Are all classes and tutorials cancelled? Is the Universtity Open?
As of now, most classes will be going ahead as usual. If your class is taught by a PhD student who is a CUPE member, it will be cancelled. Tutorials and Labs will be cancelled as well. You should receive notification either from your instructor or from your department about the status of your classes, tutorials, and labs. If you have tests and assignments due in your course syllabus, assume they are still due unless your instructor has proposed a vote to change the course syllabus and your class has conducted a positive vote.
It is important to remember that instructors cannot arbitrarily change the course syllabus without conducting a vote by the students in the class
The university buildings will remain open. Libraries and food service will open as usual unless announced through official websites or social media channels.
Where can I find more information about the strike?
For more information about the CUPE position – you can visit www.weareuoft.ca
For information on the University’s position – you can visit the Office of the Provost for the latest official updates
What is ASSU’s position?
The ASSU Executive has taken the position of advocating for a fair and equitably agreement to be signed. We understand how important it is for our course instructors, TAs, lab supervisors, and caretakers to have good working conditions and a fair wage.
We as students understand how disruptive a strike will be to our learning and could even put the successful completion of this semester in jeopardy. We want a deal to be signed.
You can find the statements we released in the past below:
What rights do I have as a student?
The same rights you have as a student in the Faculty of Arts and Science apply even if there is a strike. Remember that you are still entitled to rights in this regard.
The Academic Handbook for Instructors makes the rules about changing a course syllabus clear:
4.2 Changing the Course Marking Scheme
The institutional Grading Practices Policy (Part B, 1.3) states that, after the methods of evaluation (e.g., essays, tests, class participation, seminar presentations, or examinations) and their relative weights have been made known to the class, the instructor may not change them without the consent of a simple majority of students (more than 50%) attending the class, provided the vote is announced no later than in the previous class. For online asynchronous courses, a vote may be held online (e.g., through a Quercus survey) over a reasonable period (e.g., 3 or more days) after ensuring that advance notice has been given, and a simple majority of students who voted is needed as evidence of consent. Any changes must be reported to the academic unit sponsoring the course. The only exception to this is in the case of the declaration of a disruption.
We have provided them in a graphic below. If there are violations to this happening in your class – report to students.assu@utoronto.ca or come into our office at SS1068.
Will my class be cancelled if we do not vote to change the course marking scheme?
No. Departments or instructors cannot cancel classes because of this. Vote the way you want to vote.
If you feel you are pressured to vote in this way, please reach out to us: students.assu@utoronto.ca
Can the course go back to the original syllabus after changing it?
Yes, but this requires a vote. Once you vote to change the syllabus, unless the vote was conducted improperly: your new syllabus becomes the “new original syllabus”. To go back to the old syllabus requires a vote.
The department has taken over the course and they are changing syllabi. Is this allowed?
Unless the Provost enacts the Policy on Academic Continuity – there is no basis for them to do this. Therefore any syllabi vote that is initiated by the department is invalid.
If the department is trying to do this and you do not feel comfortable with them being there, please ask the departmental representative who is conducting your class to point to the policy that shows that they can initiate a a syllabi vote.
A syllabus is a contract between an instructor and a student. Not a department and a student.
You may quote and reference ASSU. Please contact us if you have further questions:
The department is asking us to submit work - what do I do?
There is currently no basis for the department to take over a course. As such, they cannot ask you to hand in assignments that you do not feel comfortable handing in. If you are asked to do this and you wish not to – we ask that you: let the department know that you would rather hand in the assignment to the instructor and ask them to point to a policy that allows them to do this.
You may point to this page and quote us for reference.
My instructor is making the final exam worth so much - is that allowed?
Yes it is, provided you voted to change the syllabus. If not the instructor is not allowed to do this.
Your class has the right to reject any syllabus changes you do not feel comfortable with.
Can I cross picket lines to get to class?
As the union has said, crossing a picket line to attend class is not considered crossing a picket line. So, you are free to attend class.
What should I do for assignments and deadlines?
Unless extensions have been granted and your professor has said this – continue with all school work and readings as normal. If your professor is on strike, they may choose to offer an extension when the strike ends, or they may not. They may ask you to submit everything the day the strike ends. We encourage students to submit all work through their official UofT e-mail or if possible through quercus on the date that it is due. We recognize that professors cannot mark it due to the strike, but this is a way of officially date stamping work.
tldr: keep up with your work!