Communication Survey Results

On May 14, 2017 MUNFA distributed a survey to its members seeking feedback on the Association’s communication strategies and asking faculty members for their preferred communication methods. We heard from 154 Academic Staff Members and below is a summary of the results.

Members who responded said that their preferred methods of communication were email, MUNFA website, and face-to-face conversations with staff and committee members. Many members noted that they did not wish to receive paper communications, and to that effect MUNFA continues to communicate primarily through e-mail with paper Information Bulletins circulated only for particularly important items.

In regards to the MUNFA website and our regular Information Bulletins, members said they found the information contained within up-to-date, useful, and easy to find and understand.

Despite members having attended a MUNFA meeting believing that information provided was useful, and that the meeting took place at a convenient time, a majority of those who completed the survey have not attended a meeting in the past year due to many competing duties and schedule conflicts.  While some feelings of disenfranchisement regarding the semi-annual meetings and MUNFA were expressed, other comments with shorter-term fixes appeared including the need for webcasting the meetings, holding them during regular business hours, and issues around parking for off-campus ASMs emerged.

When asked what information members wished to receive from MUNFA, the following items were cited as being of interest:

  • Grievance and arbitration updates/progress – 85% (somewhat) interested;
  • Committee updates/progress – 82% (somewhat) interested;
  • Collective Agreement FAQs – 97% (somewhat) interested;
  • Collective Bargaining – 95% (somewhat) interested;
  • MUNFA’s stance on post-secondary issues in NL – 93% (somewhat) interested;
  • MUNFA’s stance on post-secondary issues in Canada – 87% (somewhat) interested;
  • MUNFA’s stance on campus events and issues – 92% (somewhat) interested;
  • Updates from the Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT) – 83% (somewhat) interested; and
  • Information about the issues affecting faculty associations at other universities – 80% (somewhat) interested.

MUNFA is committed to continually improving our communications with our members as we work for fair working conditions and to advance excellence in teaching and scholarship. It is our goal to provide ASMs with opportunities for input and feedback to help shape our collective future in supportive environment.  If you ever have questions, concerns, or suggestions regarding our communications please contact membership.munfa@mun.ca.