Education Policy Committee

At work and in our communities, the lives of faculty and staff are affected by a myriad of public policy decisions made by government. As an advocate for members, FPSE regularly makes representation to all levels of government. The Education Policy Committee works on a range of policy issues.

Committee Members:

Chair:

Balbir Gurm
(Local 5)

Staff Rep:

Phillip Legg

Local Reps:

 

Local 1

Capilano College Faculty Association
(vacant)

Local 2

Thompson Rivers University Faculty Association
Mila Kwiatkowska

Local 3

Faculty Association of the College of New Caledonia
Shannon Bezo

Local 4

Douglas College Faculty Association
Chris Maguire

Local 5

Kwantlen Faculty Association
Balbir Gurm (Chair)

Local 6

College of the Rockies Faculty Association
Leslie Molnar

Local 7

University of the Fraser Valley Faculty & Staff Association
Wendy Burton

Local 8

Vancouver Island University Faculty Association
Alex Pevec

Local 10

Selkirk College Faculty Association
Don Parks

Local 11

Academic Workers’ Union
(Northwest Community College)
Elise Kruithof

Local 12

Camosun College Faculty Association
Kobby Owusu-Nyamekye

Local 14

Langara Faculty Association
Julia Denholm

Local 15

Vancouver Community College Faculty Association
Brenda Appleton

Local 16

North Island College Faculty Association
Helena Higgs

Local 17

BC Open University Faculty Association
Veda Abu-Bakare

Local 19

Nicola Valley Inst of Technology Employees’ Assn
Nedra McKay

Local 21

Private Sector Faculty & Staff Association
(vacant)

Local 22

Emily Carr Institute of Art & Design Faculty Association
Jane Slemon

Exec
Liaison

Terri Van Steinburg
FPSE Second Vice-President

NRFC
Liaison

Jane Slemon
Local 22, ECUADFA

Responsibilities:

  1. To advise the Presidents’ Council on education policy issues.
  2. To review the literature on post-secondary education and advise Presidents’ Council of emerging trends.
  3. To monitor the education policy of similar labour organizations: BCFL, BCTF, CLC, CUFA/BC, CAUT, ACIFA, etc.
  4. To analyze the initiatives of federal and provincial governments and to formulate necessary positions.
  5. To review the positions of faculty professional organizations.
  6. To review the activities of education organizations such as ACCC, AUCC, BCCAT, BCcampus, etc.
  7. To develop and recommend specific education policy to the Presidents’ Council as needed.

Terms of Reference:

Reporting to: Reports regularly to the FPSE President and the Presidents’ Council.

Composition: The Education Policy Committee will be composed of one designated representative from each local and the FPSE President or Secretary-Treasurer or designate. The Non-Regular Faculty Committee may appoint one person to the Committee.

Term of Appointment: Committee members will normally be appointed for a term of two years.

Chairperson: The Committee shall elect a new Chairperson at the last meeting of the Committee held prior to the convening of the Annual General Meeting and Convention. The Committee shall endeavour to elect a Chairperson who has served on the Committee a previous term as a local representative.

The Chairperson or designate shall have observer status at meetings of the Presidents' Council with voice but no vote. The responsibility of the Chairperson includes attendance by the Chairperson or designate at the Presidents' Council meeting immediately subsequent to a meeting of the Committee or upon request of the FPSE President.

The Chairperson shall attend the Annual General Meeting and Convention. The Convention shall provide orientation and planning opportunities for Committee Chairpersons and facilitate their meeting as a group.

The duly elected Chairperson of the Committee shall continue to serve as Chairperson where the Chairperson ceases to be a designated local representative to the Committee.

Meetings: Such meetings as are required to fulfill its responsibilities, limited only by the funding allocated to the Committee. The Committee may substitute or include a workshop or conference for a meeting.

Observers: By invitation of the Chair.

Quorum: A majority of locals.

Voting: Positions adopted by consensus among designated representatives; otherwise by simple majority of those voting (By-Law #6).

Funds: As allocated in the annual budget.

Links of interest to the Education Policy Committee: