Vancouver Community College • Volume 1, Number 26 • October 13,1993
Now that the College and VMREU are
President
well into the process of layoffs-and the bump¬
updates ing procedure-I want to bring you up to date

layoff-

on where things stand and what happens next.
Since the initial lay off notices were served

bumping who have bumped into existing positions,

on July 30th, there have been 31 support staff

process

of January, 1994. I'll be keeping you up to
date as the situation unfolds.

—John Cruickshank

Langara names
Acting Bursar

while eight others have decided to take their

Langara has taken its second major step

severance pay. Up to this point, the bumping

toward administrative independence from

has resulted in 18 newly-displaced employees

VCC with the appointment of an Acting Bur¬

who are now within their layoff notice period.

sar who will provide consulting services on

Four of them have been placed in temporary

accounting and financial information manage¬

assignments, but it's expected that of these 18

ment.

individuals, most will soon be exercising their
right to bump others under the terms of the
collective agreement. On and on it goes, with
a mathematical efficiency that can measure
everything about the process except the fear

Marie Jessup, the Bursar at Capilano,
has been seconded to Langara on a part-time

basis until approximately April 1, 1994. Her
appointment follows the naming last summer
of Linda Holmes as Langara CEO.

and anguish that people are going

For

daily
news

updates
phone

7099
after

2:30 pm

through.. .both those who have already been

Jessup's appointment is part of a proce¬

directly affected and those who, by nature of

dure which the Ministry has termed "ramping

their low seniority, feel vulnerable as the

up", whereby people and systems are put into

bumping process continues.

place to facilitate a smooth transition on April

The College will very soon offer addi¬
tional counselling and support services to
assist those directly affected...I'll give you
more details as soon as those arrangements are

1, 1994. The Ministry has said it will make
extra, though limited, funds available for the
ramping-up process. These funds would be in

addition to the $850,000 that has been prom¬
ised for separation costs in 1994-95.

finalized. At the same time, I ask you to help

by giving your comfort and support to fellow
workers who have been laid off, while also

Cost-saving plan

welcoming the new workers entering your

ready to go

department — please remember that while

One of the larger cost-saving ideas from

they no doubt feel relief at still having a job,

employees last spring is about to be imple¬

this has been an ordeal for them as well.

mented.

Timelines are difficult to predict, but
both the College and the VMREU hope that
the whole process will be resolved by the end

dents in City Centre's Building Service Work¬

You may recall the suggestion.that stu¬
ers' program take over at least a portion of the

maintenance responsibilities at that campus.

VCC is almost ready to go to tender for
a private company to do the job—but this
contract will be the first ever that will be for

tunities for the students, faculty and the whole
campus."

Adds John Cruickshank: "It's this type
of innovative thinking that is going to make

something less than 100 per cent of the work,

the College less susceptible to government

with the remaining portion—whatever it turns

cutbacks.. .and that's a goal which I'm sure

out to be—going to the students.

we can all support."

The project has the full support of the
Program Advisory Committee because—from
a training standpoint—it's better to have stu¬
dents doing real work, rather than just going
over areas that have already been cleaned. It's

also likely that the new approach will improve
the level of maintenance because more work
can be done without adding to the cost.
For example, the exterior of the win¬
dows at City Centre are now washed once a
year. Presuming that the savings from this
project allow the department to buy the neces¬

sary equipment, it may in the future be possible
to have the windows done more often.

In addition, the program will probably be
able to serve more students from the long

waiting list, particularly ESL students and Adult
Special Ed students who are anxious for this
type of vocational training.

If you have any comments or

Transition Council has recommended

to the College Board that the College's Ad¬
ministration Coundl be disbanded once the
Board agrees to the make-up of the new VCC
Council. Both recommendations will go the
Board's October meeting.
Under the new structure, TC would
continue to deal with matters relating to
separation, while Langara Council and VCC
Council would administer the day-to-day
operations of their appropriate jurisdictions.
The new VCC Coundl temporary mem¬

bership which will be recommended to the
College Board is: John Cruickshank, VCC
President;Fred Wylie, Vice President of Fi¬
nance and Administration; Linda Martin and

If the project works according to plan,

Dale Dorn, Vice Presidents of Instruction

the College may see an expansion of faculty

and Student Services for City Centre and

instead of a reduction, while some of the sav¬

KEC respectively; Wayne Martin, Director

ings that don't go back into the program might

of Employee Relations; and representatives

be used to restore other campus programs

from CE, College Resources, International

which have been cancelled.

Education, VCCFA, VMREU, CCSA and
KESA.

questions, please send them to

Said Program Co-ordinator John Den

Chuck Poulsen, Manager of The

Daas: "This is a pilot project and we can't say

Exchange, in care of College

for sure at this point what all of the advantages

Administrative Services.

might be. But it definitely will open up oppor¬

Page 2

Administrative Council
winding down

communications of Vancouver Community College. Their main objective is to accurately
inform employees about issues affecting the College. The Exchange Line also is meant to
facilitate an exchange of comment between employees and the President.
The Exchanges belong to you. We'll be better able to serve your needs if you'll take a
minute to answer the following questions. Thank you.

1. How often do you read the weekly Exchange newsletter?
Q Most the time
Often
Seldom
f~1 Never
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[~| Exchange Line

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Indicate 1 to 10 with 10 being the highest level of satisfaction.
Level of satisfaction

Continued on the other side...

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Q Faculty member
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Administrator

£] Other

Please return the questionnaire via inter-office mail by Monday, October 25 to:

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