Writing in the Toronto Star , Michael Mendelsohn of the Caledon Institute for Social Policy observes that the relative size of Ontario’s deficit is not because of spending. In 2009-10, the Ontario government spent the lowest amount of any province per capita – $9,030, seven per cent less than ninth place British Columbia. He cites the Drummond report and points out that 39 per cent […]
Posts from March 2012
OCUFA has completed a full analysis of the 2012 Ontario Budget. We are deeply concerned about the inadequate operating funding, as well as the apparent willingness of the Government of Ontario to interfere in collective bargaing, pensions, and compensation. Read the full analysis.
Some progress was made recently in the first collective agreement negotiations at Brescia with the parties signing off on three articles. The same cannot be said for St. Michael’s College at the University of Toronto; the pace of first contract negotiations there is best described as glacial. The parties have met eight times over four […]
OCUFA is disappointed that today’s provincial budget effectively cuts university resources while signaling increased government intervention in labour relations. “If you look behind the numbers in the budget, the government is providing less money to universities than recommended by Don Drummond,” said Constance Adamson, President of the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA). “University education is one […]
By almost any measure, provincial public funding for Ontario universities has lagged behind every other province for nearly two decades. Reckoned in terms of inflation-adjusted per student funding, provincial support bottomed out in 2002-03, rose again for a few years, and has been falling again since 2008-09. Operating expenditures follow a similar pattern. Over […]
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 […]
On March 19th the Chairs of the OCUFA Collective Bargaining and Status of Women committees co-hosted a conference call on the campus climate for female chief negotiators in our member associations. This initiative is part of a broader listening tour undertaken by the Status of Women Committee to hear current concerns associated with gender and […]
On March 16, 2012, the Wilfrid Laurier University Faculty Association (WLUFA) approved their new agreement with the university administration. The Laurier Board of Governors approved the deal on March 8, 2012. The new contract includes a two per cent salary increase a year for three years, as well as a targeted Ontario system adjustment […]
Lost in the media glare around Don Drummond’s message of expenditure restraint delivered by was the other side of the equation – government revenues. Drummond’s mandate excluded consideration of tax policy, which is highly problematic by itself. But his revenue forecast left some commentators downright perplexed. USW economist Erin Weir recently drew attention to the Drummond […]
On March 6, 2012, OCUFA President Constance Adamson met with NDP Critic for Training, Colleges and Universities Teresa Armstrong. Adamson highlighted several issues important to Ontario’s professors and academic librarians, including the need for renewed investment in higher education. Ms. Armstrong and her staff indicated her desire to work with OCUFA and bring these issues […]
After last week, you’d be forgiven for being a little lost on what tuition policy looks like in Ontario. On Thursday, March 8, 2012, it was reported that Ontario would be moving to standardized tuition fees , set by the Government of Ontario. This new fee structure would require some universities to raise their fees, potentially hurting students. Other […]
National level data reported by Statistics Canada reveals that the number of people working at universities and colleges has declined over the past year, offsetting gains in employment in other parts of the public sector. Since 2010, the average number of people employed in the postsecondary education (PSE) sector fell by 14,000. Almost all that decline occurred […]
As with many things in public policy, the devil is in the details. Right now, many universities offer a three year option to their undergraduate students. Demand for these programs is low, and some institutions have decided to phase them out. Three year degrees – not as an option, but as the new norm – […]
The Wilfrid Laurier University Faculty Association (WLUFA) reached a tentative agreement with the Laurier’s administration at 3:00 a.m., March 2, 2012 after two full days of mediation. Planning is now underway for ratification meetings in Waterloo and Brantford. We will publish details of the settlement once it is approved by WLUFA’s membership. This article originally appeared […]
Ontario leads the world in terms of postsecondary attainment. But as the data shows, this has more to do with college attendance than university access. Statistics Canada reports that half of Canadians between the ages of 25 and 64 have a college or university education. In Ontario, 56 per cent have attained a postsecondary credential. The average […]