The year in review
A student senator's experiences
Peter Nawrot
This past year, the University of Manitoba experienced a strike with the CAW union membership, which impacted many students. It is unjust that the university administration was, by some, solely demonized in its role of causing the strike. There are usually three sides to any story. Upon speaking with both sides of the strike, I cannot but help to wonder if there is an alternative that can be used to negotiate with the CAW union and administration. Administration has negotiated with other unions in a non-combative. The CAW union, preconditioned by dealing with combative private sector business, is predispositioned with hostile energy when contract negotiations arise. Consequently, both sides of the negotiating table seem to be at great odds with each other. A showdown is imminent. Their differences, rather than creating a collective strength, seem to work in opposition to each other. The market and legislation fosters this type of hostility. I hope that future negotiations may proceed in a gentler and diplomatic way, as other negotiations do, whereby the common good can be achieved.
Employees need good managers and good representatives to address and advocate their needs. As part of the greater market, where certain vocations are in higher demand than others, the university is not exempt from or immune to the fluctuations within the market. I think that administration needs to re-visit the process and structure of how pay raises are implemented to account for greater equity in recognition for a job well done.
It is important that the university has a strike policy in place for any future strike. The Student Senate Caucus, along with the UMSU vice-president of Student Advocacy, has begun a process whereby a strike policy will be implemented within Senate. I hope that future senators continue that work, so that students and administration know and respect each others’ rights. The UMSU vice-president of Student Advocacy and the Student Senate Caucus are always concerned when it appears that students are not treated in an equitable manner; for example, when false confessions are extracted from students by campus police. We are committed to ensuring that the university disciplinary committee is fair and just towards students and staff.
The university community cannot escape the following basic principle: it must be regulated by a rule of law, valid for all and without exception. By ensuring the fairness of all, the university would be deeply respected as being fair as a whole. Equitable solutions are the result of a gain that is not made at the expense of others. Since the university is founded on values, its laws and policies have a strong moral implication. Ensuring the dignity of the person and guaranteeing the rights and safety of all should be the foundation of any disciplinary policy. To ensure a consistent and fair disciplinary practice, the policies governing discipline must be re-evaluated. I hope that future senators continue with this initiative in working towards the common good for our university community.
This summer, we will have a new university president: David T. Barnard. The U of M, under the leadership and dedication of Em?ke Szathmáry, has contributed to the personal growth and development of our students, alumni and the greater community. Szathmáry has worked hard, with perseverance, humbleness, faithfulness, enlightened competence and generous dedication. Throughout her presidency, Szathmáry has had to mediate between combative groups, problem-solve, apologize (when mistakes were made) and come up with innovative ways to market the university as a place of choice to study. Szathmáry has been awarded many distinctions and has represented the University of Manitoba in a distinguished and graceful manner.
The office of the president is a tiring, difficult and formidable role, which demands relentless selfless dedication, wit, competence, humility, persistence and talent. Specific attention must be given to the human dimension of this role. Some of the conditions that characterize this human dimension are an increased esteem for the dignity of others, a desire to co-operate for the common good and a willingness to work for equity in an environment that can be, all too often, hostile, yet rewarding and challenging.
Finally, I congratulate Students United upon being elected to the UMSU executive and those students who ran in this year’s elections. The task that the newly elected executives have ahead of them is great and formidable. I hope that students will support UMSU and the various student groups, through collegial collaboration, in making the upcoming year a truly exciting year, whereby students will be filled with a renewed zeal and pride for their university. The university breathes with two lungs: one lung is that of the student body, while the other lung is that of the administration. It is my hope that these two entities will breathe a breath of fresh air of collaboration, honesty, transparency and mutual respect in working towards the common goal focused on providing the very best in an educational experience for the students attending this university. Without students, this university community and all its subsidiaries would not exist. I encourage students to be involved in the life of the university because it is your university, too, and you bring it life! Great things are not only achieved in the extraordinary things people do in life but also in the ordinary things they do in their everyday lives.
Peter Nawrot is a student senator. He is studying in the Faculty of Social Work at the University of Manitoba.
