TUFA Newsletter

Quick Mentions:

Nominations for member-at-large LTA being accepted now contact [email protected] for more information.

President’s Message

Dear TUFA Colleagues,

Thank you to everyone who attended the GMM on Wednesday. You made for a productive meeting, and the Executive is making headway on the four-part motion. I will confirm that President Bruce appreciates having the opportunity to discuss the budget issues with regular TUFA faculty and deans, and she is currently arranging the meeting for some time in the first two weeks of January as TUFA requested. You will hear from Marcus and I on the other parts of the motion soon, with the request for information from chairs, directors, and coordinators following early next week. (Don’t worry, we do not expect responses next week. Please take the time that you need.) If anyone would like more information about the motion regarding budget transparency and decision-making, please get in touch with us at [email protected].

I will contact current Senators soon regarding a meeting time for our pre-Senate caucus. The caucus is designed to organize questions, concerns, and/or motions ahead of Senate. If TUFA members have concerns they wish to bring to the pre-Senate caucus, please get in touch with me via the TUFA email address. The list of TUFA members serving on Senate may be found at: https://www.trentu.ca/governance/senate/2025-26-members-senate

Regarding the external environment driving our budgetary crisis, Robin Quantick, Marcus, and I will begin lobbying the federal government in January. Regarding provincial lobbying, Marcus has sent a second meeting request to MPP Dave Smith to discuss how budget cuts at Trent will affect the region economically. We hope to meet with MPP Smith in the new year as well. I will also continue to lobby more generally at the provincial level over the next few months.

The TUFA Executive wishes all members a restorative winter break. May you and your loved ones be well, safe, and happy.

From the Executive

Updates from the TUFA Executive

The Executive will be striking the Association’s Nominating & Elections Committee early in the new year and members interested in service on this committee should contact TUFA’s Past President, Geoff Navara, for more information. Following TUFA’s Constitution, the Past President chairs the Nominating and Elections Committee.

With Anne Pasek about to embark on sabbatical, George Kovacs has been appointed acting Chief Grievance Officer in her stead and is finalizing updates to internal policies and committee appointments. Work is also underway to prepare recommendations on Terms of Reference for the Association’s new hardship fund in time for the Spring GMM and we will also be reviewing the communication policies of other academic staff associations to ensure that we are keeping up with best practices in the sector. Members can expect more information on these files in the new year.

Equity Committee Preparing Survey

Three years ago, the Union and the Employer released a Joint Report on Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Indigeneity that recommended, among other things, that academic units (programs, departments, and schools) “develop and share plans to normalize EDII in relation to: curriculum development, faculty complement, and requests for additional staff and/or faculty positions within the unit.” Consistent with this recommendation, TUFA’s Equity Committee is developing a toolkit to help members more easily consider and access EDII policies and the Committee will be surveying chairs, directors, and program coordinators in the new year to catalogue EDI policies and practices — formal or not — that are now in place within the university’s various academic units. By assembling this big picture, our Equity Committee will be better positioned to share valuable data and emerging best practices across the institution.

Our People in the News

New Book from Trent’s Dr. Jackson Pind Explores History of Curve Lake Indian Day School

Dr. Jackson Pind, Assistant Professor of Indigenous Methodologies at Trent’s Chanie Wenjack School for Indigenous Studies, has published a new book, Students by Day: Colonialism and Resistance at the Curve Lake Indian Day School. Drawing on Two-Eyed Seeing, Dr. Pind combines oral histories with archival research to document the experiences of survivors and the community’s long fight for better conditions at the Curve Lake Indian Day School. The book, released in October by McGill-Queen’s University Press, is available for purchase through the publisher’s website.

Read more here. Get a copy here.

Community

United Way Peterborough: Campaign Update & How TUFA Members Can Get Involved

TUFA continues to support the important work of the United Way Peterborough. The 2025–26 campaign officially launched on September 25, with a goal of raising $1.6 million for local social-service and community needs. In past years, TUFA members and Emerit have been a significant part of the local campaign in some years accounting for almost 10% of the local campaign. We have long recognized the value for TUFA and its members to be seen supporting the local communities on which we depend, and this is especially true in difficult times. To that end, the Executive approved a $5,000 contribution to this year’s campaign and encourages members to make their own donations either as a one-time payment or by payroll deduction. The United Way is unique among charities in having a direct connection to Canada’s labour community and campaign funds support a network of frontline partner agencies addressing poverty, mental health, housing and homelessness, food insecurity, and other critical issues in our region.

How TUFA Members Can Participate

Winter Coat & Gear Drive: United Way Peterborough is running its annual winter clothing drive in partnership with PATH (Peterborough Action for Tiny Homes). Gently used or new coats, hats, mitts, and other winter gear can be dropped off at 385 Lansdowne St. E on Wednesdays (9 AM–3 PM) and Saturdays (10 AM–3 PM).
Donate or Learn More: Members can also contribute directly or explore additional ways to support the campaign through Trent’s United Way Campaign page TUFA members should take pride in the face that collectively we account for more individual Leadership donors (+$1,200/year) than any other organization or business in Peterborough.

Campus Collaboration on Food Insecurity and Seasonal Donation Drives

Food insecurity is a major issue facing our communities. To combat this issue some departments are running donation drives.

The Department of Child and Youth Studies is currently running its annual food drive in partnership with student group CHYS Unite, and the Department of Psychology is holding a year-end food and monetary donation drive. Any other departments holding drives are encouraged to share with [email protected] and the information will be in the next newsletter or posted to the TUFA Facebook and BlueSky accounts.

Member Updates

Philosophy to Host Second Annual High School Ethics Bowl

The Department of Philosophy will host the second annual Peterborough Regional High School Ethics Bowl on Saturday, February 7, 2026. This event brings local high school students to the Symons campus for a day of collaborative discussion on contemporary ethical and political issues, supported by faculty and student volunteers from across Trent. Members interested in volunteering as judges are invited to contact Dr. Michael Hickson, Chair of Philosophy.

Share Your News & Events

While not officially endorsed by TUFA, this section is here to help share your events, updates, and initiatives with fellow members. Have something coming up? Hosting a survey? Want to spread the word? Send the details to [email protected] to be included in an upcoming newsletter.