Want really nice, expensive furniture at an extremely low discounted price?
Keep an eye on our liquidation Center. New furniture pieces posted weekly.
Feel comfortable and organized while you study!

Visit and see your savings!
Contract Furniture Source

Be sure to use promo code: Algonquin College
For more information on what is available,
please contact Erin Hendrick ehendrick@cfsource.ca

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is this only happening at Algonquin College?

No. Bargaining takes place for all 24 colleges across the entire Ontario college system.

For details on the situation provincially, visit:

* College Compensation and Appointments Council – www.thecouncil.on.ca
* OPSEU – www.opseu.org

2. How much notice of a strike would we get?

The union must provide a minimum of five days notice of its intention to go on strike. However, the union has been quoted as saying it would not call a strike before mid-February.

3. Who would go on strike?

OPSEU represents full-time and partial load faculty members, full-time counsellors and full-time librarians within the Ontario college system.

4. If there is a strike, how would we be informed?

Students would be notified by:

* E-mail to your official Algonquin College student e-mail account
* This website
* Student Portal – www.algonquincollege.com/main/currentStudents/index.htm
* Blackboard – online.algonquincollege.com
* Media reports

5. How long would a strike last?

It is difficult to forecast how long a strike would last, if one were to take place. Past faculty strikes, in 1984, 1989, and 2006 lasted 18, 20 and 14 school days respectively.

6. Would we be reimbursed tuition for time missed?

It is expected that in the event of a strike the Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities would make any decision regarding student tuition fee refunds. This decision would not be made until after any strike had ended.

7. When classes resume after a strike, how would students make up lost time? Would I have to repeat the semester?

In the past, students have been able to complete their semester at the end of a strike. Algonquin will be developing plans in the case a strike should occur; the nature of which would depend on the length of any strike. Possibilities may include lengthening the semester or compression of courses.

If you have a question, that has not been answered here, please email: questions@algonquincollege.com
or contact the SA

CLASS REP TRAINING

FRIDAY FEB 5th
11:30 – food will be served
12:00 – Training Presentation will commence
1:00 – Training will adjourn

PLEASE RSVP
To Emily
boehme@algonquincollege.com
RE: Class Rep Training

Mon Feb. 01 2010 2:21:59 PM
OPSEU sets Feb. 11 strike deadline for Ontario’s community colleges

The Canadian Press
TORONTO — The union for Ontario’s community college teachers has set a Feb. 11 strike deadline in a move that would curtail classes for at least 200,000 full-time students.

The Ontario Public Service Employees Union says it would rather come up with an agreement through binding arbitration and avoid a strike, but says it will strike if “forced to” by the colleges.

The move comes after the union rejected a “final” offer from the colleges last week and refused to take it directly to teachers for a vote.

College management says the offer is better than previous ones because it shortens the contract to three years, instead of four, and offers a slightly higher salary increase.

Key issues for the union are workload, academic freedom and management’s decision in November to impose its offer on the teachers without a vote.

About 57 per cent of the teachers who voted earlier this month gave OPSEU a strike mandate to back their demands, but those opposed have set up a website asking to vote on the deal.

A provincial mediator has been appointed to attempt to resolve the impasse without a strike, and Premier Dalton McGuinty has asked both sides to sit down and reach a negotiated contract settlement.

Are you graduating this semester and are looking for a job? Not sure what you want to do? Career week is coming up Feb. 8th to 12th (right before reading week). It is a great opportunity to share your experiences, get involved, or listen to some key speakers about their accomplishments. To help out and be a part of career week you can register at www.algonquincollege.com/CareerWeek/

Have a great week!

With graduation coming up, it’s a good idea to think ahead. What job do you want and how do you get it? Algonquin is set up to help you get that amazing job.  The best place to start is http://www.algonquincollege.com/access/.  If you are looking for something more involved than you should look in to Career Week.  Here is a brief description of it.

Join students and alumni for one week of networking opportunities, keynote presentations, industry insight, and career workshops.

• Listen to industry experts speak about current and future opportunities in your sector
• Network with alumni and successful professionals in your field, as well as potential employers at the annual Career Networking Fair
• Participate in a range of learning opportunities that will give you a leg-up as you manage your career

Howdy!

The Key Performance Indicator (KPI) Student Satisfaction Survey is your opportunity to tell the College, and the Ontario government, what Algonquin is doing well, and what areas can be improved.  This survey is the most important way that students can influence the priorities and investments made by the College.

Over the years, Algonquin College has made capital investments totalling almost $175 million, thanks in part to funds based on KPI results. These projects include the state-of-the-art Transportation Technology Centre, the student residences, the Advanced Technology Centre, the Police and Public Safety Institute, the Simulation Centre for Health Studies, academic and IT equipment, and the expansion of the College’s food services.

I encourage you to give your opinion to the Ontario government about what Algonquin College is doing well, so Algonquin can continue to receive support to offer leading-edge education and training.   If you are having a less than positive experience here at Algonquin, we also want to know that as well, so please indicate to the Ontario government where improvements can be made so that Algonquin can make the changes needed to better serve you.

Your response to this survey will ensure that Algonquin College can continue to offer innovative programs in state-of-the-art facilities and make the necessary improvements to make the College a better place to learn.

Thank you for your support in completing this important survey and for helping Algonquin continue to improve its programs and services based on your feedback.

Hey there fellow students! Here we are at the end of January already, can you believe it? Down at the Perth campus we are getting ready to celebrate winter with our first ever Winter Carnival! Thursday February 4th from 1 – 5pm the SA will be hosting a Winter Carnival. All activities are not in place yet but we hope to have some ice or snow sculpture contests, snow person building and perhaps some more physical activities.We are happy to hear any suggestions you may have. There will be prizes to be won and warm drinks available. Here is an open challenge to the Ottawa campus, perhaps some students might like to form a team and come on down to challenge your fellow students here in Perth. We would love to have you come compete. This is a great opportunity to come down and check out the campus, look over plans for the new campus and have some fun. Hope we have enough snow!

As I made my way down the world’s longest skating rink with my friends this weekend, I thought about how awesome it would be to have a skating rink on campus. With a rink right on the Ottawa University campus and the canal running right next both of Ottawa’s universities, I really wish that Algonquin had a skating rink of its own. With the Olympics fast approaching and the weather actually being decent, it would be great if Algonquin students had a place to skate around their busy winter semester of classes. Algonquin definitely has the space and the costs of building and operation a rink would be minimal compared to the benefit the students and surrounding community would receive. Algonquin College has always worked really hard to encourage its students to be more active and has been great in providing the surrounding community with athletic facilities, so it surprises me that they haven’t thought of this. If you think that this is a good idea and would like to see this move forward, come by the SA office and let us know.

Although Algonquin faculty voted as a majority against a strike, the province-wide vote has gone in favour of striking. The union has stated they do not intend on striking anytime before mid-february, and that they want to get back to bargaining in good faith.

We respect the faculty union’s position and remain optimistic that the two sides can reach an agreement in the coming weeks!

If you have any questions whatsoever please don’t hesitate to contact either myself or any other SA director!

Cheers

- Mike Hirsch, President
- Algonquin College Students’ Association
- hirschm@algonquincollege.com
- 613.727.4723 x5293