E9 - CAAT Tales: Zigzags, Stats, Sabbaticals and the Spirit of Solidarity

This week on CAAT Tales, we bring you an episode that balances deep personal reflections with essential union insights. We sit down with Christine Tong, a statistics and psychology professor who shares her "zigzag" journey from being a 15-year-old immigrant to becoming an expert in data analytics. Christine discusses how her background in evidence-based research is helping Local 417 build more efficient systems for monitoring faculty workloads.We also dive into a crucial Is it a Gripe or a Grievance segment with Gillian to discuss SWF violations and overtime pay. Finally, we travel to the East Coast for a member spotlight with Denise Nielsen, who reflects on her sabbatical research into AI, communications, and the importance of finding authenticity in a digital world.Key Segments & Timestamps[01:41] Rapid Fire: Getting to Know Christine TongKingston Eats: Why Northern Chinese BBQ is the go-to spot for authentic flavor.Simple Joys: Finding peace in pet cuddles.Life Lessons: The power of telling your younger self that "it’s okay to fail."Cultural Traditions: The "Evil Monkey Spirit" and the New Year's Eve drive to clear out negative "juju."[06:27] The Zigzag Path to St. Lawrence CollegeChristine details her non-linear career path, including degrees in Biochemistry, Psychology, and Education.The transition from a Research Associate at the Cancer Care Institute to teaching at SLC.The Reward of the International Stream: Overcoming the "double language" barrier (English and Statistics) to guide international students through their new lives in Canada.[15:29] Data & The Union: Making Systems SmarterWhy Christine joined the LECEfficiency Project: Using AI and coding to automate the screening of 2,000+ timetables to flag workload violations, saving stewards hours of manual labor.[23:45] Is it a Gripe or a Grievance: SWFs and OvertimeThe Issue: What happens when you put in extra time due to program staffing needs?The Advice: Ensuring you receive proper compensation for "super overtime" (47+ hours) and when to demand a revised SWF.[25:38] Member Spotlight: Denise Nielsen’s SabbaticalRoots & Traditions: Connecting with Irish/Celtic traditions like Imbolc to find grounding.The "Chip Butty": A controversial comfort food involving French fries and buttered bread.Sabbatical Research: Developing advanced communication modules for graduates, focusing on conflict resolution and interpersonal skills.[41:52] Communications in the Age of AIThe Shift in Focus: How student engagement with long-form reading is changing and the need for dynamic content.Authenticity is King: Why trust and "human-ness" are becoming the most important parts of professional communication as AI floods the market.The Power of Step-Back: Why taking a sabbatical is essential for preventing burnout and reassessing your teaching philosophy.Notable Quotes"I took a crazy zigzag path to get here. You get to where you need to be eventually, and the journey is as much part of the experience as the destination." — Christine Tong"Nobody’s on top of this [AI] stuff. We have to give ourselves the grace to just recognize that we’re in the middle of a hugely transformative time in education." — Denise NielsenYouTube Code for Music clearance: NPXY0YQVYZIJHMOW