Classes and labs remain cancelled at Acadia University in Wolfville with the faculty strike in its third week, and patience is starting to wear thin.
“It’s very, very frustrating,” says Ewan MacLean, a first-year student. “It’s screwing us over in every sense, both with money and our education.”
“It’s not ideal that we’re missing out on school, but I’m glad (faculty) decided to do something,” says Ebe Otoikhine, a second-year student.
In an interview with Global News Thursday, Dale Keefe, the university’s provost and vice-president academic, says he’s hopeful a deal can be reached over reading week — or winter break — next week.
“I’m sure (students will be) quite anxious to hear from us and hopefully be able to get back to classes on the 28th,” he said.
The university sent an email to students, updating them on the process, Wednesday. The strike started Feb. 1.
“I know these are extremely frustrating times for students and parents,” the email states. “While it may be difficult to see from your vantage point, the University is doing everything it can to achieve a collective agreement as soon as possible.”
Keefe acknowledged that stress in the interview.
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“We apologize for that,” he said.
“We obviously need to get an agreement that is sustainable for the institution and that’s the challenge right now.”
In a tweet early Thursday evening, the Acadia University Faculty Association (AUFA) said the university board’s negotiating team “sent a message to our team requesting that we consider OTHER mediation/arbitration options beyond the provincial conciliator, rather than return to negotiations.”
Earlier in the day, Keefe said the provincially appointed conciliator has yet to bring the two sides back to the bargaining table.
“Just because we’re not at the table doesn’t mean things are not happening, but not a lot has happened over the last couple of weeks.”
Keefe admitted, “we still have a long way to go on a lot of issues.”
AUFA, which represents 350 full-time and part-time professors, librarians, archivists and instructors, says it’s ready to continue the conversations.
“From the get-go, our team has been ready to sit down at the negotiating table. We did not call the conciliator, we did not call an impasse. We’re still ready to sit at that table,” says Jon Saklofske, an AUFA spokesperson. “The board team chose to leave the table and the board team can choose to come back to the table anytime. We’re ready.”
But in the letter to students, the university said “it is still our hope that the term will not need to be extended.”
“There is still time, although very little, for the parties to come to an agreement and make very little adjustment to the regular calendar dates,” the letter said.
MacLean, the first-year student, is thankful he lives near campus, but worries about those who don’t — and possible implications if an extension is needed.
“For people living in residence and people whose leases are up after their last exam and stuff like that, it’s a really big problem.
Keefe says discussions around possible tuition refund discussions would only happen after the strike concludes — when its full impact is known.
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