climate change activist and science communicator; photographer; mapmaker — advocate for a stable global climate, reduced nuclear weapon risks, and safe human-AI interaction
Generally musings of the day, usually accompanied by a photograph
Hofstadter’s Law definitely applies to packing, both when it comes to packing up my IT system and in terms of books, clothes, and general possessions.
At least the stress of packing somewhat distracts from the sadness of leaving Massey, which has certainly been the most stimulating place where I have lived.
I have applied to live in the Innis College residence from May 9th to Saturday, August 29th. This is the maximum range they allow.
Rather than go back to Morrison Hall, which has individual dorm-style rooms and no stoves, I am trying a residence where 4-5 people share a suite and kitchen facilities are more complete.
I need to have myself and all my things out of Massey by May 1st, so this will involve another span of PhD-student-homelessness, to accompany the two such spans from the summer of 2013.
During the next few days, I need to grade all of my students’ essays and final exams from this term.
On Friday, we are formally presenting our argument to the fossil fuel divestment ad hoc committee.
Then, I have a paper to write for my markets and justice course for the 21st.
Finally, I need to find somewhere to live as of April 1st. With so little time to search, I may just move into a small room in a cheaper on-campus residence for the summer.
Tonight, we are proofreading the brief update for the final time.
On Friday, I am getting copies printed.
Close on the heels of the last period of exceptional activity, another such span is just beginning.
Today, I need to write a paper on Ross Zucker’s Democratic Distributive Justice, to be submitted by 6pm.
Monday, there is a Toronto350.org board meeting, where we will hopefully be able to finalize our by-laws. There is also a divestment planning meeting from 6-8pm, which conflicts.
Tuesday, I have my markets and justice course, and then the normal Toronto350.org planning meeting.
Wednesday, I have my first tutorials since the strike began. I have also been asked to take part in the dramatic reading of a play.
By April 10th, we need to have the final version of the divestment brief ready for the committee.
On April 17th, we are actually presenting to the committee.
By April 21st, I need to write another term paper for my markets and justice course.
And by the 1st of May, I need somewhere new to live.
This year’s Walter Gordon Symposium was a thought-provoking discussion on public policy.
I also got to ask what, despite all the training beforehand, was the most surprising thing about flying in the space shuttle.
Thanks to 72 hours spent awake and a star team of quick-turnaround proofreaders, we were able to get an updated version of the fossil fuel divestment brief to the ad hoc committee in time for their meeting tomorrow.
Also, there is a union meeting happening right now to decide if the strike should go to binding arbitration.
Now, I just need to finish photographing the Walter Gordon Symposium.
After working on the brief from 10am to nearly midnight yesterday, I decided to go to sleep without learning the result of the latest CUPE 3902 ratification vote. I had a difficult time of it, experiencing the worst headache I can remember for almost the entire night. I found that putting pressure on one part of my right forehead helped slightly to alleviate it.
This morning, I was surprised to see that the latest tentative agreement had been rejected, despite significant efforts from the union administration to push it: with most of them arguing for acceptance at the last general meeting, emails from the union calling for members to vote yes, and even robocalls from CUPE 3902 local chair Erin Black urging members to vote yes.
The breakdown of the vote ended up as 992 in favour, 1101 opposed, 4 spoiled ballots, and 27 rejected ballots.
At least one member of the bargaining team said she would resign if this tentative agreement was rejected. We will see if any other personnel changes take place, as well as what sorts of escalation will be put to use this week.
This is a critical time period for the strike. As of now, it’s still possible to salvage a reasonably normal semester, if an agreement is reached soon. TAs can begin with the backlog of grading, perhaps replace some missed tutorials and labs, and be available for final exam inviligation and grading. If the strike goes on much longer, however, that option becomes less and less plausible and the possibility of the university invoking some sort of academic continuity policy to make TA labour unnecessary rises. The extension of the term into the ‘summer’ (which at U of T means ‘May’) also seems to become more plausible.
I am going to keep doing photographic work and picketing as much as I can, while still trying to get the brief update done before the ad hoc committee meets on the 27th…
I am in a bit of a vise right now. Nobody else can finish the fossil fuel divestment brief update, but the strike and picket duties are ongoing. Even totally neglecting my PhD work, reconciling the two is impossible. And now I have come down with a cold.
The prospect of pulling back from union duties is uncomfortable. The University of Toronto’s position remains unconscionable. They are failing to recognize how running an institution of learning requires mutual respect, and some respect for social justice. Being unable to be fully effective for two social justice fights – and two distinct groups of allies – is vexing.
Tomorrow afternoon there is a union meeting to discuss the latest offer from the employer. It is based in a way on the proposal from our meeting last Friday, where we decided to give up on aspirations like poverty-line pay for TAs in exchange for structural gains in the contract: recognition that tuition and the funding package are appropriate bargaining items for the union, and that funding assigned to individuals makes more sense and is more just than pools of funding that must be split among as many TA graduate students as the university cares to admit. The offer from the administration being voted on tomorrow jettisons the structural gains being sought, raising questions about what purpose the strike has served and how much more corroded and precarious the position of graduate students at U of T will become.
As far as TA work goes, I am happy to strike for as long as is required to get a deal with real gains. At the same time, the special burden of completing the brief weighs heavily on me.
Hopefully tomorrow’s shift will be back at the downtown campus.