Candidates: FSA Board Elections 2015
Voting is now closed.
FSA members have the opportunity to vote for Directors to represent their interests on the FSA Board of Directors for the 2015-17 term. Nominations were accepted from Feb 11th until March 6th for six (6) Director and two (2) Director, Associate Members positions. The two Directors, Associate Members (below) will be acclaimed into these positions and there is now an election for the remaining Director positions.
Please take the time to read over the candidate statements (below) and vote starting on March 27th until April 10th! Electronic voting information was sent directly to members on March 25th. If you do not receive your voting instructions please let us know. Voting will be managed by a 3rd party – Simply Voting. The ballot (PDF sample) will provide members with an opportunity to vote for up to six candidates.
We also encourage members to review our vision, mission, values, and key priorities when considering their selections.
Questions can be directed to the FSA or to the Chief Returning Officer, Frances McLafferty.
Directors
Seven candidates for six positions.
Eugene Duruisseau (Tech Staff, School of Energy)
I am the technician that takes care of the shops in SW9. I enjoy sharing my trade as a machinist with my co-workers and students. I foster a shop culture that gives a momentum of success to those who are new to various metal working processes. I encourage all to seek technique, apply reason and then to simply enjoy the empowerment of doing.
In the past I’ve spent quite a bit of time with the Metro Vancouver Regional Parks Forum. This is a round table of volunteers representing diverse park related interests.
A little further back, I have a small bit of experience with union activity in the mining sector.
I wear a hacked off work sock on my left arm as an arm band of mourning, protesting the loss of the public good. I see the humble work sock as an icon representing our ownership of the public good, bought and paid for with millions of lifetimes of meaningful, productive work.
Terry Gordon (Faculty, School of Business)
I have been an instructor in the Financial Management Department of BCIT’s School of Business since 1998. Prior to joining BCIT, I was a Senior Manager in the financial advisory services department of a large national accounting firm. I am currently the Program Head of the BTech in Accounting and teach various accounting and finance related courses.
My involvement with the FSA dates back to 2006 when I was first elected to the FSA Board of Directors. After serving as FSA Treasurer for two years, I was elected as Vice President and served as Acting President for 10 months while Amy Fell was on maternity leave.
I have served on the FSA Collective Agreement and Bargaining Committees for the past several rounds of collective bargaining. My educational background includes a BA in Political Science from the University of Florida and a Diploma of Technology in Financial Management from BCIT. I just celebrated my 25th anniversary of becoming a Chartered Accountant and I am also a Chartered Business Valuator.
Karl Hildebrandt (Tech Staff, ITS)
Let me begin by introducing myself. In 1986 I graduated from BCIT as an Electronic Technologist specializing in Telecommunications. Since then I have enjoyed an almost 30 career in the high technology and telecommunications industry in Vancouver. In that time I have worked in companies that have grown from small start-up organizations to multi-national corporations. This has given me a great perspective on what an education at BCIT can do and where it can propel you. During my time in industry I have often been involved in hiring people for the various companies I have worked for and have always seen the quality of a BCIT graduates as setting the standard for the industry.
The last 7 years I have worked at BCIT first and as a member of the FSA this has given me a valuable experience in the working environment at BCIT in the union. We have great employees and are working in a challenging time in Education. We are asked to do more with less. Quite often we are having to try and use personal professional development funds to try and get training management say they can’t afford. With the imposed structural deficit from the government we are needing to cut millions of dollars from our budgets while the government says trade jobs are a priority for B.C.
I have always been one to get involved with whatever situation I am in and try to make a difference. If I see something wrong I try to fix it or to work with a group of people to fix it. I have talked to the FSA on a couple of occasions about some memags we have in place that have not been updated in 20 years (particularly the on call compensation for IT). As well I have met with the FSA and gone over the strategic plan that is being launched and feel good that we have a plan in place that can make BCIT a much better place to work.
I think I can contribute to this goal and am willing to put my name forward as a candidate for Director.
Derik Joseph (Tech Staff, Aboriginal Services)
1. Work history at B.C.I.T.
Began my career at BCIT, September 2008, as a temporary employee under a 50% contract. Since then I have worked into a permanent role as of May 2010, with my department: Aboriginal Services, Advisor, technical staff – FSA member. As well in January 2015 I took on a PTS contract with School of Computing and Academic Studies- Communications. I have a student first mentality and always strive for win-win situations for students and staff/faculty at BCIT.
2. Work background before B.C.I.T.
I am passionate about indigenous student success and perspective at BCIT. In 2013 I took a leave to complete my MA thesis in Professional Communication through Royal Roads University. From that I presented to BCIT Leadership, CICAN/AAAC Indigenous Symposium, BC Aboriginal Post Secondary Coordinators, World Indigenous People Conference on Education(WIPCE, Hawaii) as well as to BA and MA students in Professional Communication at Royal Roads(I am now alumni). This is all driven from my own personal experience and work with my community(and others) and the need to better indigenous peoples in education – before and during BCIT.
3. Activities in the Faculty and Staff Association
I have been a Director-at-Large for one term with the FSA. During this time I have worked on Coast Salish protocol with the board, inviting members of community in to educate our faculty and staff on cultural and traditional practices. This included working with the FSA office and collaborating on ideas which resulted in each AGM now being opened by Aboriginal Services Elder Alf Dumont. Continuing to educate faculty and staff looking at Coast Salish Nations as a relationship development process, and best practices.
4. Other B.C.I.T. work
- BCIT Aboriginal Advisory council-“strategic planning for Aboriginal initiatives across all units and campuses” (BCIT Aboriginal Strategic Plan and Recommendations, 1.5).
- Norma Rose Point Student Success Grant committee-decide students whom receive award in full-time apprenticeship, trades and technology programs.
- Peer 2 Peer Mentorship – began pilot and subsequent funded permanent Aboriginal Services, student service program, for Aboriginal (FSA student employees) students to help, or get help from peers while attending BCIT.
- Royal Roads University-Indigenous Education Steering Committee board member.
- Vancouver School Board-Aboriginal Education Enhancement Agreement Committee board member.
- BCIT MAKE + Project collaboration – Building of the VPD canine course, Breaking Down Walls Building Bridges with community.
- Collaboration on multiple proposals with BCIT faculty and staff.
5. Major issues facing the Faculty and Staff Association
I really like what the FSA does and am proud to say I am a member. I do think that there is much needed awareness by the Provincial Government to make us a real top three-post secondary along with SFU and UBC. BCIT graduates drive B.C. and Canadian economy. One major issue I see for us as FSA members, is getting into the same “bracket” as staff/faculty at other major post-secondary institutions.
6. Policy initiatives I intend to pursue, if elected.
- Continue to develop and upkeep FSA policy and Strategic Planning.
- Continue working with enhancing relationships with Coast Salish Nations – Musqueam, Tsleil-Waututh, Squamish.
- Continue discussion surrounding donation policy for Elders, BCIT external community and other diversity initiatives.
- Involvement with a thesis and peer mentorship program, I see a huge opportunity for the research paradigms to be more prevalent in everyday talk at BCIT amongst staff, faculty and management.
Shannon Kelly (Faculty, School of Computing and Academic Studies)
I have been working at BCIT for 12 years as an instructor in Communication. For 10 of those years I have been (and still am) a Program Head of Part-Time Studies.
Arriving in Vancouver in 2000 from Waterloo, I worked in the software industry, continuing my focus from the University of Waterloo where I studied and lectured in technical communication. When I finished my doctorate, I was happy to return to my first love – teaching. I chose BCIT in particular due to its polytechnic nature, and I have always been content with that choice.
As a Program Head I have been involved in many committees in our School and many special projects. I have particularly enjoyed projects which involve partnerships with faculty and staff from other areas at BCIT; for example, curriculum development projects for new Programs, research projects with the LTC, School-wide Selection Committees. In my role as PH I have had interaction with numerous other administrative units at BCIT.
I have been involved with the Program Approval Process, the institute SQC’s, Stakeholder Meetings, etc. With my involvement in Part-Time Studies, I am aware of many of the opportunities and challenges part-time faculty face, and I am paying particular attention to BCIT’s view of Part-Time Studies as a means to generating more and more revenue.
As well as being passionate about teaching, I am passionate about research. I have been awarded PD leaves and some institute research funds over the years, and I have been a co-chair (with David Holloway) of our School Research Committee. My areas of research involve teaching excellence, technology in the classroom, and Sustainability. I also previously participated in the Pacific Spirit Sustainability Project at BCIT.
In my past two years as an FSA Director-At-Large, I have learned a great deal more about “goings-on” around the institute, I have met many more Members, and I have honed my knowledge of the challenges and opportunities facing us. This knowledge has further enhanced what I have learned as FSA Co Tech Rep for our department for the past two years; as well, as a member of my department’s Academic Committee, I have had informal involvement and consulted with the FSA on many issues over the years. I feel that our Association is strong and important. Being involved with the FSA’s Strategic Planning, I know we are well equipped to face what lies ahead, as long as we keep working hard and listening to our Members.
We are in a challenging time in post-secondary education, and we need to continue to evolve – to make our voices heard in the social media era and in the era of shrinking budgets, government expediency, and competing priorities. I think the institute is in a particularly volatile state, where the FSA will need to keep the priorities and well-being of our Members in the forefront at all times and continue to support our Members as effectively and strategically as possible.
Please email me with any questions or comments. I respectfully thank you for your support.
Joe Newton (Non-Teaching Faculty, Applied Research)
Joe Newton has seen BCIT from many perspectives in his 22 years on campus: student (diploma, degree, trades), student set rep, employee, FSA Tech Rep, committee member, FSA Director, Program Head, and Instructor.
Joe first came to BCIT in 1993 as a mature student in the Robotics and Automation Diploma program (now Mechatronics). When he became a regular employee in 1996 he volunteered to be a Tech Rep for the Technology Centre.
While working full time Joe became a BCIT part time student and completed the Bachelor of Technology degree program, receiving a BTech in Technology Management (with Honors) at the end of 2007. Riding the wave of success, and again while working full time, Joe completed electrical trades training and challenged the Interprovincial Exam, receiving a certificate of qualification as a Red Seal Electrician in 2010.
Interspersed with these activities Joe also taught courses in the Biomedical Engineering program and has guest lectured for several programs on the topics of Project Management and Development of Requirements. He also mentors students in Mechatronics, Biomedical and most recently the BEng Electronics programs.
As the Research Head of the Automation, Electronics and Renewable research group between 2002 until 2008, he regularly attended management meetings and contributed to the core operations of the Technology Centre. From this experience he gained insight into the management structure and operations at BCIT.
Currently Joe is a Research Head in the MAKE+ applied research group. He sits on the Institute Research and Placement committees. He is also on the FSA bargaining team.
Joe believes his experience, on a wide range of research projects across several disciplines and with various departments in several schools, he has an understanding of the challenges facing FSA members. After 4 years as an executive member on the FSA board, he has gained a considerable amount of knowledge with respect to how BCIT and the FSA function. These blends of experiences provide a broad range of understanding that Joe can bring to the FSA board.
Kenzie Woodbridge (Tech Staff, ITS)
Thank you for the opportunity to tell you a little about myself.
I would like to say first that I believe very strongly in BCIT’s educational mission and I am very proud to work here. I love the work I get to do, and I am honoured to be able to serve in the public sector post-secondary environment as a unionized worker.
I started working at BCIT as a BCGEU Auxiliary in 2000 and I’ve worked here pretty steadily ever since. In 2007, after three years as a BCGEU Auxiliary in a junior role with Web Services I was hired as a Junior Systems Analyst and became a member of the FSA. In 2012, as a result of the evolution of my role and duties, I applied for and received a reclassification to Intermediate Systems Analyst. I am also a graduate of BCIT, with Certificates in Web Development in 2008 and 2011.
One of the things I like best in my job is interacting with people from all over the institute, which I frequently get to do through training and support related to technology. I have loved developing those long-term relationships with other staff and faculty, and see my job very much as one of service to the BCIT community. If I am re-elected as a Director-at-Large of the FSA I will continue to approach that role with the same attitude.
I have served as one of the FSA Tech Reps for ITS since 2011, am a member of the current Bargaining Committee (and its precursor, the Collective Agreement Committee), and have been a Director-at-Large for the last year. During that time I have had responsibility for reviewing and updating FSA policies and bylaws to ensure that they are accurate, clear, and enforceable, and that they represent the best intentions of the Association.
Thank you again!
Directors, Associate Members
Both acclaimed
Pilar Bonilla (Instructor, Part-Time Studies), Bio
Pilar Bonilla (B.BSC, M.Eng, MBA, LEED©, P.Eng.) has worked as a construction manager, business owner and entrepreneur in the Vancouver Residential Construction market for the last 15 years. Pilar is a BC registered professional engineer with a background in engineering, business, construction management and sustainable construction. Pilar has taught courses for 10 years in Business, Engineering, and Construction; four of these at BCIT (PTS) for the Construction Operations Program, the Construction Management Master’s Program and the Business Corporate Training Program. Pilar developed curriculum in sustainability after participating in the BCIT Pacific Spirit Project in 2012.
Ted Rutledge (Instructor, Part-Time Studies), Bio
A true east-Vancouverite, Ted has a BA in English Literature—from when Shakespeare was considered Contemporary Lit. He has worked a tractor-trailer operator, soldier and as a writer in various capacities, including: television, journalism, publishing, corporate communications and technical writing. Ted also has a Certificate in Journalism and a Master’s in Business Administration. Ted’s writing prowess has taken him around the world to exotic places like Watts, Baku and Kuala Lumpur. As a young university student, Ted served as an Executive Director of the Brotherhood of Steam Clerks (back when being in a brotherhood was a cool thing). He’s also been a Teamster and a mouthpiece for a healthcare union. Ted is currently a consultant in health informatics and teaches tech writing and business communications at BCIT (nine years). His hobbies are motorcycles and annoying the hell out of anyone who will listen about the treatment of part-time faculty.