Volume XIll. 6. November

“Let's Stop This

 

_by Marion Drakos

Last Thursday night Douglas
College students, angered over the
labour dispute between the college
adminstration and faculty, held a
rally in the concourse which con-
cluded with over 250 students dis-
rupting a meeting of the college
board.

Students marched into the col-
lege board meeting chanting, "No
way Bill Day," as they circled the
room. University Transfer Repre-
sentative Jamie McEvoy, acting as
the student’s spokesperson,
presented the Douglas College Stu-
dent Society’s demands to the
board, calling for around the clock
negotatons, asking the Board to
recognize the present situation is a
direct result of lack of funding and
demanding the Board petition the
government for a larger budget.

"Comments made by students
will be taken under consideration,"
responded Hughes on behalf of the
Board.

Student Donna Amererely
repeatedly asked if "the Board (is)
willing to meet in the same room
with faculty, face to face, across the
table."

he

Gi

Refusing to answer at first,
Hughes finally stated, "the matter is
up ito: the mediator"

Nursing student Donna Carey
asked the board about graduation
for 6th semester nurses telling
them, "You are dealing with des-
tinies."

College President Bill Day
stated that in the event of a can-
celled semester the Board will go to
Victoria so students will not be ac-
countble for the money borrowed
in student loans for this semester.

He also said that they will ar-

range for continued payment of
Unemployment Insurance for stu-
dents in special U.I. sponsored
seats.

Before entering the board
meeting students gathered in the
concourse to listen to speakers
from the Student Society, the
Faculty and the NDP Education
Critic Barry Jones.

D.C.S.S. President Aias Perez
opened the meeting by reading let-
ters recieved from the Capilano,
Malaspina and Langara Student
Societies supporting the strike.

Commenting on similar input
at the Canadian Federation of Stu-

Admistration’s

Compensation
Proposals

 

_»y Tamara Gorin

After students left the Douglas
College Board meeting on
Ti ursday November 16th, the
Bi ard stayed in session and made a
nu nber of decisions regarding stu-
de ts and the strike.

As of Monday, November
27 h, any student in any program
w!.o determines that he or she can-
not successfully complete classes
due to lost class time will "receive
a full tuition fee refund (or a credit
for sussequent semesters) and be
guarenteed re-entry to the same
course or program during the next
offering cycle."

As well, if a course of program
is cancelled due to the strike,
students taking credit courses will
automatically recieve a full refund
and guaranteed re-entry.

However, if a credit course or
program has a "duration or content
adjustments that allow the student
to potentially recieve full cre dit

for the course," the student will not
receive "any" refund.

Non-credit cources that were
scheduled to start between Novem-
ber 6th and 19th and have been
cancelled will receive a full refund,
“as soon as possible." Those in ses-
sion before the sixth though, will be
reviewed on "a case by case basis."

It was decided that because the
College calendar has a clause stat-
ing the College’s right to "change
the content and cost of any course
or program and to reschedule,
suspend or terminatre any course or
program . withouut liability for
any resulting loss or damage," the
College’s liability “will be
restricted to tuition and course fees
paid" by students.

Students in classes where their
seats are paid for by U.I.C. have
been given a week long extension
for continues coverage at this point
and time.

her
aetcte

20th. 1989 7

 

Fi = aes ) ans
louglas Colleges Autonomous Student Paper

Nonsense"

Students Support
of Faculty Thinning

 

by Marion Drakos

More than 70 Douglas College
students braved the rain last
Thursday to stand up for their
education.

The rally, orginized by the
Douglas College Student Society,
saw students marching down Royal
Avenue to the Pattullo Bridge
waving banners and chanting,
“What do we want? Education.
When do we want it? Now!" and
"No way Bill Day!"

Although the rally was to be in
support of the faculty not all
present supported the teachers.

"I’m not here to support the
teachers," said stagecraft student -
Shawn Haight.

"The students are being used
as pawns, I’m here to support the
students."

' Secound year theater student
Patrick Gallagher said, "I don’t
think it’s a good idea to make ad-
minstration look bad - they didn’t
go on strike. I’m here for me."

Christa Nenn, a first year stu-
dent, didn’t specify who she sup-
ported but said "I’m getting sick of
missing my classes."

 

 

 

Students gather in concourse to protest the ongoing faculty strike

dents conference last week, Perez
said, "this (the strike) is now a na-
tional issue."

Faculty President Pam Burry

cited the "unwilligness of ad-
minstration to discuss working
conditions" as the main reason the
strike lasting as long as it has. She

photo by Rachael Burnett

also blamed the use of a mediator
for slowing down the negotations.

"Lets stop this nonsense and
get on with a resolution,” she said.

 

 

Perez Wants Motion
To Boycott Celebrations Passed

 

by Dena Nishizaki

The Student Society has tried
to pass a motion that would permit
the Society to boycott the 20th An-
niversary Celebrations here at
Douglas College.

Aias Perez, Student Society
President, and sponsor of the mo-
tion, remarked, "Why celebrate it?
With increasing tuition fees and the
pattern developing between labour
relations", he personally feels that
the college holding a celebration at
this time is inappropriate.

"They set aside a $60 000
budget for the celebrations, yet
they refuse to freeze the tuition fees
for students.”

Perez also feels there is "a
limited democracy. There is
limited accountability from the ad-
ministration to the student. The
Society have a voice but don’t have
the power to hold administration
accountable. The administration is
accountable only to the govern-
ment since they are the ones to ap-
point the college board."

Bill Day, President of Douglas
College, confirmed that $60,000
was allocated for the celebrations
but commented, "A certain propor-
tion was spent on college promo-
tion," which has an annual budget
and "this year we decided to em-
phasize the 20th Anniversary
Celebrations."

Day speculated the promo-
tions budget was probably raised
by about $35,000 to accommodate
the cost of the celebrations.

"We have a fund called the
Ancillary Services Fund which is
represented by profits from the
parking lot, the cafeteria, and the
bookstore. In other words, its not
part of the grant and fee system
which drives the college instruc-
tional program," he said.

Day then clarified the extra
money for the 20th Anniversary
Celebrations came from the Ancil-
lary Services Fund.

"That very clearly illustrates
where the college priorities lie. In-
stead of making the college more

accessible to students by freezing
the tuition fees and eventually
eliminating them, they act contrary
to the college philosophy which is,
*maximum _accessibility’,"
responded Perez.

Discussions on the planning of
the celebrations took place last

 
   

re

year. Each union on campus, (stu-
dents, faculty and staff), had repre-
sentatives present during the
discussions.

"A representative of the Stu-
dent Society was present and par-
ticipating atall _~ _ processes that
led up to the 20th Anniversary

   

Aiaz Perez

continued page 7