The following is a message from the Nipissing University Faculty Association, regarding the cuts to faculty appointments announced this week
On Wednesday, February 4, the Nipissing University Faculty Association (NUFA) learned that the Employer, Nipissing University, will not be renewing 22 faculty appointments for the 2015-2016 academic year.
We are profoundly saddened and dismayed by this news: many of our faculty colleagues are extremely well-established research scholars as well as accomplished and beloved teachers and the loss of their knowledge, commitment to students, and skills will be devastating to the University community as well as the wider North Bay community which has been their home. To lose so many of our friends all at once, some of whom have been here for over 10 years, is very difficult to accept.
The loss of 22 faculty members represents approximately 132 fewer courses for our students. It represents 13% reduction of our faculty complement. It will most likely result in significant programmatic changes including some of the remaining faculty being made to teach outside of their area of expertise. It will also be yet another blow to the North Bay economy. Given the University’s recent Press Release celebrating a massive increase in student applications, over 15%, the Nipissing University Faculty Association condemns this short-sighted, draconian act and calls upon the Board of Governors to explain how they could approve huge increases to the Administrative Salary Grid in the last two years while reducing the number of courses we can offer our students.