Students not considered in the BUFA and administration negotiation process

Now that the BUFA and the Brock administration have come to a tentative agreement and the academic year has not been interrupted, students can continue to write their exams according to schedule.
Throughout negotiations, however, many students felt as though their needs were not being considered in the process, exemplified by the student sit-in in front of the Schmon Tower in the days leading up to the Dec. 3 negotiation meeting.
Though many were created for humour purposes, countless numbers of student groups on the Web site Facebook, were created urging Brock University Faculty Association (BUFA) and the administration to come to a settlement as to not interrupt student's academic careers.
Christina Mychaskiw, a second year biology student, felt as though the students were not given enough information about the negotiations process, let alone the actual possibility of a strike.
"Many of us are too lazy to read our BUFA e-mails, much less our textbooks. I found it difficult to keep track of what was going on really, maybe I could have had there been more effort to make people aware of the situation," Mychaskiw said. "Perhaps by explaining briefly in lecture halls, or having kiosks in Walker or in Mac Chown."
The specific needs of international students, beyond the needs of domestic students were also neglected, according to Teresa Cecchini, a third year English major. Cecchini is involved with the international students program, and witnessed one specific international student who was in desperate need of her final marks by Dec. 30 in order to graduate in her home country. She would be be denied any special assistance from her professor in the event of a strike, and unable to graduate without these marks. The lack of concern on behalf of some professors for the students was quite disheartening to her.
"I don't think that theyunderstand or even considered thekind of jeopardy they were putting the students into," Cecchini said. "They just didn't seem to care for some reason."
Anger and frustration about the way the students were treated aside, some students, such as Matt Czerwinski, a second year biochemistry major, are glad that BUFA has achieved at least some of their goals in negotiations with administration.
"In the long [term]it's good that an agreement was reached," he said."Theagreement ultimately shows theuniversity's commitment to researchand education for its faculty members."
Mychaskiw is also glad that a strike did not happen for the sake of maintaining Brock's status within the community. A strike would have dampened the community's view of Brock's professors and administration, professionals who are looked upon as well educated and revered for their creative and critical thought, she said.
"I'm glad that I was spared the un-dignifying scene of my professors walking around picketing and jeering people to honk their horns for support," she said. "Our professors are honoured professionals, and tend to hold a certain status high with their hard-earned degree."
"With that image, I would expect minds such as theirs to be able to get creative and solve the problem with intelligence and civility, without silly protests, chants and signs attached to a piece of wood that works better as a part of a fence."
With the idea of a potential strike, many students were faced with the issue of being a responsible student and choosing whether to study or not.
Victoria Brzozowski, a second year english language and literature student, was disappointed that the students were left out in the cold for so long, not knowing whether or not their exams would need to be written now, or at a later date.
"It's difficult to mentally prepare yourself for exams when you have an 80 per cent or greater probability of a strike looming," she said.
Regardless, the strike did not happen during the exam period, and students can continue to write their scheduled exams whether they are ready or not.