Building community
The rally yesterday in Fredericton was a success. Not huge, but given the time of year and how quickly it was organized, respectable. Organizers Andrea Day and Brenna Clarke Gray of the UNBF Graduate Students’ Association did an excellent job. Each spoke, as did reps from the Canadian Federation of Students and AUNBT. To finish, Andrea did a chilling demonstration, using volunteers from the crowd, of what would happen to higher education in this province were the government to go ahead with the PSE report.
Let’s just say things wouldn’t be good.
CTV covered the rally yesterday evening, and The Gleaner had a story today.
The UNBF GSA has formed a committee to monitor and respond to PSE issues; their next action will be on Nov. 27, the day of the Throne Speech. For more information check out their Facebook group, “The final report of the CPSE is full of bad ideas.”
Photos on Facebook.
Update: Paul Saulnier blogs on the rally, and offers some great photos.
Very pleased with the turn-out yesterday. Stay tuned for next week!
(A minor point: I’m not with the GSA, but I am the co-pres of the English Graduate Student Society. It was an error in the Gleaner article that they’re kindly sorting out.)
Also, in the same Gleaner article it was reported there are 80 full-time faculty members at UNB Saint John. I think the real number is closer to 120.
Yes, I was just making up a list and it is probably over 120 if one counts all those who are faculty but are out of the bargaining unit for one reason or another (sitting on the Board; taken on administrative positions; etc.)