The Concordia Declaration for Quality and Accessibility in Higher Education

(Pour la version français, cliquez ici!)

To endorse this letter, simply click “Leave a Comment” at the bottom, write your name and position in the field below the letter, as well as any comments or words of support you may have. Thank you! 

We, the undersigned, are members of Concordia University’s faculty, research and teaching assistants, associates, and other academic workers.

The current provincial government has proposed an historically unprecedented tuition fee increase of $1,625 over the next five years. Should this increase pass, students in the 2016-2017 academic year will be paying 127% more than students just ten years before them.

Even the government admits that of the $850 million dollars they anticipate to generate through their financing plan, less than a third will even go to teaching, learning, or research in Quebec universities. Historically, we know that tuition fee increases in Quebec have never been used to improve working conditions or salaries, or provide for increased resources in the laboratory or the classroom. Rather, the increase is simply an attempt to shift the financial burden from the government onto the backs of individual students. Increased tuition will be used to pay off deficits and expand already-bloated bureaucracies both in Quebec City and in our universities.

We believe this increase is both unjust and unjustifiable. More than anything, we deeply value the privilege and challenge of working with students from a diversity of economic, cultural, and social backgrounds. In the context of reduced funding, increased tuition, and a broken and outmoded financial aid system, it is statistically clear that this tuition fee increase will shut otherwise academically capable students from university either at the point of entry or deter them from further studies.

We believe that academic excellence in teaching and research begins with reaffirming the financial accessibility of university studies, to which this increase is a clear barrier. This specific tuition fee increase in not a solution to underfunding of post secondary institutions, the mismanagement of public resources, or the competitiveness of Quebec institutions.

We are aware that students at Concordia, both in individual departments and faculties, and in a student body-wide General Assembly on March 7th, will vote on whether they wish to go on strike along with hundreds of thousands of students from across Quebec against the fee increase. Student strikes have historically been successful tools to combat cuts to financial aid and increases to the cost of a degree in this province and it appears inevitable that this will be considered once more by students in 2012.

Though we are contractually bound to continue working throughout the duration of a student strike, we personally pledge the following:

In whatever ways we are reasonably able, that we will try to accommodate students who make a decision not to attend class or participate in academic work during a strike (for example, some professors may alter the weighting of graded assignments, create provisions for assignment due date changes, and so on);

That we will inform the students we work with and the classes we teach that we have signed this declaration and initiate dialogue with our students about possible accommodations when appropriate;

That we will raise this issue with our peers and share this statement with those around us in the academic community.

We furthermore call on University Senators to consider the question of granting a formal academic amnesty for all students who are members of associations that have voted to strike.

With high hopes for the future,

Signed below (endorsements will only be public after 50 signatures)

To endorse, click “Leave a comment” right below!

Signatories (3/12/2012)

Please note that doctoral titles are not listed in the below list for consistency (some signatories listed “Me.,” “PhD,” “Dr.” and so on, but others who hold such titles did not—to avoid confusion, we left it at the name).

IMPORTANT: If you see your name on this list but you did not actually endorse the Declaration, please post a comment on this page for correction. It means that someone other than yourself posted in your name on your behalf.

Teaching Assistants, Research Assistants, Staff and Faculty at Concordia University who endorse the Declaration:

Robert Sonin, Philosophy

Eric Shragge, Principal, School of Community and Public Affairs

Reza Hadisi, Philosophy

Matthew Brett, Political Science

Anny Morissette, First Peoples Studies, School of Community and Public Affairs

Norman Nawrocki, School of Community and Public Affairs

Anna Kruzynski, School of Community and Public Affairs

Jason Prince, School of Community and Public Affairs

Eva Brandl, Studio Arts

Patrice Blais, Political Science

Satoshi Ikeda, Sociology and Anthropology

Dominic Leppla, Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema

Candis Steenbergen, Simone de Beauvoir

Douglas Smith, Classics, Modern Languages and Linguistics

Shaun Weadick, Geography, Planning and Environment

Everett M. Price, Political Science

Mohammed Abdo, Mechanical and Industrial Engineering

Christopher A. Riddle, Philosophy

Alexandre Enkerli, Sociology and Anthropology

Frederick Sweet, Applied Human Sciences

20

Michael Pinsonneault, Music

Ahmad Shafaat, DS & MIS JMSB

Sima Aprahamian, Simone de Beauvoir

Laurie Milner, Studio Arts

Mary Ellen Davis, Film Production

Marie Campbell, Theology

Jessica MacCormack, Studio Arts

Barbara Barclay, Teaching English as a Second Language

Lorraine Oades, Studio Arts

Robert Bruce Campbell, Accountancy

Amy Keith, Theatre

Frances Ravensbergen, Applied Human Sciences, SCPA, SEL

Marina Padamadan, Mathematics and Statistics

jake moore, Design and Computation Arts

Ingrid Mittmannsgruber, Sociology and Anthropology

Erwin Regler, Studio Arts

Alexia Papdopoulos, Études françaises

Roger Tyrell, Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema

Brigitte Radecki, Painting and Drawing

Val Morrison, Sociology and Anthropology

40

Elsa Beaulieu, School of Community and Public Affairs

Maria Graciela Giordano, Classics, Modern Languages, and Linguistics

Paul Scriver, Music

Jim Connelly, Education

Debbie Lunny, Simone de Beauvoir Institute

Francine Potvin, Studio Arts, Ceramics

Arndell Florent LeBlanc, Journalism

Laurence Jourde, Études françaises

Marianne Filion, Education

Stephanie Paterson, Political Science

Maximilian C. Forte, Sociology and Anthropology

Gada Mahrouse, Simone de Beauvoir Institute

Saliha Beroual, Études françaises

Jean Théberge, Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema

Clara Khudaverdian, Sociology and Anthropology

Kevin Yuen Kit Lo, Design and Computational Arts

Charles Reiss, Classics, Modern Languages, and Linguistics

Evans Adrian, Fine Arts

Michiko Aramaki, Simone de Beauvoir Institute

Rea Nolan, Theatre

60

Tom McGurk, Geography, Planning and Environment

Norma Rantisi, Geography, Planning and Environment

Nasrin Himada, Geography, Planning and Environment

Jim Freeman, Geography, Planning and Environment

Marco Burelli, Geography, Planning and Environment

Gerardo Reyes, Geography, Planning and Environment

Rob Moriarity, Geography, Planning and Environment

Jessica Auer, Studio Arts

Maxime Bisson, Studio Arts

Melanie Perreault, Studio Arts

The Quebec Public Interest Research Group of  Concordia University

James Douglas Whitman, Studio Arts

Eugénie Cliche, Digital Photography

Matthew Thomson, Print Media

Marty Fink, Simone de Beauvoir Institute

Matt Shane, Studio Arts

Shira Avni, Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema

Natasha Fitzgibbons, Classics, Modern Languages, and Linguistics

Rickie Lea Owens, Studio Arts

Annelise Grube-Cavers, Geography, Planning, and Environment

Todd Clary, Classics, Modern Languages, and Linguistics

80

Anahita Norouzi, Studio Arts

Mayte Parada, Center for Studies in Behavioural Neurobiology

Magdalen Olszanowski, Communications Studies

Carolyn Jong, Communications Studies

Rachel Harris, Fine Arts

Marlène Renaud-Bouchard, Studio Arts

Cassandre Comtois, Therapeutic Recreation

Ahmadreza Imani, Building, Civil and Environmental Engineering

Catalina Barbarosie, Applied Human Science

Roddy Doucet, Media Studies

Miriam Díaz Granado, Classics, Modern Languages and Linguistics

Geneviève Sicotte, Études françaises

Shelley Z. Reuter, Sociology and Anthropology

Rachel Webb Jekanowski, Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema

Julia Gregory, Geography, Planning, and Environment; Research Assistant in History

Kelly Thompson, Studio Arts

Darsha Hewitt, Studio Arts

Peter Grogono, Computer Science and Software Engineering

Marie-Paule Martel-Reny, Religion

Louellyn White, First Peoples Studies, School of Community and Public Affairs

100

Ryan Conrad, Fine Arts

Marie-France Daigneault Bouchard, Art History

Flavia Majlis, Studio Arts

Travis Ahearn, Geography, Planning & Environment

Thomas Waugh, Professor and Concordia Research Chair, Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema

Marc Peters, Fine Arts

Josie Caruso, Classics, Modern Languages, and Linguistics

Paula Bouffard, Études françaises

Roy Cross, Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema

Ali Paknia, Economics

Richard Kerr, Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema

Monika Gagnon, Communication Studies

Keroles Riad, Engineering and Computer Science

Alexandre Pelletier, Film Animation

Delphine Ngirumpatse, Classics, Modern Languages, and Linguistics

Daniel Dagenais, Sociology and Anthropology

Mennatalla Shawki, Education

Peter Darlington, Exercise Science

Steve Bates, Studio Arts

Vanessa Rigaux, Theatre and Communication Studies

120

Amine Boukhtouta, Electrical and Computer Engineering

David Homel, French Translation

Roxanne Desforges, Education

JA Kornblatt, Biology

Fabian Zuk, Classics, Modern Languages, and Linguistics

Jean-Sebastien Roussy, Geography, Planning and Environment

Giulietta Di Mambro, Applied Human Sciences, Études francaises

Philippe Cote-Boucher, Classics, Modern Languages, and Linguistics

Patrick Moore, Mathematics and Statistics

Alexander Wilson, Intermedia/Cyberarts

Paul Hardy, Studio Arts

Natalka Melnycky, Biology

George W.M. Harrison, Scholar-in-Residence, Classics, Modern Languages, and Linguistics

Hannah Rahimi, English Literature

Alexandra Feldman, Communication Studies

Valentina Solkin, Applied Human Sciences/Human Relations

Valérie Flageul, Études françaises

Beatriz Bartolomé, Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema

M. E. Luka, Communication Studies

Michael Wees, Studio Arts

140

Jennifer Cherniack, Studio Arts

Magdalena Olszanowski, Communication Studies

Zoë Constantinides, Communication Studies

Sébastien Caguard, Geography, Planning and Environment

Eric Simon, Studio Arts

Jasmin DL, Electromechanical

Valery Mihalkov, Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema

Matt Soar, Communication Studies

Vasek Chvatal, Canada Research Chair in Combinatorial Optimization, Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering

Kimberly Sawchuk, Communication Studies

Annie Lalancette, Department of Geography, Planning and Environment

David Morris, Philosophy

Jenn Clamen, Simone de Beauvoir Institute

Francine Tremblay, Sociology and Anthropology

Lauren Freeman, Philosophy

Leslie Orr, Religion

Hugh Hazelton, Classics, Modern Languages, and Linguistics

Adam Basanta, Computational Arts and Design

Emily Jan, Fibres

160

Jamal Bentahar, Concordia Institute for Information Systems Engineering

Catherine Moore, Geography, Planning and Environment

Sophie Guérin, Communication Department

Stephen Menzies, Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema and Computation Arts

Danica Jojich, Studio Arts, Art History

David Monk, Education

Jessica Gilbert, Art History

Adrian Norvid, Studio Arts

Dan Kielback, Geography, Planning and Environment

Kate Bligh, Theatre, English & the Canadian School of Irish Studies

Emily Paige, Art Education

Elaine Pigeon, English

Cynthia Hammond, Art History

Nadia Hardy, Mathematics and Statistics

David Douglas, Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema

Sherry Simon, Etudes françaises

Hideki Kawashima, Print Media, Studio Art

Genevieve Balcer, Art Education

Adam Szymanski, Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema

Bahareh Ashtiani – Engineering and Computer Science

180

Barbara Todd, Studio Arts

Alex Matveev, Geography, Planning and Environment

Federico Hidalgo, Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema

Sarah Nesbitt, RA & Slide Library

Anne-Marie Proulx, Art History

Sharon Leslie, Applied Human Sciences

Andrew Forster, Design & Computation Arts

Corri-Lynn Tetz, Studio Arts

Peter Flemming, Studio Arts

Beth Frey, Studio Arts

Jenny Lin, Print Media, Studio Arts

Sandra Eber, Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema

Krista Lynes, Communication Studies

Caitlin Stall-Paquet, Translation

Mark Rozahegy, Philosophy and English

pk langshaw, Design and Computation Arts

Angela Wilson, Communication Studies

Jennifer Spiegel, Theatre

Justin E. H. Smith, Philosophy

Meir Amor, Sociology and Anthropology

200

Julia de Montigny, Geography, Planning and Environment

James Whitman, Studio Arts

Guénolé Choné, Department of Geography, Planning and Environment

Rajee Jeji Shergill, Art History

Maria Peluso, Political Science

Frances M. Shaver, Sociology and Anthropology

Carissa Carman, Studio Arts

Sébastien Robidoux, Chemistry and Biochemistry

Hugo Dufour-Bouchard, Photography and VAV Gallery

Evergon Photo, Studio Arts and Undergrad Program Director

Chih-Chien Wang, Studio Arts

Julie Podmore, Geography, Planning and Environment

June Riley, Finance Vered Amit, Sociology and Anthropology

Peter C. van Wyck, Communications

Beverley Best, Sociology and Anthropology

Luis Ochoa, Classics, Modern Languages and Linguistics

Damon Matthews, Geography, Planning and Environment

Ted McCormick, History

Luc Otter, Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema

Shaman Hatley, Religion

220

Pamela Carson, Reference and Instruction Library

Daniela Isac, Classics, Modern Languages and Linguistics

Alison Reiko Loader, Design and Computation Arts & Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema

Maria Mamfredis, Religion

Karl Rivest Harnois, Philosophy

Nelson Henricks, Studio Arts (IMCA)

Jakub Zdebik, Art History

Daria Saryan, Philosophy

Meredith Evans, English

Christine York, Études françaises

Bonnie Baxter, Print Media, Studio Arts

Donny Seto, Geography, Planning and Environment

Damon Matthews, Geography, Planning and Environment

Kevin A. Gould, Geography, Planning and Environment

Geneviève Moisan, Studio Arts

Ernestine Daubner, Art History

Debbie Folaron, Études françaises

Dayna McLeod, Communications

Scott Watterton, MPPPA

Arwen Fleming, Communications

240

Daniel Salée, School of Community and Public Affairs, Political Science

Alexandra Cote, Applied Human Science

Stephane Alarie, Philosophy

Christopher Reid, Geography, Planning and Environment

Pierre Gauthier, Geography, Planning and Environment

Walter Goettlich, Sociology and Anthropology

David Hanley, Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema

Stéphane Calce, Studio Arts

Isabelle Charron, Geography, Planning and Environment

Joel Miller, Theatre

250

Jennifer Wicks, Art Education

Audrey Maude McDuff, Studio Arts

Alanna Lynch, Studio Arts

Rachael Van Fossen, Theatre

Yasmeen Daher, Philosophy

Heidi Muchall, Chemistry and Biochemistry

Joseph Snyder, Psychology

Valérie de Courville Nicol, Sociology and Anthropology

Angela Ford-Rosenthal, Sociology and Anthropology

Ariela Freedman, Liberal Arts College

260

Katharine Streip, Liberal Arts College

Robert Reid, Director of the Theatre Department

Kamel Khalifa, Film, Communication Studies

Phoebe Heintzman Hope, Studio Arts

Mél Hogan, Communication Studies

Erin Gee, Visual Arts

Chris Bober, Linguistics, Libraries

Anais Détolle, Sociology and Anthropology

Rosalie Di Lollo, Applied Human Sciences

Erin Despard, Communication Studies

Johanne Larue, Film Studies

Azra Rashid, Communication Studies

Cyrus Lewis, Communication Studies

Wilson Chacko Jacob, History

Scott Chlopan, Education

Velibor Bozovi´c, Studio Arts

Ashley McAskill, Communication Studies

Jordan Coulombe, Communication Studies

Jessica Slipp, Photography, Studio Arts

Marie-Pier Breton, Studio Arts

280

Alexander Antonopoulos, Philosophy

Sara A. Tremblay, Studio Arts

Jinyoung Kim, T.A.

Noni Brynjolson, Art History

Celia Perrin Siarous, Centre for Digital Arts

Vishnu Pooviah, Mechanical Engineering

Loren March, Studio Arts

Peter Rist, Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema

Marcus von Holtzendorff, Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema

Anna Sierpinska, Mathetmatics and Statistics

Josie Caruso, Classics, Modern Languages, and Linguistics

Andrew Covert, Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema

Joshua Schwebel, FOFA

Marie-Christine Simard, Studio Arts

Sandra Barrialaes-Bouche,  Classics, Modern Languages, and Linguistics

Catherine Bernier, Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema

Larissa Dutil, Concordia Community Solidarity Co-op Bookstore

David Jhave Johnston, NT2 and Computational Art

Lina D’Iorio, Liberal Arts College

Pierre-Mathieu Le Bel, Geography, Planning and Environment

300

Samantha Senécal, Religion

Chitu Okoli, DS&MIS

Daria Andrzejewska, Art Therapy

Claire Le Brun-Gouanvic, Études françaises

Bernard Gamoy, Painting and Drawing, Studio Arts

Loukia Tsakanikas, Mathematics and Statistics

Anthea Black, Art History, Studio Arts

Nicole Burisch, Art History, Studio Arts

Aurèle Parisien, Art History

Ioana Radu, First Peoples Studies, School of Community and Public Affairs

Donato Totaro, Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema

Marianne Bargiel, Creative Arts Therapy