Dear Members
Submission Guidelines
Show your support of our bargaining team by telling us how the cuts to the university have impacted your work at the UofA. Your voice will become part of a virtual action (in lieu of an in-person event) that will be circulated both to AASUA members and the broader public.
There are three ways to participate in this virtual action:
1) Go to any UofA campus and stand in front of an iconic building, statue, lab, etc. Please follow all U of A directives, which restrict access to most interior buildings; however, going for a walk on campus is still an option, so long as you are in a group of no more than 5 people. Have a member of your household/cohort film you making a short statement (1-2 minutes maximum) about how your work has been impacted by the cuts. Please stick to a single issue. One possible way to structure your statement is to fill in this template:
· A) Your name and position at the UofA, B) Example of cut, C) Direct impact to you, your research, or your students, and D) (optional) why it is important to support the work of the AASUA to stop the cuts to post-secondary education in Alberta
· For example, you might say, “My name is Kristine Smitka. I teach first-year English to students from across campus. Last year, spring and summer class sizes rose by 33%. This means I have less time to give personalized feedback to my students on their writing, communication, and critical thinking skills."
1b) If you do not feel comfortable going to one of the UofA's five campuses, or if you are currently out of the area, write a short (200 word maximum) narrative about how the cuts have impacted you, and we will make a short film of one of the members of the AASUA’s Advocacy Committee reading your impact statement at a UofA location.
2) Print off one of these signs, and take a photo of yourself holding a sign that explains how the cuts have impacted you. If you are using the fourth sign template, which is designed so that you can write your own message, use 3-4 words that are easy to read. These images will be collaged together to create one image of a mass of people. For examples of what could be done with these photos, please see these images from virtual BLM protests: here and here.
The videos of impact statements will be edited to create a ninety-second film that gives voice to members' concerns. The virtual protest image (action 2) may circulate separately from the video and/or be incorporated into the video (actions 1 and 1a). When selecting clips for the film, AASUA will strive for diversity, both in the stories told and in the campus locations that are represented. While we are hoping for as much participation as possible, footage will be selected to make a succinct, impactful video that can be shared on social media.
Deadline: Please send your video (action 1), statement (action 1b), or photo (action 2) to [email protected] by midnight on Friday, May 21st. Please use the subject line “Campaign Submission” for your email.
Kristine Smitka,
AASUA Advocacy Committee Chair and ATS Constituency Director