Results of “Survey Monkey” questionnaire sent to all DC faculty during week of January 28-February 1, 2013, re: Priorities for the Upcoming Year
A survey questionnaire was sent to all Durham College faculty during the week of January 28th, 2013, regarding the membership’s priorities for the upcoming year. The response rate was excellent: 156 responses were received from a total of just slightly over 300 full time and partial load faculty, counsellors, and librarians.
The results were as follows, in order, from low importance to higher importance. There was little interest in focusing the union’s efforts on “community issues”: 28% strongly agreed or agreed while 42% replied “neither agree or disagree.” A slightly higher priority was placed on “education of our members”: 56% strongly agreed or agreed with this statement while 40% neither agreed or disagreed. SWF/Workload issues were a slightly higher priority: 67% of survey respondents strongly agreed or agreed while 28% neither agreed or disagreed. On the question of “monitoring the implementation of hybrid and on-line teaching,” 75% of respondents strongly agreed or agreed that our local leadership should focus on this issue. “Management-faculty relations” (including fair and respectful treatment) was strongly agreed to or agreed to by a slightly higher number of respondents, 77%, and 20% neither agreed or disagreed.
Three issues were clearly of highest importance in the minds of those who responded to the survey. All three of these issues received a total of 84% who strongly agreed or agreed. They were the following: Equity of treatment (in courses, sections, timetables, May-June teaching, etc); Article 2 (priority for full time over contract personnel) regarding course design; and finally, Article 2 regarding the assignment of teaching (in other words, attempting to stop management from further increasing the amount of teaching given to contract personnel).
Your Local Executive Committee (LEC) will work hard this year to observe these democratically-expressed wishes of our members. If you wish to add your voice or express your views regarding these priorities, you may contact any of the stewards or local executive at any time through e-mail, phone, or just dropping into the union office.