This week marked the first official week of the 2014 Ontario election. The party leaders were out on the road, making their pitch to voters in the GTA. Early on, job creation seems to be a major focus of all three parties. So why are they saying so little about universities?
Ontario’s universities train students for future careers. They conduct research that leads to economic growth and innovative new industries. They also help promote social mobility and a fairer society, ensuring that economic benefits are shared more equally. Investing in universities builds a stronger economy and a better society.
OCUFA will be pushing the party leaders and local candidates to outline their commitment to higher education. We are planning an aggressive strategy to ensure that universities are at the top of every party’s priority list. From social media to the campaign trail, OCUFA will be highlighting the importance of universities to Ontario’s future.
Over the coming weeks, OCUFA will also be releasing a wide variety of resources that will help our members engage with the election campaign. We will be thoroughly analyzing each of the party platforms, with an eye to policies that affect higher education and labour rights. We will also be releasing several videos discussing issues important to professors and academic librarians. Innovative tools will be available on our website to allow faculty to quickly contact their local candidates. OCUFA will also be working to help local faculty associations organize campus events and discussions. In all of our activities, our goal is to ensure that professors and academic librarians have the information they need to make a difference in the election campaign.