S.09-11

MEMORANDUM

To:

Senate

From:

Kevin Harding, Senator

Re:

Academic Amnesty -4 February 2009

Date:

December 10, 2008

The Simon Fraser Student Society, the Graduate Student Society, the Simon Fraser

University Faculty Association, the Teaching Support Staff Union, CUPE 3338, and other

campus community groups are organising a rally on 4 February 2009 to draw attention to

the impacts on SFU, and to call on the provincial government to address the situation. The

provincial government's budget is expected on 17 February 2009. A rally will be held in

the Convocation Mall at 12:30pm, and all members of the university community are

encouraged to attend to voice their support.

As all Senators are no doubt aware, funding is a serious issue facing the university.

Budget shortfalls due to underfunding impact the quality of education at SFU. All

members of the university community are concerned about the impacts of continued

financial pressures on the university.

Recent provincial government funding changes have put even more pressures on the

university's budget. A $6.3 million reduction in expected funding has left the university

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community working hard to find new ways to reduce costs and find efficiencies.

Unfortunately, it appears that reductions in faculty and staff, with related impacts on

teaching and learning, are unavoidable.

Consequently, the community groups involved request that Senate requests a day of

academic amnesty to allow students and instructors to participate in the rally.

Additionally, the community groups request that all reasonable accommodations be made

to enable any member of the university community to participate.

Motion

"Senate requests that faculty and instructors make every effort to accommodate

students who wish to participate in the February

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rally and not penalize these

students academically."