Members of the University of Ontario Institute of Technology Faculty Association have ratified their new, five-year agreement with a 95 per cent vote in favour. The tentative agreement was reached October 13 and ratified Wednesday of last week. The agreement is retroactive to July 2010. Though the negotiations were drawn out and often difficult, faculty […]
Posts from October 2011
The Expert Panel appointed for the federal government’s Review of Federal Support for Research and Development estimates that federal support for business R&D rose to almost $5 billion in 2010, an increase of 13 per cent since 2007 (after inflation). Meantime, according to Statistics Canada , inflation-adjusted business support for R&D fell by more than 15 per cent in the […]
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 […]
Last night, Premier Dalton McGuinty appointed the Honourable Glen Murray as the new Minister of Training, Colleges, and Universities. Minister Murray was previously the Minister of Research & Innovation and is the Member of Provincial Parliament for Toronto Centre. He has also served as the Mayor of Winnipeg and President of the Canadian Urban Institute . OCUFA congratulates […]
After close to 16 months without a contract, members of the University of Ontario Institute of Technology Faculty Association (UOITFA) have come to a tentative agreement with the university. Ratification voting will conclude Thursday. “This has been a long and at times challenging process to reach a tentative agreement,” said UOITFA President Hannah Scott. “Our […]
The American Association of University Professors (AUPP) has warmly endorsed the Occupy Wall Street movement. “The gap between the rich and the poor is greater than ever before in our lifetime,” said the AAUP, “and we need to stand up for those who are trying to improve their circumstances and provide for their families.” The AAUP also expressed solidarity with students, […]
The Conference Board of Canada recently reported that, since the mid-1990s, income inequality has increased faster in Canada than in the United States and most other comparable countries. The board observes that forces such as “declines in unionization rates, stagnating minimum wage rates, deregulation, and national policies that favour the wealthy” are responsible for increasing inequality . All Canadians should […]
What do we mean when we talk about student success? Are students, faculty, administrators and government talking about the same thing? How can we ensure that our students are getting the education they need to achieve their goals, succeed in the workforce, and be the citizens and leaders of tomorrow? The Ontario Confederation of University […]
During the election, the Progressive Conservatives promised to “reform” Ontario’s system of interest arbitration that resolves collective bargaining impasses. Had the Conservatives won, many new constraints and criteria would have been imposed, most certainly to the detriment of unions and workers. With the election of a minority Liberal government, the question now turns to what, […]
The Windsor University Faculty Association has set a strike deadline of Wednesday, October 19 at 12:01 am. Three days of mediation have been scheduled starting next Monday. “Progress has been made at the negotiating table, with both sides making compromises, reports WUFA President Brian E. Brown. “The administration, however, continues to insist on a radical restructuring […]
OCUFA’s President, Constance Adamson, has responded to an unfortunate editorial that appeared in today’s Globe & Mail. The editorial suggests that there is a crisis in undergraduate education, and bizarrely, much of the blame lies with faculty. The full text of OCUFA’s response can be found below. Dear Editor; Your editorial “Canadian Universities Must Reform or Perish” […]
With the Ontario election resulting in a Liberal minority government — one seat short of a majority — coupled with an uncertain economy, many questions remain regarding the Liberal government’s policy directions for higher education, and their impact on the university sector. The Liberal party platform promised a 30% tuition fee rebate to undergraduate students […]
This fall has seen the largest number ever of first-year students enter Ontario universities, even more than the 2003 “double cohort”. More than 90,000 confirmed their registration, which follows upon a 3.5 per cent increase the previous year. College enrolments are also up. Meantime, according to data from Statistics Canada, the number of Ontario’s […]
A Windsor Star editorial (“What’s driving the bottom line,” Sept. 14) commenting on the negotiations between the Windsor University Faculty Association and the university’s administration blamed Ontario’s high tuition fees on faculty salaries. “The editorial makes several false and misleading statements that need to be clarified for your readers,” OCUFA President Constance Adamson responded in […]
Talks at Windsor will enter mediation this week, but the Windsor University Faculty Association has filed for a no-board report when conciliation talks broke off after several sessions with a provincial conciliator failed to achieve agreement on key issues. The no-board report will put the faculty association in a legal strike position by October 15. Both monetary and […]