OCADFA Remembers Sisters and Brothers Recently Passed During our AGM yesterday (20 April 2026) we paused for a moment of silence for OCAD faulty members recently passed. We remember their contributions to the university and the arts world—and are thankfu...

In memoriam of faculty members recently passed...

www.linkedin.com/pulse/ocadfa...

OCADFA AGM (TODAY!)
Monday, 20 April 2026 | 2pm - 4pm | RHA 320 (or on Teams)

OCADFA Social (SAVE THE DATE!)
Monday, 25 May 2026 | 6pm - 9pm | Venue TBC

What: Annual General Meeting
When: April 20, 2pm-4pm
Where: Hybrid (Teams and RHA 320)
Who: All OCADFA members

Food and refreshments will be provided!

Are you a TA or RA at OCADU?

Learn about your rights and how your union can help!

www.tinyurl.com/TA-RA-OCAD

"Good leadership, and one that ostensibly values democracy, puts in the mechanisms for communication and dialogue, values dissent to inform decision making, and provides channels for feedback and creative problem solving, fiscal and academic."

Read the full article:
www.tinyurl.com/OCADUsenate

We started up LinkedIn account in December last year and we're now at 280 followers.

Help us get to 300!!!

www.linkedin.com/company/ocadfa

There we post long form articles and news. We hope you will join us there!

There are 7 pillars to our bargaining mandate:

A) Fair & Reasonable Compensation
B) Job Security & Full Recognition of Contributions
C) Efficiencies
D) Sustainable Workloads
E) Supporting Health & Wellness
F) Indigenization
G) LOUs, Housekeeping, & Labour Relations

www.ocadfa.ca/bargaining-2026

Visit OCADFA.ca for detailed information about our current MoA, salary scales, benefits, and pension plan.

If you have any thoughts about improvements you want to see, or if you want to get involved with your union, please do get in touch!

What: Annual General Meeting
When: April 20, 2pm-4pm
Where: Hybrid (Teams and RHA 320)
Who: All OCADFA members

Food and refreshments will be provided!

All OCADFA members have access to a small emergency fund created to assist with unexpected financial hardship.

Members may apply for up to $250 in assistance.

*Applications are confidential and reviewed as quickly as possible.

To apply:
www.tinyurl.com/OCADFAfund

Senators reflect on the Ph.D. in Creative Practice proposal and what a responsible path forward must address.

Read the article:
www.tinyurl.com/OCAD-PHD

Our articles on OCADU funding and finances:
www.tinyurl.com/OCADArtEdu

Bargaining Bulletin 3 – April 1, 2026

For past updates:
ocadfa.ca/bargaining-u...

Thanks to everyone who came out to our Negotiations Committee member Ross Bullen’s book launch and social. And thanks to @ocadu_liberalstudies for the photo!

You can find information on the book—How to Succeed in Academia (While Failing at Everything Else)— here: www.tinyurl.com/HSA-Bullen

Understanding the Right to Strike vs Interest Arbitration There is no legislation preventing us from striking, this is in our MoA as a carry-over from before we were a union. To get the right to strike, we would need to change the negotiations clause (Articl...

Ourt first MoA as a union carried forward several provisions, including how to resolve impasses in bargaining—which is through interest arbitration.

Should we obtain the ability to strike things would change.

So… what’s the difference?

Read the article:
www.tinyurl.com/Strike-Arb

Why isn’t OCAD U Registered with the WSIB? A recent workplace injury has brought to light concerns regarding OCAD University’s professional liability insurance portfolio, namely that we are not enrolled with the Workplace Safety and Insurance ...

It is possible for universities to request an exemption from the WSIB.

OCADU appears to be the only university that has an exemption, and all other universities are enrolled.

Read the article:
www.tinyurl.com/OCAD-WSIB

On Wednesday, April 1, join faculty members Michelle Miller and Lori Riva from 11am-1pm in MCA 544 for a Caring Futures workshop.

Collaboratively reimagine the possibilities for art and design education! Contribute to pedagogical research!

Snacks provided!

For those who are not aware of it, the Respectful Work and Learning Environment Policy (RWLEP) is OCAD’s human rights policy, principally administered by the Office of Diversity, Equity and Sustainability Initiatives (ODESI).

Read the article:
www.tinyurl.com/OCADFA-RWLEP

Our negotiations chair gives us a bargaining update.

Read it here:
www.tinyurl.com/AT-Mar26

Senators reflect on the Ph.D. in Creative Practice proposal and what a responsible path forward must address.

Read the article:
www.tinyurl.com/OCAD-PHD

The March 2026 Dispatch is out!
www.tinyurl.com/Dispatch-March

CONTENTS:
- An OCAD PhD Program?
- Book Launch & Social
- Bargaining Updates
- On RWLEP complaints
- OCADU isn’t registered with the WSIB
- Right to Strike vs Interest Arbitration

Click below to view our collected archive of articles analyzing the financials of OCADU. We will update this list as new pieces are released.

www.tinyurl.com/FinanceArt

OCADFA invites you to a book launch and social!

You can find information on the book from our Dispatch from December 2025 (page 12) or here: www.tinyurl.com/HSA-Bullen

We’ll have copies of the book on hand for purchase, as well as pizza and light refreshments. Looking forward to see you there!

Apply or nominate by Friday March 20 for awards recognizing:
- Journalism
- Graduate student research
- Equity and social justice
- Teaching and academic librarianship
- Collective Bargaining

Click below to view our collected archive of articles analyzing the financials of OCADU, as well as our thoughts on their announced plans. We will update this as new pieces are released.

www.tinyurl.com/FinanceArt

This important article was written by Jana Macalik examines how Canada’s specialized art and design universities have responded to the differentiation expectations associated with their past transitions to university status.

Read it in full here:
www.tinyurl.com/OCADArtEdu

Bulletin 2 – March 11, 2026

OCADFA’s Negotiations Committee met with the Administration for the second time today, the first meeting since exchanging proposals on Feb. 18.

For more information about this current round of bargaining:
www.ocadfa.ca/bargaining-2026

From #SessionalsCount to the Bargaining Table: Our Next Steps Forward By June Pak, Faculty of Art On February 18, OCADFA’s Negotiations Committee met with the university to start a new round of bargaining. We exchanged proposals and reviewed each other’s priorities.

June Pak, Sessional Representative on the Negotiations Committee, reflects on what we achieved in previous rounds for our Sessional members and considers how we can strengthen our ultimate goal of establishing job security.

www.tinyurl.com/OCADFA-BNS

#Fairness4CF

Too many contract faculty are hired term-to-term, paid less than their peers for the same teaching, & denied benefits. That instability affects faculty and students.

Read the op-ed and join the call for #Fairness4CF ➡️ www.tinyurl.com/cfsmdoa

@ocufa.bsky.social

How do you feel about the right to strike? Are you an OCADFA member with a strong opinion one way or the other? Send us an email with your thoughts! ocadfacomms@gmail.com ——— For more information…... How do you feel about the right to strike? Are you an OCADFA member with a strong opinion one way or the other? Send us an email with your thoughts! ocadfacomms@gmail.com ——— For more information ...

How do you feel about the right to strike?

Are you an OCADFA member with a strong opinion one way or the other?

Send us an email with your thoughts!
ocadfacomms@gmail.com

www.linkedin.com/feed/update/...