Speed Reading, October 2013

Canada’s first master’s program in string quartet performance
The School of Music is proud to announce the creation of a new master’s in string quartet performance. This is the first graduate program of its kind in Canada, allowing previously formed quartets the opportunity to study with the Lafayette String Quartet in a two-year program. To celebrate, the LSQ is hosting a fundraising brunch at the Inn at Laurel Point on October 6. For more information, visit bit.ly/LSQ-MFA

Celebrate great teaching
Nominations for the prestigious Harry Hickman Alumni Award for Excellence in Teaching (faculty) and the Gilian Sherwin Alumni Award for Excellence in Teaching (instructors) are being accepted  through Oct. 18. Nomination forms are available at alumni.uvic.ca. The awards will be presented during Alumni Week 2014, Feb. 2–8.

Bargaining update: Faculty arbitration concludes
An arbitration hearing on faculty and librarian salaries and benefits at UVic wrapped up Sept. 27. Over four days, arbitrator Colin Taylor heard evidence from both the university and the faculty association. Taylor now has up to 30 working days to issue a binding award for the period July 1, 2012 to June 30, 2014. Negotiations between the two parties began in the spring of 2012. Under the provincial government’s “cooperative gains mandate,” salary settlements are limited to two per cent annually, to be funded by savings from university operations. For updates and more details, see uvic.ca/info/bargaining/fac-assn