The Wonderful World of Office Allotment

By Tracy Whalen, UWFA Secretary

It’s likely not news to anyone reading this piece that the University of Winnipeg is in the middle of flux and shift, space-wise. The Faculty of Business and Economics, along with the Division of Continuing Education, is soon moving into the new Buhler Centre. Departments in the Faculty of Science are next year sliding down one block west into the Science Complex and Richardson College of the Environment. For those not moving into the new digs, consultations have taken place to determine departments’ preferences for future locations.

Especially during times of substantial reorganization, it’s important that instructors know what to expect when it comes to their office space. There is the question, for instance, of study leave, especially if a scholar’s ability to do research requires space on campus. Certainly, no policy can cover every situation, but it helps for instructors to know who, exactly, one might turn to when the rug is swept out from under one’s feet… along with the shelves, desk, and tastefully painted walls. What policies exist? How well circulated are they?

The word “leave” (as in “study leave”) sums up quite tidily what one is expected to do during a sabbatical: go away, vamoose, study elsewhere. Not every member has the ability to leave, however (faculty with family responsibilities, say). Some researchers stay put because their archival resources, ethnographic communities, and/or equipment are located in Winnipeg. The Main Unit collective agreement, unfortunately, does not shed a lot of light on the issue of office allotment during a one-year leave. Article 26.18 states as follows:

Members on research/study leave are encouraged, but not required, to leave the University during part or all of their period of leave. Should Members choose to stay at the University while on research/study leave, the Employer shall continue to provide normal support services, except that an office shall be provided upon availability.

This final phrase, “except that an office shall be provided upon availability” leaves some questions unanswered. When is an instructor to be reasonably informed of office availability (or lack thereof)? Who has priority in such cases? What if there is no office available, but the researcher needs one?

These questions are not idle ones. Currently, one UWFA member remains uncertain about his office situation during his leave. This researcher needs an office—he runs memory-heavy data programs on his desktop computer, which he upgraded at his own expense. A deal had been worked out with the university that he would share his office with another person (who needed the office only once a week or so). When this arrangement changed, the researcher was told on Labour Day weekend (two months after the start of his leave) that he had to vacate his office. Not only that, he would not get it back again until September 1, 2011, two months after the end of his leave (and just on the cusp of teaching). As this faculty member pointed out, he has taken a 20% cut in pay to work on his research full time; he would expect to be given better notice and to have his office back immediately upon his return to full-time teaching and administrative responsibilities. 

At the time of writing, the policy for space allotment had not been received by the UWFA Communications Committee. We hope to have more information soon and will continue to keep the membership informed about space allocation policies in the next UWFA newsletter.