THEVOICE | 2 THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2022 | EDITOR MICHAEL SU Campusnews 2D animation is a tight 15-month continuing studies program, and having one class delayed can be problematic to student like Camille Yancha. Nicolas NAYLOR PHOTO Halted animation course resumes Students lost month of class following instructor's abrupt departure = By NICHOLAS NAYLOR tudents in an animation course at Langara finally have a new instructor, four weeks after their initial instructor abruptly quit. Janos Sitar, who taught intro- duction to animation industry in continuing studies at the Broadway Langara campus, emailed students after class on Sept. 23, saying he was quitting after hearing students “bad- mouthing” the course. The month-long search for an instructor left students without a class, wondering whether the entire curriculum and learning outcomes could be covered in the remaining weeks so they can graduate on time. Policy outlining how continu- ing studies instructors are hired in a short time frame or open information regarding instructor pay-scales is not publically available. Most continuing studies instructors are not represented by a union such as the Langara Faculty Association, which represents most of the Lang- ara regular studies instructors. Students asked the college when the animation course would resume but did not receive a response until an email was sent just before an Oct. 21 class, informing them a new instructor had been hired. Jordan Go, one of the students “Why am I doing that | when the pay isn't good and the students are jerks,” —JANOS SITAR, INSTRUCTOR who called the class “boring,” said he would be fine making up for the missed classes at a later date. “Tm OK with that, I think it’s gonna suck a little bit, but I think that’s all they can do,” Go said. Sitar sympathizes with those students who “did actually enjoy the course materials” but stands by his decision. He said preparing for the three-hour classes was a “mental drain,” and he was underpaid as a sessional instructor. “Why am I doing that when the pay isn’t good, and the students are jerks,” he said. When instructors cannot show up to classes within the Langara continu- ing studies department, it is unclear how or where students should voice their concerns. Brianna Bates, a continuing stud- ies student, said only one of the three expected instructors showed up to a continuing studies program orien- tation for massage therapy, and she was concerned about missing out on course information. Magdalen Farley, continuing stud- ies massage therapy instructor, said she has not been informed of any specific policy regarding student options when it comes to concerns about instructor attendance. “I’m not aware of any options,” Farley said, “I think they generally will try and find a place to get the class done.” She said she makes her primary income outside of continuing stud- ies, considering her teaching a passion rather than a wage. “We are not paid anything like what we are paid in our profes- sional life,” Farley said. “We are here because we love teaching and we love education.” Pablo Vargas, dean of continu- ing studies, could not be reached for comment on policies on instructors quitting mid-term. In an email to the Voice, interim vice president academic Margaret Heldman said faculty sometimes leave without notice, but Langara is “committed to finding a qualified instructor to step into the classroom as soon as possible.” Be hung Staffing shortages = BySETH FORWARD angara’s cafeteria is facing | chronic understaffing prob- lems, creating frustration among students and strain on employ- ees. After a period of COVID-19 safety restrictions, Langara’s cafeteria was fully opened again in September 2021. However, staff shortages across the service industry have hampered hiring, and Langara’s cafeteria is no exception. Long queues have quickly formed. The Tim Hortons in the cafeteria is another point of frustration. Lines spill through the cafeteria doors, and students like Audrisse Fauni have claimed to wait for up to an hour. “T cant wait that long,” said design formation student Semegne Atkin- son, while theatre student Francis Santillan said the Tim Hortons lines are “ridiculous.” ry or on time? cause endless line-ups at cafeteria Many students congregate in the cafeteria directly before and after their classes. Harpreet Kaur, general arts student and.a Tim Hortons employee at Langara, is stuck on both sides of the fence. “Te’s difficult for us to handle,” Kaur said. Some students complained about what they said were dysfunctional self- serve kiosks at Tim Hortons, making lines ev en longer. To Kaur, having additional staff seems impossible in the Tim Hortons, as the current staff is already crowding the limited work space. Chartwells Langara general manager Len Svensson has noticed a decrease in staff availability, with potential employees only offering to work at specific and limited times, something Svensson said hasn't seen before in his 43 years in the food service industry. “They just don’t want to work,” said Sashi Lehman, an employee at Langara’s cafeteria for 35 years. For Lehman, her patience and extensive experience are getting her through the extra responsibility staff shortages have forced her to undertake. According to Svensson, the starting pay is $16.74 per hour, though three months and countinuing employment will receive a bonus. Chartwells is also contracted to run the cafeteria at Douglas College, but staff shortages there aren't as big of an issue. Dale Clarke, Douglas College's cafeteria assistant manager, said they are “95 per cent staffed.” Compare to Langara’s cafeteria, the wait times in line at Douglas College are much shorter. Douglas student Callum Beaton said the longest he has waited in line is “approximately two minutes.” Emily Carr’s University of Art and Design’s cafeteria is a smaller opera- tion compared to Langara. The Queue builds up at Tim Hortons while volumn. SETH FORWARD PHOTO cafeteria staff is made up entirely of students and is independently run. However, head chef José Noriega said employing students comes with scheduling problems. “T have a hard time to match the schedules with the hours we need,” Noriega said. staff struggle to handle the customer Film and screen arts student Kimee Swartz, who also works in a restau- rant kitchen, said the cafeteria’s staff is efficient, and not that many customers most of the time, “They go fast.” Emily Carr’s cafeteria deals with a smaller demand and less traffic than Langara.