September has arrived, and with it, the start of the fall term. I hope everyone has had a chance to enjoy the beautiful weather we’ve been experiencing. Warm(ish) days and cool nights are my personal favourite (you can keep the pumpkin spice everything!).
I wish you all a smooth and successful start to the term.
Elections
It’s that time of year again—UWSA elections are approaching!
Nominations are now open for directors to join the UWSA board and for the next UWSA President to lead our operations team. I can’t overstate how important these roles are to the Association and I really encourage you to consider running or to nominate someone you believe would be an outstanding candidate for either role.
Both roles offer a unique professional development opportunity on campus, including:
- Collaborating with staff and administrators across campus
- Enhancing strategic thinking and leadership skills
- Receiving training in non-profit and university governance
- Advocating for staff interests and contributing to a better workplace at UW
My experiences as both a director and as president have been very rewarding—and more educational, I’d say, than my previous 15 years on campus. While stepping into a leadership role may seem daunting at first, I wouldn’t hesitate to do it again.
I want to encourage those in non-managerial roles to seriously consider running. Your USG grade does not define your ability to lead or contribute meaningfully. Don’t let it hold you back from throwing your hat into the ring. Leadership within UWSA is a chance to grow, to learn, and to make a real impact. If you’re even slightly curious, I urge you to explore the opportunity.
Memorandum of Agreement
We have notified the University administration of our intent to revisit the Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) this fall, and preliminary discussions are now underway. Our main goal is to establish a compensation agreement process equivalent to what the Faculty Association has in their Agreement.
We’ve collected suggestions from members for other items we could update or add, and now we’d like member input on which of these you’d like us to explore further, to help us prioritize. Please take a few minutes to complete this short survey—your input is essential in helping us prioritize the needs and interests of our membership.
Flexible and Hybrid Work
While hybrid work arrangements are a prominent topic of discussion, I want to take a moment to highlight one significant positive to look forward to in the updated guidelines: short-term, situational flexibility. This element has been thoughtfully considered by those involved in developing the framework and reflects a meaningful recognition of the diverse needs and circumstances of our staff. Flexibility is a cornerstone of a supportive work environment, and we’re happy to see it acknowledged. And we’ve been assured there will be substantial manager training to ensure that it’s understood and applied adequately across the university.
Looking ahead, although the guideline itself is now essentially finalized, conversations around its implementation and impact are ongoing. We are still actively advocating for a rollout that supports staff and promotes fairness, emphasizing equity, not just equality. We recognize and share your concerns. The lack of staff consultation in the development of this guideline is unacceptable, and the limited consideration of staff wellbeing is equally troubling. These issues have been raised repeatedly in our conversations with admin. While we don’t yet have answers to all the questions we’ve heard from members, we remain committed to seeking clarity and accountability. The University really needs to justify its approach in light of the concerns you’ve raised, and we will continue to push for transparency and meaningful engagement.
Lisa Habel
UWSA President, 2024–2025
