Nipissing University has closed all three of its campuses due to a strike of the Full-time Academic Staff Bargaining Unit (FASBU) that began shortly after midnight on Monday.

All on-site classes and practicum placements at the Brantford campus will be cancelled until further notice. Online classes taught by Contract Academic Staff Bargaining Unit (CASBU) instructors will continue as usual, according to an email from the university. A list of these classes can be found at http://www.nipissingu.ca/departments/admissions-registrar/Pages/Faculty-Strike.aspx.

All non-academic university offices at Nipissing will remain open to provide services to students as usual. Students living in residence will not be expected to pay any additional fees if the academic calendar is extended due to the strike, according to the Nipissing University website. In addition, the website states that the university recommends students continue to complete assignments for their classes, and that the strike will not affect students’ opportunity to graduate.

Nipissing full-time faculty members had been discussing the strike since March of this year. A strike deadline of early November was set as of October, according to an email from Carole Richardson, Dean of Nipissing’s Schulich School of Education. It wasn’t until the weekend of October 31-November 1 that the final decision to strike was made.

According to the Nipissing’s website, FASBU asks for a guaranteed minimum number of faculty members regardless of student enrollment and increased control of university management. They also ask for a 12 per cent increase in salary over the term of the agreement.

Students with specific questions and concerns regarding Nipissing programs are encouraged to contact their respective Dean’s office.