Do you remember Snakes and Ladders as a kid?

We had a very successful Week of Welcome on September 2nd with our Snakes, Ladders, Sessionals, and You game that talks about the real-life circumstances and cconsequences of tenuous adjunct labour such as Sessionaling.

Right now 1 in 4 classes at SFU are taught by a Sessional. These highly qualified individuals usually have a PhD, with a number of publications and research projects to their name. They are doing the same job as faculty in the classroom, however they are being paid pennies on the dollar comparatively. This effects not only their own lives, but their classrooms, and academic freedom itself.

Universities relying on these poorly compensated and overworked individuals is a growing trend in Canada and around the world. The CBC has released a few excellent articles on the topic.

CBC: Most university undergrads now taught by poorly paid part-timers

CBC: Exploitation in the ivory tower

We are working towards a system in which there is a system for sessionals to earn a way into a more permanent position with benefits and security. Many sessionals have worked for SFU for ten years, yet don't have any benefits, job security, and even have to take on additional teaching jobs at other universities just to pay the bills.

More more information on our proposals and the research that we have completed on this topic, contact us. Also look for our research report that will be coming out later this semester.

Together we can do great things.