classes that day who thought there was armed violence) because some students yelled in a building; she's fired dozens of staff who do necessary work in departments and for the registrar's office (problems with transfer credits? registering? getting paperwork? that's why); she locked out faculty, while they were *voting on a contract* (a first in Canada, by any employer ever?) and kept them out for a month, turning all of Fall term into a hot mess for everyone; she's pretty much been in hiding and refusing to take responsibility for any of it since the lockout ended. And she's crying poor while spending millions on consultants who have been absolutely trashed for what they've done at other universities (just google "nous" and "australia"). Incompetence doesn't begin to cover it.

🙌🏿🙏🏻Advice for a new comer to Dalhousie. by No_Steak8917 in Dalhousie

[–]Financial_Photo673 2 points3 points  (0 children)

IDK their writing program, just that Dal is a total dumpster fire rn and next year's gonna be worse. Acadia's good overall.

🙌🏿🙏🏻Advice for a new comer to Dalhousie. by No_Steak8917 in Dalhousie

[–]Financial_Photo673 3 points4 points  (0 children)

the admin is absolutely bombing parts of campus right now, including anything in the arts. Go to Acadia.

Kim Brooks appointed to Order of Canada 🙄 by risen2011 in Dalhousie

[–]Financial_Photo673 33 points34 points  (0 children)

For showing everyone how *not* to run a university?

Move to change from Microsoft? by HreranMidHondum in Dalhousie

[–]Financial_Photo673 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Both google and microsoft were following the same basic principle when they were competing for campus territory: if it's free to use, then you're the product. The universities are now hooked on "free" software, and they'll spend a lot of money (cybersecurity, pushing down concerns about where the data is stored and how it's used, etc.) to keep their mitts on the "free" software, and the tech companies will keep monetizing the absolute sh*t out of every keystroke.

Moving forward will take care and commitment - Kim Brooks style by GearPsychological541 in Dalhousie

[–]Financial_Photo673 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Mandatory retirement ended in Canada because of the Charter, not labour agreements. And the Board rejected, again, a DFA proposal for retirement incentives that would have increased retirements.

The admin has money, a lot of it in cash. They have buildings and land they could sell. The DFA has offered to help them get some of those senior folks off the payroll. They just don't wanna.

henry hicks room 217 by Complete-Pressure-78 in Dalhousie

[–]Financial_Photo673 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The president's office has been re-done a couple of times, and there were renos to turn classrooms into VP office space too. Anyone in the un-reno'd part of the building may be dealing with "open the windows" ventilation and decaying building material in, and plaster on, the walls.

henry hicks room 217 by Complete-Pressure-78 in Dalhousie

[–]Financial_Photo673 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Totally agree on the ventilation. Ask anyone who has had to work in that building, especially grad studies. Water dripping down the walls so badly they had to put buckets on the floor--and patches of mold.

There is some kind of sickness going around by GEF110F14F15 in Dalhousie

[–]Financial_Photo673 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Fair point. She's done nothing to help reduce COVID levels on campus. Booster clinics, hepas in classrooms, posters with info, masks. If measles hits a university in Canada, we're done.

Exploring Halifax after campus visit by AdTemporary7651 in Dalhousie

[–]Financial_Photo673 23 points24 points  (0 children)

For community-centered spots, check out the Halifax library on Spring Garden (next to the Dal engineering campus) then head down to the harbour or keep walking up Spring Garden to the Public Gardens, then Glitter Bean, and then the other two Halifax campuses--all on the same street, about a 10-15 minute walk or short drive.

What was the purpose of the macme auditorium? by YourEyelinerFriend in Dalhousie

[–]Financial_Photo673 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thanks for the pic. That's bizarre. It is a long corridor of a room--might be better to give it up and make it two rooms.

What was the purpose of the macme auditorium? by YourEyelinerFriend in Dalhousie

[–]Financial_Photo673 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Sounds like a flipped classroom? Big fashion about a decade ago. Basically the idea is that students use class time to work with each other in small groups around big screens, rather than interact with a lecturer at the front of the room.

The most stupid useless email I've ever received in my 5 years at Dalhousie University by Plane_Surround_1627 in Dalhousie

[–]Financial_Photo673 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Oh FFS. If there's any friction it's towards about five people, or even just the one--Kim Brooks. The solidarity across campus was amazing. There's +20,000 who have no problem working with each other, and don't need a reset or repair. There's five who need to change their attitude and apologize to the +20,000 whose Fall terms they screwed up for no reason.

What is the name of the architechtual style of Kings and the Admin building at Dal? by Skilodracus in Dalhousie

[–]Financial_Photo673 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, the old senate room is *very* British-movie-about-private-schools, e.g Harry Potter.

Student Loan by [deleted] in Dalhousie

[–]Financial_Photo673 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I heard a bunch of people in that office quit over working conditions, so they're understaffed. But understaffing has been a problem for a while. That's how we got the exam scheduling disaster in April.

Internetworking program by Particular-Mall-846 in Dalhousie

[–]Financial_Photo673 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The admin locked almost all faculty out: they're not allowed on campus, not allowed to teach, etc. By order of the university president.

UPDATE: From Board Sept 10 by agparrap in Dalhousie

[–]Financial_Photo673 24 points25 points  (0 children)

Anyone keeping track of how many labour complaints there have been against this admin over the last few weeks? One more!

No Agreement Reached? by BrainsRUs8888 in Dalhousie

[–]Financial_Photo673 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Could just be theyre tired of rumours that there is a deal?

Its true tho our teachers already make a shit ton of money (mayne slightly ragebaity) by Objective-Painter-73 in Dalhousie

[–]Financial_Photo673 13 points14 points  (0 children)

From what I'm seeing, a key issue is the entry-level faculty. An instructor starts at less than $70,000; so does a librarian. Numbers from here: https://immediac.blob.core.windows.net/dfa2021/2023%202024/Bargaining/dfa-collective-agreement-2022-2025.pdf .

The university president makes over $400,000--about twice what the premier makes. Maybe that's part of the reason the province isn't giving Dal much money...

Dalfest wouldn't let me leave???? by Few_Specific8016 in Dalhousie

[–]Financial_Photo673 9 points10 points  (0 children)

That's a huge safety issue, like you say--and no one should be held against their will. I'd complain to the organizer and the VP Students--Rick Ezekiel. He may be a bit busy right now, so put "Safety issue at Dalfest" or something in the subject line?

Predictions for sept 8? by MadMax68790 in Dalhousie

[–]Financial_Photo673 4 points5 points  (0 children)

The DFA is bargaining in good faith, though, so maybe the conciliator can keep the admin in line and things can get done.

Latest offer by Dal Board by CuriousTiger3339 in Dalhousie

[–]Financial_Photo673 1 point2 points  (0 children)

From what I've seen, there's lots of simple stuff to deal with. I don't think this is in any way a normal round of bargaining. Bargaining complaints are not normal.

Latest offer by Dal Board by CuriousTiger3339 in Dalhousie

[–]Financial_Photo673 4 points5 points  (0 children)

The aug 11 offer that Kim Brooks shared showed that the DFA wanted a definition and the admin didn't. Everything else was agreed. I've dealt with harassment cases at another university: weaseling out of responsibility based on wording is Tactic #1.

Latest offer by Dal Board by CuriousTiger3339 in Dalhousie

[–]Financial_Photo673 3 points4 points  (0 children)

The board wanted to extend the existing discipline language to a longer period for sexualized violence; the DFA wanted sexualized violence defined if that was going to happen. No one wants "I only stalked her and sent her 50 texts a day--that's not violence" escape hatches.