Nominations for Term Sessional Lecturer Bargaining Team Positions

cupe4163 bargaining, Component 3

Nominations for the Two Term Sessional Lecturer Positions on the Component 3 Bargaining Team

C. William Campbell

Department of Anthropology

I am a former USW Local 1944 member, current term sessional lecturer, and PhD candidate with the Department of Anthropology. I am also the recently elected Component 3 Steward representing the Anthropology, Sociology, and Psychology departments. I seek to continue my involvement representing the most precariously employed members, term sessional lecturers, at the bargaining table.

 

In the departments I steward, term sessionals constitute 86% of the Component membership, nearly a quarter of which (22%) are also graduate students. Continuing sessionals make up only a fragment of the union base, reflecting how our departments are being forced by this administration’s financial goals to rely heavily on the most precariously employed Component 3 members. Meanwhile, this same administration sees their year over year compensation increase; Mr. Hall’s total compensation for the 2023/2024 year being ~3% greater than 2022/2023, and ~9% greater than 2021/2022.

If this administration continues forcing departments to rely on term sessionals, fine; we will rise to the challenge and continue delivering compelling content to students despite institutional pressures. But I will not accept that our precarity continue to be exploited in the extreme by an administration getting both financially and organizationally fat on our labours. We are owed more.

Wyatt Maddox

Department of Geography

I am a fourth year PhD candidate and a term sessional instructor in Geography. I recently stepped away after three years on the Executive Board of the Graduate Students’ Society, with the last two years spent as the Chair of the Board. Over my term with the GSS, I have been an active and influential advocate for the needs and values of graduate students, teaching assistants, research assistants, and sessional instructors to the university administration, on-campus organizations, and all levels of government. I am well known for speaking with conviction, clarity, and professionalism in spaces where power dynamics are not in my favour. During my time as a sessional instructor, working at both UVic and Vancouver Island University, I have gained substantial insight into the issues and supports that are important to sessional instructors and where changes are necessary to ensure the success of both new and established term sessionals.
My experience with unions goes back over fifteen years, from my job as lifeguard in high school. Working closely with CUPE 4163 as the Chair of the GSS, I am comfortable and confident in joining the bargaining committee should I be elected.

Jianping Yu

Department of Mathematics and Statistics

I am writing to express my interest in serving on the bargaining committee. I began my position as a sessional instructor at UVic in 2023 while I was still a graduate student. As a
term sessional instructor, I bring both a fresh perspective and a strong commitment to supporting and advocating for our union members.
With 20 years of teaching and research experience across universities in the USA, Canada, and China, holding positions such as sessional instructor, assistant teaching professor,
visiting research scholar, and associate professor, I have developed a deep understanding of the diverse challenges and opportunities faced by academic sta􀆯 in various roles and
institutional environments. These experiences have strengthened my appreciation for the importance of fair working conditions, transparent policies, and equitable treatment for all faculty and staff.

I believe that effective bargaining requires both a collaborative spirit and a clear, principled voice. I am eager to bring my experience and dedication to this important work, ensuringthat the needs and concerns of all members—particularly those in term and sessional roles, are heard and addressed.

It would be an honor to represent our members and contribute meaningfully to the bargaining process. I am committed to working hard, listening carefully, and negotiating
thoughtfully on behalf of our community.
Thank you for your consideration.

Matthew Payne,
Department of Theatre
Having been a member of CUPE 4163 since Fall of 2021, I have a growing interested in the operations of the local. Serving on the bargaining committee appeals to me. I’m curious to learn more about that process and to better connect with the folks on the other side of the table who make budget decisions. I’ve completed Cultural Perspectives Training with Indigenous Perspectives Society and am certified in Equity Sequence Training, which means I’m always working to see a range of viewpoints in all situations. As Executive Director for the Other Guise Theatre Society, I manage annual budgets of over half a million dollars and $2.5-million in assets.