Busy week on campus

March has brought some excitement to the U of W campus.

Tuesday, March 1 saw a water main break on Spence Street that leaked into the basement of the Bulman Centre, the location of the UWSA offices. It happened in the evening, and there was not much damage.

To complement that, Wednesday had constructions crews set up right outside the Spence Street doors to fix the break, causing vehicle exhaust to infiltrate the air system.

Where did the exhaust end up? Again, in the basement of Bulman Centre, the location of the UWSA offices.

They were advised by the physical plant to evacuate, and they did, reporting the smell of exhaust in the air.

All this while trying to organize the next student council election.

Oh, and the Faculty Association may strike.

The university is trying to settle people’s nerves that a strike would impact students as little as possible, but that’s difficult to say right now.

Sure, they may intend to minimize the effects, but any disruption of classes is a negative effect.

I’m behind the Faculty Association in fighting to get better wages (U of W professors anecdotally profess that they are the worst paid university professors in Canada) and I understand how it seems unfair when there is so much visible money going around in the newly expanded campus.

However, I’m also a student who wants to get his courses done with. I also have jobs on campus that will be interrupted at my expense. While superficially it seems that another break from classes might be relaxing for students, it will more likely be ulcer-inducing.

It’s too bad it has had to come to this point. The Faculty Association have been working without a contract since March 2010.

Time to go stock up on antacids.