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What's going on at CNAQ?

 
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kellygreen



Joined: 27 Aug 2010
Posts: 91

PostPosted: Thu Apr 17, 2014 10:13 pm    Post subject: What's going on at CNAQ? Reply with quote

In a general meeting Wednesday, faculty and staff were told 62 positions were being cut. Now, according to the Advanced Education and Skills Minister in Newfoundland that number is 147 and that the University of Calgary in Qatar is kaput???

http://www.thetelegram.com/News/Local/2014-04-16/article-3692303/Layoffs-at-CNA-Qatar-affect-20-contracted-employees-from-this-province%3A-O%26rsquo%3BBrien/1



Do any of these people talk to each other ever?
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veiledsentiments



Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA

PostPosted: Fri Apr 18, 2014 2:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Since you're in Qatar, is the University of Calgary kaput? On their website, it shows some kind of conference that it is holding on May 1??

VS
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rtm



Joined: 13 Apr 2007
Posts: 1003
Location: US

PostPosted: Fri Apr 18, 2014 9:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

veiledsentiments wrote:
Since you're in Qatar, is the University of Calgary kaput? On their website, it shows some kind of conference that it is holding on May 1??

VS

An acquaintance of mine works for U Calgary-Qatar, and I haven't heard anything about it shutting down (yet...)
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MyTrunkshow



Joined: 21 Apr 2007
Posts: 234
Location: One map inch from Iraq

PostPosted: Sat Apr 19, 2014 2:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I spoke to an employee who is presently teaching at U Calgary-Q. In the small English dept., about half were given two weeks to leave. That was about a month ago. Cuts in Qatar are across various sectors.

Seems the country is cutting back spending. Education is not alone. Of the 12 stadiums for 2022, only 8 will now be prioritized to be finished. That is still enough for FIFA. The sustainable food program has been axed. Desalination is being scaled back. I don't know what else is being reduced, but it is apparent that other infrastructure programs will be on the chopping block soon. Education, and the research that goes with it, and sparing no expense for quality schools is on the immediate decline. However, details are not known. This would require transparency.

I do not know for sure about QU, but I hear it is unaffected. It is not considered expendable.

There is a new Emir in town.

He does not share the same vision as his father. This includes not sharing Vision 2030, the plan to catapult Qatar to environmental sustainability, social improvement, educational attainment of that of a knowledge based economy and economic diversity.

The film institute has just handed out dozens of pink slips. And it is likely that other programs such as cultural, arts and others are on the chopping block.

etc.
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kellygreen



Joined: 27 Aug 2010
Posts: 91

PostPosted: Sat May 03, 2014 4:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

OK

2 departments are gone in their entirety, security and continuing education. The former has never been licensed to legally operate, the latter will lose more than 700 part time students who have been following various recognized diplomas etc. The vast majority of the latter students currently work in various businesses and government organizations and contribute to the Qatari economy on a daily basis through their efforts. However, not all of them are Qatari.

Close to 40 EFL instructors have been given their marching orders. Other faculties have 0 or close to none leaving. One wonders if the dean of the academics (whose job has been posted) is worried about his viability (his job has been posted and qualifications could be an issue?).

One school here has a grand total of 4 returning students for intersession (May/June instructional session) however, most programs don't attract a lot of nationals in this department. What are faculty in that school doing for the next 7 weeks?

Rumour has it that CNA in NL is upset that faculty in some schools in Qatar have 16 - 22 hours in this intersession. They are capped at 10 hours in NL.

No announcement to date on the promised "town hall".

Consultants seem to be OK - and no announcement of whether the state will be conducting financial audits of various non-instructional departments. As a matter of standard business practice, it would be a good idea for any organization.
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Blackbear



Joined: 20 Jan 2013
Posts: 65

PostPosted: Mon May 05, 2014 3:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

kellygreen wrote:
....... One wonders if the dean of the academics (whose job has been posted) is worried about his viability (his job has been posted and qualifications could be an issue?).

.......
Rumour has it that CNA in NL is upset that faculty in some schools in Qatar have 16 - 22 hours in this intersession. They are capped at 10 hours in NL.

.......


Let everyone be honest and candid about the situation at CNAQ..

It was the Government of Qatar that cut the CNAQ budget - no one else. Who wudda thought about the ramifications of that cut. The Qataris are not worried about Canadians there because they are using CNAQ to provide services for their country, and when they decide to cut those services .... well they cut them.

Because of bureaucracy, the current "jobs" are temporary and of limited duration - SOLELY to give Canadians income tax benefits. That means all contracts are "up" for reapplication and interview AT THE END OF THAT CONTRACT. THAT INCLUDES all "deans" (sic!). All Deans are up for renewal. EXCEPT for the "dean of academics".

There is NO such position at CNAQ.

So much for your sources, kellygreen. Please stop being "disingenuous" and full of rumor and innuendo. We would like real facts, and not fantasy. In that note, please tell us IYHO, how many academics CAN DANCE on the head of a (made in China) pin??

In addition, PLEASE stop comparing CNA with CNAQ. Two different situations - as an example, LOOK at the tax ramifications for employees at the two different campuses....
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ThirstyInTheDesert



Joined: 10 Jun 2013
Posts: 16

PostPosted: Tue May 06, 2014 5:50 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm familiar with the situation at CNAQ and I can say that Kellygreen's info is pretty accurate.My own two cents on the previous comment.

'EXCEPT for the "dean of academics". There is NO such position at CNAQ'

Kellygreen is referring to the Dean of LSA (Language Studies and Academics) whose job has been posted.

'So much for your sources, kellygreen. Please stop being "disingenuous" and full of rumor and innuendo.'

I don't believe Kellygreen has been disingenuous at all. Nobody's disputing the Qataris right to cut where and when they please with respect to the programs. Security program has been cut, and one of the language programs (CLP) is being phased out. I've also heard that Continuing Ed. is out as well. Rumor on campus amongst us who work at CNAQ is that the other language program (TPP) is also on the chopping block.

'Please stop comparing CNA / CNAQ'

Regarding CNA / CNAQ. CNA is the employer and the state of Qatar is the sponsor. The instructor contract is very clear about that and it is one of CNA's primary (and most recent) justifications for not providing an ESG to people teaching here. Comparisons are inevitable since CNAQ is a satellite campus of CNA, and offers CNA courses to its students. Pay scales are based on CNA pay scales. CNA and QPO direct policies at CNAQ.

Because of bureaucracy, the current "jobs" are temporary and of limited duration - SOLELY to give Canadians income tax benefits.

Contracts are not provided for anyone working here to receive tax breaks, rather they seem to be the norm when people travel to other countries and have to get work visas to teach abroad. Whether someone works at QU, CCQ, or any other institution here, they have to sign a contract. Tax breaks are independent of contracts, people either qualify for an existing tax break or they don't. It all depends on the tax code.

'That means all contracts are "up" for reapplication and interview AT THE END OF THAT CONTRACT.'

Actually, this policy only came about last year as the people at CNA and QPO decided they wanted to re-interview people and post all jobs for external competition. In previous years teachers were either renewed or told they would not be renewed. Some teachers who were not renewed kicked up quite a fuss over the years and now CNAQ has their current policy regarding contracts.

Anyways the situation sucks for instructors at the college at the moment, but it is a hazard of doing contract work abroad. Job security expires with the contract, and in some cases it expires before the contract is up.[/quote]


Last edited by ThirstyInTheDesert on Tue Oct 02, 2018 4:31 am; edited 1 time in total
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Lonesome Dove



Joined: 01 Nov 2008
Posts: 24

PostPosted: Tue May 06, 2014 6:31 pm    Post subject: What bugs a black bear? Reply with quote

I can't see what Black Bear is upset about in what Kellygreen is posting. Unless it is that it is too accurate...
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tmac-100



Joined: 23 Nov 2006
Posts: 137

PostPosted: Wed May 07, 2014 5:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I read the last 4 notes and did some asking at CNA-Qatar.

Yesterday, the CNA-Qatar President called a meeting regarding the cutbacks. Thus, he has finally called a "town hall" meeting. It is not a "must attend" meeting and today he encouraged those affected by the cuts to attend. Others were welcome to attend as well ...

Several Deans positions were advertised. The Dean of Language Studies and Academics was just one of them. Kellygreen wrote "his job has been posted and qualifications could be an issue?", but that is speculation/opinion.

At CNA-Qatar, the Dean positions are of fixed duration contracts and thus are advertised again at the end of the contract. For example, the Deans of LSA, Engineering, and others had their positions advertised.

Jobs at CNA-Qatar are "temporary" because of income tax ramifications with CCRA. That seems to be the reason why all jobs are advertised at the end of the contract, even though the job holder wants to stay at CNA-Qatar. It has nothing to do with kellygreen's speculation about qualifications.

FWIW: the per-diem allowance is another non-taxed benefit for Canadians at CNAQ who are Canadian taxpayers. So there are several other issues at work regarding the advertising of jobs at the end of their contracts. However, I don't know what they are.
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