Colleagues,
Yesterday the Provost sent out a message regarding Thursday’s Day of Action. This walkout is being coordinated by the Canadian Federation of Students, Ontario as part of their “Hands Off Our Education!” campaign. Provincially and locally, students are pushing back against the assault on publicly funded education and the austerity agenda. Participating Trent students will join the protest at the Bata Podium beginning at 2:00 pm. TUFA’s Executive echoes Senate’s encouragement: please, where possible, give favourable consideration to students’ requests to participate in this walkout/rally without academic penalty.
We expect many students will want to take this opportunity to voice their frustration with recent changes to OSAP, tuition fee increases, and the risks to their own advocacy organizations posed by Bill 33. Their demands are congruent with our own. Today, TUFA’s President is at Queen’s Park with dozens of other academic staff association leaders lobbying the government for better funding of higher education. Attached is one of the briefing notes that Dwayne will be delivering to legislators. It shows the extent to which Ontario has fallen behind the rest of the country. Our students are calling out the effects of this problem. We need to stand with them. Literally. The forecast for tomorrow afternoon is sunny and warm; change is astir, and I imagine we could all use a little fresh air. . . .
See you tomorrow.
In Solidarity,
Marcus
—
Marcus Harvey,
Executive Director
See you tomorrow.
In Solidarity,
Marcus
—
Marcus Harvey,
Executive Director