Faculty, to the surprise of some Dalhousie administration members, are the lifeblood of the universities we know and love. We love the faculty here at King’s and Dal. You, our readers, love the faculty — each month, you nominate a faculty member you think deserves the love and attention of our campus. But this month, we chose our own nominees: the striking DFA members at the picket lines.
David Westwood, professor of kinesiology and DFA president
Sally Skinner: What’s one thing you want students to know during this lockout?
David Westwood: It means so much to hear that [the students] support us, because we support you. We’re all in this together. We’re the university; teaching and learning is what this place is all about. And there’s no university without students, and without us. To see us coming together in this way, I think it shows the kind of strength that we have, to say this is our place and it needs to be respected, valued and recognized.
SS: What is your favourite thing about teaching here at Dalhousie?
DW: This was the best opportunity I had as a graduate student. I could’ve worked at the University of Saskatchewan or gone to the states, but Dalhousie was by far in the most attractive city. So I was drawn by the brand, the recognition of the name. It really pains me, to be honest, to be here 23 years and see the good name of this institution get dragged through the mud. I don’t think the name “Dalhousie” in Canada will ever be heard the same way. What kind of university does that? It’s sullied a 200-year good reputation, that’s been thrown under the bus.
Fiona Martin, associate professor of sociology, and Laura DeGelleke, instructor in the department of oceanography
SS: What is one thing that you want students to know during the lockout?
Fiona Martin: We didn’t want this.
Laura DeGelleke: We want to be teaching.
FM: And we really appreciate your support. I think the messaging is changing now, but at first there was a lot of talk that this was about wages and what we earn, and that our average salary is really high. But that’s definitely not the average salary of all the members of the DFA. It includes librarians, instructors, councillors. We are really fighting for the people who are earning much, much less than that. But it’s about way more than wages — it’s about those precarious [limited-term appointment] contracts. It’s about working conditions, childcare, access to health care.
LD: I think it’s also about respect for us, because it’s clear with the board’s bargaining behaviour that they’re not bargaining with us in good faith, and it feels disrespectful.
SS: What’s your favourite thing about teaching here at Dalhousie?
LD: I have to say, one of my most favorite things is having students come back after they’ve graduated and tell me about all of the successful things they’ve been up to. Most of our students go on to do such amazing things. It’s such a source of pride for any teacher.
FM: I’m just always inspired and amazed by my students. There’s so little I understand about the world my students are living in, so I’m constantly learning from them. I can take that and go, okay, this is going to inspire my teaching, or I’m going to help them try figuring out this aspect in their lives. I like the back and forth exchange with students, and I learn from them just as much as they learn from me.
