Acadia wrapping up strike

BY WENDY ELLIOTT

Kings County Register

Pickets went down at Acadia University Nov. 6 after the negotiating teams representing Acadia’s Board of Governors and faculty announced a tentative agreement.

The faculty-endorsed deal could bring an end to a strike that began Oct. 15. “We’ve all worked hard and we’ve achieved a contract that makes Acadia a more equitable workplace and produces significant improvements for our most disadvantaged members,” said AUFA chief negotiator Jim Sacouman. “The contract will preserve Acadia’s reputation as a first-rate university, committed to academic excellence,” said the board’s chief negotiator, David MacKinnon.

While the national market for recruiting faculty has become increasingly competitive, representatives from both sides agreed the contract will help attract and retain high-quality faculty at Acadia. This will be an important step in solving student enrolment challenges in recent years. “Having classes full of first-rate students is one of the things that makes working here so attractive,” Sacouman said. “We are committed to working hard to get more of the best and brightest students coming to Acadia.”

The board of governors and AUFA members were expected to ratify the agreement. Acadia’s Senate will have to convene to make arrangements to complete the academic term. Both sides said their first priority is minimizing disruption to students.

Of Acadia's 3,400 full-time students, more than half are believed to have gone home. This is the second strike to hit the university in three years.