Academic Matters – OCUFA’s flagship publication – has received a facelift with a brand new website. The new site improves functionality, puts more emphasis on our blogs, and integrates better with the magazine’s social media channels. The official launch of the new website coincides with the publication of our May 2012 issue. Using the [Read More…]
On May 4, 2012, OCUFA’s Status of Women Committee hosted a workshop titled “Navigating the Academy: Lessons and Strategies for More Equitable Universities.” The workshop was attended by 40 participants from universities across Ontario. Presentations explored some of the challenges that women and members of other equity seeking groups face when building an academic career. [Read More…]
Registration is filling up fast for OCUFA’s Building Member Solidarity Workshop, hosted by our Collective Bargaining Committee. The workshop will be held at the Westin Harbour Castle hotel in Toronto on May 23, 2012. The goal of the workshop is to provide attendees with the skills and tools needed to run effective local engagement [Read More…]
The nomination deadline for the 2012 OCUFA Teaching and Academic Librarianship Awards is May 21, 2012. Since 1973, these awards have recognized individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to the quality of university education in Ontario, either through exceptional teaching or dedicated library service. Any member of an OCUFA-affiliated faculty association is eligible [Read More…]
On April 4, 2012, 27 OCUFA ambassadors from faculty associations across Ontario met with MPPs at Queen’s Park. OCUFA representatives met one-on-one with 30 MPPs from university ridings, including six cabinet ministers. There was also a meeting with members of the Premier’s staff. The ambassadors made the case for renewed investment in public university [Read More…]
The Government of Ontario has scheduled the 2012 Provincial Budget on March 27, 2012. In advance of its release, OCUFA is pleased to announce its plan for accessible, affordable, and high quality university education. Investing in Ontario’s Future: OCUFA’s 2012 Budget Brief argues that Ontario must reject the ‘austerity agenda’ that has followed in the wake of the Drummond Report and commit to creating a [Read More…]
Since 1973, the Teaching & Academic Librarianship Awards have recognized professors and librarians who have made an outstanding contribution to the quality of university education in Ontario. Any member of an OCUFA member faculty association is eligible to be nominated, and nominations can be made by anyone. The deadline is May 21, 2012, and the [Read More…]
On January 23, 2012, OCUFA President Constance Adamson met with the Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities Glen Murray. Among other issues, Adamson spoke of the urgent need for faculty hiring and quality investments in the university sector. For his part, the Minister highlighted the province’s fiscal challenges, as well as his early plans [Read More…]
Starting this year, OCUFA will award a $5000 fellowship to a full-time graduate student attending a publicly-assisted Ontario university. The award will go to the candidate who has demonstrate academic excellence, shows exceptional academic promise, and has provided significant community service in her/his university career. The award will be presented at the OCUFA Board meeting [Read More…]
OCUFA’s Status of Women Committee is pleased to announce Navigating the Academy: Lessons and Strategies for More Equitable Universities, a practical all-day session, grounded in the real experiences of female academics. The workshop will be held on Friday, May 4, 2012 at the OBA Conference Centre, 20 Toronto Street, Toronto, from 8:45 a.m.to -4:00 p.m. [Read More…]
That Ontario universities hire 6,000 new professors to restore the student-faculty ratio to 2001 levels. That the Ontario government increase per-student funding to its universities, which is the lowest in Canada and 25 per cent lower than in 1990. Ontario needs to invest in quality, not just in new spaces! That Don Drummond, due to [Read More…]
OCUFA is looking for a Policy Analyst – Community and Government Relations. Working under the supervision of the Executive Director, the successful candidate will help to promote OCUFA’s advocacy initiatives through: developing and maintaining contacts in the Ontario government and relevant government agencies, with the opposition parties and organizations in the postsecondary education sector critically [Read More…]
Early bird savings expire on November 15, 2011 for the 2012 OCUFA Ensuring Student Success conference. Our program of diverse and interesting speakers will critically explore the idea of student success by unpacking the meaning of the term, examining the various ideas advanced to improve the student experience, and highlighting the structural realities that may [Read More…]
This past weekend, OCUFA presented the winners of the annual Teaching, Lorimer, and Women of Distinction Award. These awards are an important part of what we do, because it gives us a chance to recognize individuals who have made the lives of academic staff better, and improved the entire university system. This year marks the [Read More…]
With a mere eight days of campaigning left, Ontario’s close election campaign may come down to tonight’s leader debate. So what should faculty and students be looking for? Higher education will likely come up during the debate, especially after the Liberal-NDP spat over per-student funding . There are two big policy questions at play here: How will the parties make higher education more [Read More…]
