The following is a slightly modified version of a document which Brendan Cassidy produced earlier this year, and which has since been endorsed by the Branch Committee. The issue of academic on-campus hours is a potentially serious one, and I have listed the following objections for your consideration. Something should be done before Richardson attempts to deliver the policy as a fait accompli.
Research takes place in many different contexts.
It rarely takes place in an academic's office. Beyond the physical sciences, few academics use their offices as sites for much other than administration, student contact, or the preparation of course materials. Less frequently they are 'assembly points' for library-based work. Most academics need periods free from interuptions to write, read or think about their work, let alone conduct the formal research activity. No student disadvantage has been demonstrated to justify a departure from the present arrangement.