6

The Cadre

¢* 10 February 1998

Fine Arts prof in final year at UPEI; w question of money or worth?

BY KRISTEN PATTERSON

This semester will be the last for Fine Arts History ses- sional lecturer Reg Porter, who has been teaching at UPEI for the past 16 years.

John Crossley, Vice President Academic Su claims that the elimination of his position through the exten- sion department is a result of budget planning and dam control, but Porter is left with several questions concerning his dismissal.

Crossley insists that the decision to let Reg Porter go was | 00 percent budget-driven and that the decision was dif- ficult, and an unfortunate one. He stated that funding has dis- appeared for two sessional lec- turer positions in the Fine Arts department due to budget plan- ning for next year. These cuts leave the department with one tenured professor, Janos Fedak, and one sessional lec- turer, Ron Arvidson, who teaches the Fine Arts Studio class.

But Porter remains un- certain as to why his position was cut. He maintains that the university told him his courses were not paying for them- selves.

Crossley refutes this, stating that “it is impossible to say that any course pays for itself.” Currently, there are 49 students in Paes Fine Arts Hist : paying $315. The total comes to $15,435, with Porter walking away with only $2500 and leav- ing a surplus of $12,935. Por- ter questions where the rest of this money went, and wonders why these numbers are not enough to save his job.

wo of Reg Porter's courses were cancelled this school year. In ber, his course on PEI hitecture was cut at the last minute be- cause less than ten of the 19 registered students were part time. The university had de- cided that his course was iden-

tical to Fine Arts 452. In January, Porter found

anotice on his classroom door, stating that his Fine Arts 302 was cancelled. Anna Sawicki, assistant director = oe sion department, told him that no one had registered for the course. More than five stu- dents who would prove other- wise, reporting that they were turned away at the registrar's desk. They had been told the course was no longer avail- able.

Itall comes down to Re Porter's contract with the uni- versity,

The contract for ses- sional lecturers is generic, and does not stipulate the require- ment that ten of the registered students must be part time. It only specifies that there has to be a minimum of ten students registered,

Over the past 15 years the number of required part time students has varied from five to ten. The head of the department is responsible for contacting the sessional lec- turer and notifying her or him, preferably in writing, of the said requirement. Porter states that he never received a letter from Fedak, and was there- fore unaware of the condition placed on his courses. Fedak refuses to comment on per- sonal matters.

No contract had been issued in the summer of 1997 since no one asked for it to be issued. When Porter's PEI Architecture course was can- celled, both the registered stu- dents and he were given the same meee the university was applying a new, strict in- terpretation of the contract. Without an issued contract, there was no way to argue this

interpretation. Porter says that he spoke toCross Sedeemer abs reassured him that if the con- tract said ten students, not all of whom were part-time, then the course would be safe with

this minimum often. the extension de- partment and asked it to hon-

our the contract.

When Fine Arts 302 was cancelled in January, Porter asked Crossley to investigate the situation, and consulted his lawyer who said that the uni- versity can break contracts with sessional lecturers as it pleases, to modify them, even after they have been signed by the lecturer.

Porter says that Crossley did not explain this to him. Crossley denies that contracts can be broken, but admits that exceptions can be made, and emphasizes the actions of de- partment heads, as they are responsible for informing lec- turers of contract modifica- tions. The university is now moving to clarify their con- tracts with sessional lecturers, in order to avoid this confusion in the future.

To complicate matters further, Porter hase i a decline in what is already poor health. Apart from teach- ing, he is unsure as to what

work hecan commit him-

self to. Though there could be a possible lawsuit against the uni-

versity for breach of contract, Porter deems it unwise to be- come involved with the stress of dealing with “a giant bent on lying.” Feeling insecure and fe lofhis future, he is

but resigned to leaving the uni- versity.

The cold breath of in- gratitude is very painful, con- sidering I have contributed so much to the program at such a low price,” Porter said.

bra believes aor — people are avoiding telling the truth and is not convinced by the university’s reasons for dismissing him. As faras he is concemed, itis all about money. Crossley suggests the same, claiming that “this is not a Reg Porter issue.” ut it seems there are two ways to look at the fund- ing situation. Crossley says that there is not enough, but Porter says that there is more

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than enough money, but that it is just going somewhere else.

“In view of the number of students who are attracted to the courses, the enrollment and salary don’tadd up,” Por- ter said.

As a sessional lecturer who has always brought in extra money and whose evaluations were alway very positive, Porter feels victimized by the universi- ty’s interpretation of his contract and the denial of their obligation to honour it. To him, the end of his employment at the university is a waste of Crossley is sympathetic

rossley is “T like he said. “He is a really valuable asset to UPEI.” It is not only a terrible aa oleae ife, a loss for the student bods: UPEI cannot afford to lose teachers like Porter, espe- cially since there is nothing to replace them with.

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