(Halifax) – The union representing Part-time Faculty, Teaching Assistants and Markers at Dalhousie is challenging the university’s position on posting course and instructor evaluations online.
CUPE Local 3912 President Barb Moore says, “The issue of course evaluations is, in fact, still on the bargaining table as both sides try to reach a new contract.
“We would never agree to this because of privacy concerns and conflict of interest concerns; are the students going to have to disclose their names, their motivations, their efforts and grades,” asks Moore.
“Instead,” says Moore, “Dalhousie should disclose how they spend tuitions and explain why their TAs and Markers are paid so little. Dalhousie’s tuition is high and yet the pay for Part-time Faculty, TAs and Markers is quite low in comparison with national standards,” she says.
At Saint Mary’s University, the online rating system was pulled due to uneven participation and unfiltered comments - this, according to the student union at SMU.
“This is a highly contentious issue that Dalhousie simply cannot act unilaterally on. This needs to be resolved at the bargaining table and not with premature news releases from the university administration. We respectfully request that they come back to the bargaining table so we can resolve this issue,” says Moore.
Local 3912 members teach a wide variety of courses at all levels at Dalhousie.
For information:
Barb Moore
President, Local 3912
(902) 670-4398 (Cell)
Peter Baxter
CUPE National Representative
(902) 455-4180
John McCracken
Communications Representative
(902) 455-4180