Update on shared governance at SMU: INACTION from the Senate and ACTION from us

About a year ago I wrote an article for the newsletter about shared governance at SMU. Unfortunately there has not been much progress on updating the Senate bylaws to indicate that we are eligible to vote and run for Senate. So, when I found out that there was a second call for nominations for a Senate by-election in November, I submitted my nomination. I was promptly told that I was ineligible according to the Senate by-laws. I then suggested that they amend the bylaws at the upcoming Senate meeting in December and was told to be patient because it would take longer. They will not commit to amending the bylaws in time for the 2025 Senate elections.

Erica Fischer (CUPE 3912 SMU VP) and I agree that although the SMU Senate might be moving in the right direction with their intent to amend the bylaws, the process is taking too long. CUPE 3912 first brought this issue to their attention in 2016 and I started discussions with the Senate bylaws committee in 2019 – more than 5 years ago. Last year I was told that the bylaws could not be amended before the regular 2024 Senate elections but that once the amendments were passed I could run for a Senate by-election. Now there has been a Senate by-election for which no full-time faculty submitted their nomination in the first round and my nomination was deemed ineligible.

It is time for us to act. CUPE 3912 filed a judicial review, which asks the court to review the decision to consider my nomination ineligible. We are arguing that it should be eligible according to the University Act, which has priority over the Senate bylaws. We are also raising awareness of this issue and shared governance in universities by educating our members. You can help by signing our petition to put more pressure on the SMU Senate to align their bylaws with the University Act and include part-time instructors in the governance of the university. This is particularly important as we face budgetary challenges leading to program changes throughout the university.

In solidarity,

Karen Harper
CUPE 3912 member at SMU and MSVU
Former CUPE 3912 President and Communications Officer

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