We can debate whether Toronto is the Harvard of the north, or whether Harvard is the Toronto of the south (or east), but there is no debate over whether or not Toronto will become the next online education factory even if we dramatically increase the number of online course offerings. U of T is a public university in a growing, dynamic city, and our community of scholars plays an important role in the social and intellectual life of Toronto. Our interactions as a community spark curiosity and inspire creativity. The taxpayers and the politicians they elect, and apparently most of our students, are eager to rebuild the in-person physical spaces that make our university special.
Most UTFA members have returned to in-person teaching, but many remain concerned about whether it is sufficiently safe to do so. Instead of incessantly attacking the administration and making unrealistic demands as preconditions to a return to campus, UTFA should take a collaborative approach to ensure that the university is taking reasonable steps to ensure that our classrooms and offices are safe enough for all of our members. But that does not mean we should insist that campus is only safe when the risks of infection from COVID-19, or any other viruses, is similar to the risk of being in the classroom in November 2019. Instead, we need to encourage our colleagues and students to be fully vaccinated, take other mitigation measures to reduce the spread of infection, and work with the administration to seek flexibility to protect members who are most vulnerable, or who live with people most at risk of severe consequences if they get infected. UTFA leaders need to listen to public health officials, rather than attacking their motivations or integrity.
Through Bill 124, the government has capped our salary and benefit increases. However, everyone knows that financially the university is doing very well. UTFA should focus on asking the university to invest in our health and well-being indirectly, by committing to a facility and maintenance budget that will ensure that HEPA filters are working well and air flow is optimized, by helping some members or their units purchase portable air filters, and by supporting instructors who request that their students remain masked. Together, we can ensure the university environment is as safe as possible for in-person instruction and research.
We do not know what the next wave will bring or when the next pandemic will come to Toronto. Whatever happens, UTFA should engage in conversations about the best approach to health and safety with the administration and faculty experts, be mindful of public health officials making difficult decisions, and should not forget that we owe a duty of fair representation to all members when they would like to carry out their responsibilities in a safe manner. UTFA Executives should not undermine people's trust in their public health officials when the executives disagree with those officials.
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