Posts from November 2012

Much has been made recently about the “productivity” of Ontario’s universities. But when it comes to graduation rates – a key indicator of productivity – Ontario leads the United States by a huge margin. In 2010, the Ontario government set a goal of a 70 per cent post-secondary attainment rate (including apprenticeships) amongst Ontarians by 2020. This would mean […]

As the print edition of Academic Matters arrives in faculty mailboxes across Ontario, we would like to invite you participate in our reader survey. Your feedback ensures that the magazine remains relevant, focused, and attentive to the issues that matter most to the academic community. When you complete the survey, you will be entered to win […]

Our latest conference is coming up quickly—only a month and a half remains to register for “Academia in the Age of Austerity.” The program features two days of insightful presentations and engaging discussion with speakers and participants from universities, research institutes, government, and the private sector in Canada, the United States, and Europe.  The conference will […]

The latest survey of faculty by the Higher Education Research Institute indicates that stress levels have gone up for full-time faculty members at US universities and four-year colleges. The single most common cause of “some” or “extensive” stress for those at public universities is “institutional budget cuts” – cited by 86 per cent of respondents, as compared […]

The November issue of Academic Matters, OCUFA’s journal of higher education, is now available online and in faculty association offices across Ontario.  Featuring articles by Ken Coates and Chilean academic Andrés Bernasconi, as well as several Quebec faculty members and students, the issue examines “Anger and the Academy”. Looking at the recent and unprecedented protest […]

Bill Morneau, the Government of Ontario’s advisor on pooled asset pensions, has released his recommendations on how to combine the assets of Ontario’s smaller public pension plans, including those for university faculty. OCUFA is currently conducting a thorough analysis of his report, which we will make available on the OCUFA website soon. In the meantime, […]

The latest education indicators from the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) suggest that Canada ranks third amongst OECD countries in annual expenditures per student in tertiary (college and university) education. These figures include expenditures by governments on direct support to colleges and universities, support for research and development, and financial support to individuals in the […]

Glen Murray has resigned his cabinet post as Minister of Training, Colleges, and Universities to pursue the leadership of the Ontario Liberal Party. The leader – and premier – position was left open following the resignation of Dalton McGuinty on October 15, 2012. Minister Murray’s campaign page, RenewLiberal.ca, does not yet contain full platform details. […]

Last weekend, the Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities Glen Murray met with OCUFA’s Board of Directors during its October meeting. The Minister was questioned on his plans for higher education reform in Ontario, on the government’s agenda for university pension plans, and on public sector wage restraint. Overall, it was clear that the Minister has […]

On Saturday, October 27, 2012, OCUFA presented the 2011-12 Teaching and Academic Librarianship Awards at a ceremony in Toronto. Since 1973, OCUFA has recognized the outstanding contributions made by professors and academic librarians to the quality of higher education in Ontario. This year’s winners exemplify the spirit of innovation, dedication, and collaboration that characterizes university faculty […]