Latest Posts

Summer reading from Academic Matters

| By | Be the first to leave a comment

There is more to Academic Matters than just the print issue. New articles are being added to the Academic Matters website every week. Here are some recent articles you might find interesting:

Public money, private profit: A history of U of T’s MaRS Discovery District
By Chelsea Tao and Mariana Valverde, University of Toronto
“It is well known that the University of Toronto (U of T) has historically played an important role in scientific innovation. This is embedded in history books and remembered in campus commemorative plaques marking numerous scientific advances, including the discovery of insulin at the…”

Good riddance to boring lectures? Technology isn’t the answer—understanding good teaching is
By Christopher Charles Deneen, The University of Melbourne and Michael Cowling, CQUniversity Australia
“With some universities returning to face-to-face teaching this year, ANU Vice Chancellor Brian Schmidt noted that, while his university was one of them, lectures would be much less common and not a “crutch for poor pedagogy”. Since then many have discussed the issue…”

The problem with online learning? It doesn’t teach people to think
By Robert Danisch, University of Waterloo
“The modern research university was designed to produce new knowledge and to pass that knowledge on to students. North American universities over the last 100 years have been exceptionally good at that task. But this is not all that universities can do or should do…”

A university course on pandemics: What we learned when 80 experts, 300 alumni and 600 students showed up
By Elizabeth Finnis, University of Guelph; Sofie Lachapelle, University of Guelph, and T. Ryan Gregory, University of Guelph
“When we decided last summer to create an undergraduate course about pandemics, we faced skepticism. Weren’t students and instructors tired of the COVID-19 pandemic? And would looking at pandemics from the perspective of numerous disciplines make it hard to address the topic with…”

Canada should support diversity in STEM to encourage innovative research
By Jennifer D. Adams, University of Calgary
“Attracting and retaining diverse students in the STEM disciplines (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), especially those from Black, Indigenous and Latinx backgrounds, has been a long-standing issue in North America. Although there’s a history of research on under-representation in STEM, the needle…”

With campus co-operatives, universities could model new ways of living after COVID-19
By Michelle Stack, University of British Columbia
“Even before COVID-19, things weren’t going all that well on post-secondary campuses across Canada. Research before and during the pandemic has revealed that food and housing insecurity are a major problem for many students and staff. There has been an acceleration towards…”

Jill Dunlop appointed the new Minister of Colleges and Universities

| By |

Following a major cabinet shuffle in Ontario on June 18, Jill Dunlop was appointed the new Minister of Colleges and Universities. Minister Dunlop is a first-term Progressive Conservative MPP for Simcoe North. She previously held the position of Associate Minister of Children and Women’s Issues. Dunlop replaces Ross Romano, previous Minister of Colleges and Universities, who has been appointed Minister of Government and Consumer Services.

Ford’s removal of Romano from his position as Minister of Colleges and Universities follows months of community actions and pushback and calls for Minister Romano’s resignation by OCUFA and sector partners after over 60 programs were cut at Laurentian University as part of the CCAA (Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act) process. Indigenous studies and Francophone programs were also terminated as a result of the CCAA process.

Laurentian University is the first and only public institution to go through the CCAA process due to financial challenges without any help from the government to avert these challenges. These cuts, the elimination of over 100 faculty jobs, and the turmoil at Laurentian University are a direct result of negligence on the part of former minister Romano, who was aware of the financial challenges Laurentian was facing at least six months before they became public.

Romano did not do the work needed to support Laurentian University and its students, faculty, or community. Ontario’s university faculty and academic librarians lost confidence and trust in Romano’s commitment to the university sector and are relieved to see him be removed from the portfolio of Colleges and Universities.

In addition, Romano made numerous troubling decisions for the postsecondary education sector without consulting faculty, academic librarians, staff, or students. He also repeatedly ignored invitations to meet with representatives of OCUFA to discuss the situation at Laurentian and other challenges facing Ontario universities.

Minister Romano and the Ford government have imposed many unilateral, harmful, and controversial decisions, including:

  • Repealing large parts of the Fair Workplaces, Better Jobs Act,legislation that provided better working conditions and labour protections for thousands of precariously employed campus workers.
  • A substantial tuition fee cut and freeze without providing universities with a corresponding increase in funding.
  • Cutting the Université de l’Ontario Français, only to reverse course due to public outrage and the federal government’s efforts to save the institution.
  • Massive cuts to student financial assistance, making education more expensive and increasing student debt.
  • Imposing the unlawful Student Choice Initiative on universities in an effort to silence student voices, which has since been overturned by the courts.
  • Introducing a reckless new funding formula that will put more than $3 billion of postsecondary education funding at risk and fundamentally reshape Ontario’s postsecondary education system.
  • Supporting the Canada Christian College’s efforts to call itself a “university” and to award degrees in arts and sciences, despite its questionable academic credentials.
  • Squandering public funds on micro-credentials, which truncate the knowledge provided by university degrees and serve to de-skill students and workers—undermining their career prospects and future earnings.
  • Allowing universities to re-open in advance of the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Allowing Laurentian University to collapse despite knowing about its financial issues since as early as fall 2018 and allowing it to file for Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA)
  • Consistently refusing to meet or consult with OCUFA and most other major stakeholders in the postsecondary education sector.

OCUFA hopes that Minister Dunlop’s approach to the sector will be different than that of her predecessor. OCUFA hopes to meet with Minister Dunlop in the coming weeks to discuss her vision for the future of higher education in Ontario and current issues facing postsecondary education, including the rise in precarious jobs and the need for government investment in universities to ensure they are an active part of Ontario’s economic recovery.

Founded in 1964, OCUFA represents 17,000 professors and academic librarians in 30 faculty associations across Ontario. It is committed to enhancing the quality of higher education in Ontario and recognizing the outstanding contributions of its members towards creating a world-class university system. For more information, please visit the OCUFA website at www.ocufa.on.ca.

–30–

For more information or to arrange an interview, contact:
Ben Lewis, OCUFA Communications Lead at 416-306-6033 or communications@ocufa.on.ca

OCUFA briefing note on micro-credentials

| By | Be the first to leave a comment

The concept of micro-credentials has gained increasing popularity in postsecondary education recently. These short-term, highly targeted certificate courses focus on developing specific skills or knowledge. However, there has been a lot of confusion about micro-credentials, how they should be recognized, and how they fit into Ontario’s postsecondary education system.

In response, OCUFA has developed a comprehensive briefing note that explains what micro-credentials are, the Ford government’s plans for their use in Ontario, and how they have been used in other jurisdictions. The briefing note also details the many problems with micro-credentials and describes how they undermine the value of a university education.

Protect public institutions, protect Laurentian University!

| By | Be the first to leave a comment

Now is the time to remind MPs we need to take action to prevent more crises like the collapse of Laurentian University. We have just a few days before MPs break for the summer and head into a potential fall election.

Send a letter to your MP. Ask them to amend the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act to exclude publicly funded institutions so that it is never again used to destroy another publicly funded institution.

OFL releases toolkit to organize for universal postsecondary education

| By | Be the first to leave a comment

The Ontario Federation of Labour (OFL) has released a toolkit to support organizing for publicly funded, universal postsecondary education in Ontario. Developed through open public discussions at the OFL’s Education Assembly, the toolkit lays out the rationale for a postsecondary education system free of tuition fees, student debt, and institutional deficits. The OFL shows how this approach has worked in other countries and why it should be a vital part of Canada’s post-COVID recovery plan.

This toolkit is focused on city council advocacy rooted in grassroots organizing, letter writing and lobbying, and raising the media profile of the need for a fully funded public postsecondary education system. The toolkit provides information and talking points on the Laurentian CCAA crisis and asks members to engage in advocacy at the municipal level on this issue in partnership with their local labour council.

For more information about the toolkit and how to get involved, please contact OCUFA Community and Government Relations Policy Analyst Hind Eideh.

The next Education Assembly will take place on Saturday, June 26. Register here.

OCUFA Board considers Laurentian, fall campus re-openings, U of T censure

| By | Be the first to leave a comment

On May 28, OCUFA held its final Board of Directors Meeting of the 2020-21 academic year. The virtual meeting focused on continuing developments at Laurentian University, university reopening plans for fall 2021, and saw the election of a new OCUFA Executive for 2021-22.

Financial crisis at Laurentian University

The collapse of Laurentian University under the CCAA process has led to more than a hundred job losses, dozens of program cuts, and immeasurable damage to the social and economic fabric of Sudbury and Northern Ontario. Developments at Laurentian have also raised concerns at other universities about the decision Minister of Colleges and Universities Ross Romano and the Ford government made to ignore the financial crisis at Laurentian. Board members discussed OCUFA’s campaign to hold the government accountable for properly funding and supporting Ontario’s universities.

Fall campus re-openings

As vaccination rates increase, Ontario’s universities are pushing towards a return to in-person teaching in the fall with optimistic announcements. However, important health and safety concerns remain. At the Board Meeting, members discussed reopening plans at their institutions and noted that university administrations continue to avoid working with faculty and students to determine the measures needed to allow for a safe return to campus. OCUFA continues to collect information about fall 2021 campus operating plans.

OCUFA has decided to hold all of its Board, Executive, and Committee meetings online until 2022.

CAUT censure of U of T

Board members unanimously voted to support the Canadian Association of University Teachers’ censure of the University of Toronto after it abruptly ended negotiations to hire Dr. Valentina Azarova as the Director of the university’s International Human Rights Program. OCUFA also encouraged its member associations to abide by the censure.

Election of 2021-22 OCUFA Executive

Congratulations to the newly elected OCUFA Executive who will take office on July 1, 2021.

Vice-President: Jennifer Sutton, Brescia Faculty Association
Chair of Board: Gyllian Phillips, Nipissing University Faculty Association

Members-at-large:
Gautam Das, Lakehead University Faculty Association
Kimberly Ellis-Hale, Wilfrid Laurier University Faculty Association
Kate Lawson, Faculty Association of the University of Waterloo

They will join incoming President Sue Wurtele (Trent University Faculty Association), Past-President Rahul Sapra (Ryerson Faculty Association), and Treasurer Mike Eklund (University of Ontario Institute of Technology Faculty Association).

Celebrating excellence in service and scholarship

During lunch, meeting participants celebrated the recipients of this year’s OCUFA Service Awards and Henry Mandelbaum Graduate Fellowships for Excellence in Social Sciences, Humanities, or Arts.

The 2020-21 Service Award recipients are Jeff Tennant, Cynthia Messenger, Herb Kunze, Paul Young, and Robert Hickey.

The 2021 Mandelbaum Graduate Fellowship Recipients are Amy Shawanda and Laura Paolini.

The next OCUFA Board of Directors Meeting and Annual General Meeting will be held in October 2021.

NOSM and Université de Hearst officially become independent institutions

| By | Be the first to leave a comment

On June 3, Bill 276, Supporting Recovering and Competitiveness Act, an omnibus bill that included two schedules regarding the independence of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) and Université de Hearst received royal ascent. With the legislation now in effect, NOSM and Université de Hearst have become independent, degree granting universities.

From its inception, NOSM has been affiliated with Lakehead University and Laurentian University. The sudden change to the status of NOSM was announced by the government with no prior consultation with the faculty, staff, students, and, to a large extent, administrators of the institutions involved. OCUFA has been vocal about our concerns with the lack of consultation by the government and the inappropriate and rushed process for a decision of this magnitude.

In the initial version of the bill, the proposed NOSM Act, unlike other public university acts in Ontario, did not include any provisions regarding the composition or powers and duties of the Board of Governors and Senate. Instead, all these matters were left to ministerial regulations. This was concerning, as the basics of university governance and autonomy were unspecified and potentially threatened.

The Ontario Legislature’s Standing Committee of General Government held three days of public hearings on the bill, where concerns regarding the lack of governance provisions as well the expansive list of items included under the regulatory powers section in the NOSM Act were brought forward by multiple parties, including OCUFA and the NOSM Faculty and Staff Association. Following the hearings, the government introduced three amendments to Schedule 16 of the bill (NOSM Act) whereby more detailed language was added to the Act on the composition of Board and Senate as well as transition provisions for the current Board and Academic Council. The final version of the legislation includes these amended provisions.

The amended legislation represents a step in the right direction but remains inadequate and still does not address major concerns about the lack of clarity around governance and the expansive powers granted to the Minister of Colleges and Universities.

You can read the full text of the legislation here.

OCUFA condemns hateful murder of Muslim family in London

| By |

TORONTO, June 9, 2021 — Ontario’s university faculty and academic librarians were deeply disturbed to learn of the recent attack and murder of a Muslim family in London, Ontario—Madiha Salman, Salman Afzaal, their daughter Yumna Afzaal, and Salman’s mother. Madiha and Salman’s son Fayez remains in hospital, recovering. The family was targeted because of their Islamic faith. OCUFA and its members condemn this hateful, violent act and send our solidarity and support to London’s Muslim community.

The Afzaal family, violently ripped from their community when they were murdered in a hit and run while out for a walk, were known for their kindness and leadership in the community. Madiha Salman will be especially remembered by those working and studying at Western University where she was pursuing a PhD in Civil Engineering with the dream of using her education to help reclaim natural environments damaged by industrial chemicals.

White supremacy has no place in our society. Neither do racist, bigoted, and Islamophobic acts of violence. It is unacceptable that Canada’s Muslim community continues to be terrorized by these heinous attacks.

Faculty and academic librarians are committed to eradicating racism at our universities and within our communities. As educators, this requires fostering inclusive, diverse, and safe campuses where we can collectively dismantle white supremacy and other ideologies that facilitate this violence. Together, we must work to combat prejudice everywhere it grows—we must root out the hate that festers in the fabric of our society.

Founded in 1964, OCUFA represents 17,000 professors and academic librarians in 30 faculty associations across Ontario. It is committed to enhancing the quality of higher education in Ontario and recognizing the outstanding contributions of its members towards creating a world-class university system. For more information, please visit the OCUFA website at www.ocufa.on.ca.

–30–

For more information, contact:
Ben Lewis, OCUFA Communications Lead at 416-306-6033 or communications@ocufa.on.ca

Updates on the campaign to save Laurentian University

| By | Be the first to leave a comment

On April 29, the Canadian Military Colleges Faculty Association sent a letter to the Laurentian University Board of Governors calling for the termination of President and Vice-Chancellor Robert Haché, as well as his senior administrative team. The letter also calls for the rebuilding of the university’s Board.

On May 5, members of the University of Ontario Institute of Technology Faculty Association passed a motion calling for the resignation of Minister Romano and President Haché and his senior administration team. The Lakehead University Faculty Association passed a similar motion on May 7.

On May 14, the King’s University College Faculty Association (KUCFA) released a statement of solidarity in support of the Laurentian University Faculty Association. The statement calls for the provincial and federal governments to challenge the CCAA process and fully fund Laurentian University in support of its multilingual mandate that service Indigenous students and northern communities. It also calls for the protection of all universities from private insolvency proceedings like the CCAA, as well as the protection of collective bargaining rights and collective agreements.

Save our Sudbury (SOS) Coalition

For many faculty members who received termination notices or whose teaching contracts were not renewed, Saturday, May 15 was their last day of work. To mark the occasion, the SOS coalition held a solemn gathering honouring the vast contributions made by faculty and staff both to the academic community as well as the broader Sudbury community. There were powerful musical and theatrical performances that ended in participants calling out President Haché and Minister Romano on their terrible decisions and inactions. The event lasted for over three hours with faculty, staff, students, and community members sharing stories of grief, hope, and resolve to continue fighting! Click here for a list of calls to action and ways to stay involved in SOS.

Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) Petition

The CLC has launched a petition calling for the exclusion of public institutions like Laurentian University from accessing the CCAA. Specifically, the petition asks that the CCAA be amended to exclude publicly funded institutions from seeking bankruptcy protection from creditors.

Please sign the petition and distribute it as widely as possible.

Auditor General Investigation

On May 5, Nickel Belt NDP MPP France Gélinas received support in the Ontario legislature to have the provincial Auditor General investigate how Laurentian University became insolvent. Gélinas’ motion was passed at the Standing Committee on Public Accounts. Haldimand—Norfolk Conservative MPP Toby Barrett, who sits on the Committee, said he wasn’t aware that this had happened at Laurentian prior to the vote.

Watch for more updates at www.ocufa.on.ca and www.northernsolidarity.ca.

What has your working experience been like during the pandemic?

| By | Be the first to leave a comment

Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers (OHCOW) is continuing its survey of workers’ experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey uses scientifically recognized questions that measure different aspects of job-related psychosocial conditions, along with symptoms related to intense stressful conditions and mood disorders.

OHCOW’s survey gives voice to the thousands of workers trying to get their jobs done during this serious public and occupational health crisis. It offers the ability to understand the short and long-term physical and mental health impacts of different working conditions. It will also provide insight to assist with future stress and harm prevention.

If you have completed the survey in the past, OHCOW is inviting previous responders to fill it out again to track how pandemic workplace experiences have changed over time.

Complete the survey here.

New articles from Academic Matters

| By | Be the first to leave a comment

There is more to Academic Matters than just the print issue. New articles are being added to the Academic Matters website every week. Here are some recent articles you might find interesting:

Indigenizing the collective bargaining process at North Island College
An interview with Janis Almond, Evelyn Voyageur, Erin McConomy, Shirley Ackland, and Jen Wrye
“North Island College began in 1975 as an open, distance college. Its mandate was to take learning to the smaller communities on Northern Vancouver Island. Rather than focus on brick-and-mortar classrooms, the prime focus was on access and providing training and education for…”

Analog policies in a digital world: How workplace harassment policies need to adapt to an increasingly digital education environment
By Jaigris Hodson, Ph.D., Chandell Gosse, Ph.D., and George Veletsianos, Ph.D., Royal Roads University
“Online spaces, such as Twitter for knowledge mobilization and email for communication, are tools of the scholarly trade. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has ushered in a new era of technology use in research and teaching. This has accelerated pre-existing trends towards the digitization…”

Reflecting on a year in crisis: What the pandemic taught me about higher education leadership
By Kathleen Bortolin, Vancouver Island University
“For many, the crisis was COVID-19. For others, it was the various consequences of the pandemic: increased workload, learning to teach online, and children that needed to be home-schooled. Additionally, there was the accoutrement of dread—about the health and safety of elderly…”

Jewish scholars defend the right to academic freedom on Israel/Palestine
By Abigail B. Bakan, University of Toronto; Alejandro I. Paz, University of Toronto; Anna Zalik, York University, Canada, and Deborah Cowen, University of Toronto
“Governments and academic institutions across Canada are facing growing pressure to adopt a widely criticized definition of antisemitism by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA). The issue has already chilled academic freedom on campuses around the world. A case for this contentious definition was made…”

Afua Cooper: My 30-year effort to bring Black studies to Canadian universities is still an upward battle
By Afua Cooper, Dalhousie University
“Since my time as a graduate student to my present appointment as professor at Dalhousie University, I have been involved with championing and developing Black studies in universities and beyond. Previously, within Canadian universities, not many scholars who work in creating knowledge about Black people…”

Indigenous scholars struggle to be heard in the mainstream. Here’s how journal editors and reviewers can help
By Apisalome Movono, Massey University; Anna Carr; Emma Hughes, Massey University; Freya Higgins-Desbiolles, University of South Australia; Jeremy William Hapeta, Massey University; Regina Scheyvens, Massey University, and Rochelle Stewart-Withers, Massey University
“In the world of research and scholarship, being published in academic journals is crucial to both the advancement of knowledge and the careers of those involved. In particular, the peer review process that determines who and what is published is integral to ensuring reliability and…”

Book review: Open Minds explores how academic freedom and the public university are at risk
By Peter Tregear, The University of Melbourne
“Academic freedom has become a common topic of Australian public debate. Yet the concept is rarely examined or critiqued in detail. That has not stopped it becoming a totemic issue for many on the political right. They consider Australian universities to be increasingly prone to…”

Tax ‘pandemic profiteering’ by tech companies to help fund public education
By Trevor Norris, Brock University
“As the one year anniversary of the World Health Organization declaring a pandemic arrives, it is increasingly apparent that not everyone is having a hard time: Google, Apple, Facebook and Amazon earned US$38 billion in profits in the second quarter of 2020 alone. The…”

Graduate students from the University of Ottawa and Trent University recognized with Mandelbaum Fellowships

| By |

TORONTO, May 26, 2021 – The Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA) is pleased to announce that the recipients of this year’s Henry Mandelbaum Graduate Fellowships for Excellence in Social Sciences, Humanities, or Arts are Amy Shawanda from Trent University for the doctoral level of study and Laura Paolini from the University of Ottawa for the masters level of study.

“The Mandelbaum Fellowship recognizes graduate students who combine exceptional scholarship with deep engagement in their communities,” said Susan Wurtele, Vice-President of OCUFA. “Each year, we receive many excellent applications, and this year was no exception.”

Amy Shawanda, who is enrolled in the Indigenous Studies program at Trent University, is a formidable candidate whose academic work explores Anishinaabe maternal teachings in a contemporary context to better understand how gaashiuag (mothers) can share their teachings and knowledge with children. Her dedication to the community is moving. She creates care packages for homeless people in Sudbury, meal kits for low-income families, beading auctions to support Indigenous action, and volunteers with at-risk youth.

“The depth and breadth of Amy’s volunteering and leadership is impressive and inspiring,” said Wurtele. “The project she has undertaken to understand Anishinaabe maternal teachings is important research that deserves recognition.”

Laura Paolini, who studies Visual Arts at the University of Ottawa, is focused on the ability of art to transmit new ideas and create new relationships and understandings. She is committed to exploring how her social location and history influences her art and works to orient her art towards reconciliatory and reparative activism. She has a long history of volunteer work, serving on various university committees, teaching safe cycling, and organizing friends and followers on social media to donate goods and services to support the most vulnerable in her community.

“Laura’s work shows a remarkable understanding of feminism through time and geography,” said Wurtele. “Her scholarship and volunteer work demonstrate an extraordinary commitment to the pursuit of her art and helping those around her both on and off campus.”

The Henry Mandelbaum Graduate Fellowships for Excellence in Social Sciences, Humanities, or Arts were established to honour Henry Mandelbaum, Executive Director of OCUFA from 1996-2011. The Fellowship is awarded to graduate students who have demonstrated academic excellence, show exceptional academic promise, and have provided significant service to their community during their university years.

“Henry was passionate about social justice and improving the lives of those who faced formidable social and economic barriers,” said Wurtele. “Sadly, Henry passed away in 2012, but we are honoured to continue his work through the Mandelbaum Fellowship.”

Shawanda and Paolini will receive their awards at a virtual ceremony on May 28, 2021.

Founded in 1964, OCUFA represents 17,000 faculty and academic librarians in 30 faculty associations across Ontario. For more information, please visit the OCUFA website at www.ocufa.on.ca.

-30-

To arrange interviews or for more information, please contact:
Ben Lewis, OCUFA Communications Lead
416-306-6033 | communications@ocufa.on.ca

Professors from Guelph, Queen’s, Toronto, and Western honoured with OCUFA service awards

| By |

TORONTO, May 27, 2021 – The Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA) is pleased to announce this year’s recipients of the OCUFA Service Award: Herb Kunze of the University of Guelph Faculty Association (UGFA), Robert Hickey and Paul Young of the Queen’s University Faculty Association (QUFA), and Cynthia Messenger of the University of Toronto Faculty Association (UTFA) for their collective efforts to create the University Pension Plan (UPP); and Jeff Tennant of the University of Western Ontario Faculty Association (UWOFA) for his inspiring leadership and advocacy on behalf of Ontario’s faculty and academic librarians.

“The OCUFA Service Award was established to honour individuals who have done, or continue to do, exceptional work on behalf of OCUFA and faculty across Ontario,” said Rahul Sapra, President of OCUFA. “We are thrilled to bestow this award on five individuals who so clearly deserve this recognition.”

The UPP, which will see its inception this July, is a jointly-sponsored pension plan for the university sector in Ontario. Current members include the University of Guelph, Queen’s University, and the University of Toronto. Herb Kunze, Robert Hickey, Paul Young, and Cynthia Messenger spent years working days and nights to make the UPP a reality. The new pension plan is a remarkable achievement, as it will provide a stable defined-benefit option for Ontario university faculty, academic librarians and staff for decades to come.

“The UPP would not be a reality without the dedication and hard work of Herb, Robert, Paul, and Cynthia,” said Sapra. “These four individuals were instrumental in pushing the UPP project forward and ultimately bringing it to fruition. Because of their work, tens of thousands of faculty, academic librarians, and staff now have a better pension plan.”

Jeff Tennant has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to building a stronger academic labour movement through his contributions to OCUFA. As Vice-Chair and then Chair of OCUFA’s Collective Bargaining Committee between 2015 and 2020, Tennant provided a compelling vision for faculty association bargaining that ensures all members are engaged and have a voice at the bargaining table. He was also an integral member of the OCUFA Working Group on Student Questionnaires on Courses and Teaching, which published a landmark report on the misuse of student questionnaire results and their role in enabling harassment of faculty through anonymous comments.

“Jeff has been a tireless advocate for all Ontario faculty association members, including precariously employed faculty and librarians,” said Sapra. “With this award, we recognize his selfless commitment and strong leadership.”

Kunze, Hickey, Young, Messenger, and Tennant will receive their awards at a virtual ceremony on May 28, 2021.

Founded in 1964, OCUFA represents 17,000 professors and academic librarians in 30 faculty associations across Ontario. It is committed to enhancing the quality of higher education and recognizing the outstanding contributions of its members towards creating a world-class university system. For more information, please visit the OCUFA website at www.ocufa.on.ca.

–30–

To arrange interviews or for more information, please contact:
Ben Lewis, OCUFA Communications Lead
416-306-6033 | communications@ocufa.on.ca

OCUFA pleased with decision to deny university status to Canada Christian College

| By |

TORONTO, May 26, 2021 — The Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA) is pleased that Minister of Colleges and Universities Ross Romano has accepted the recommendation of Ontario’s Postsecondary Education Quality Assessment Board (PEQAB) and, as a result, will deny university status to the Canada Christian College (CCC). After conducting an in-depth review of the private college’s operations and educational programming, PEQAB found that the CCC did not meet the standards required for it to be given university status or grant additional degrees.

The CCC had no reasonable right to university status to begin with. As a private institution, awarding it additional degree-granting privileges would have undermined Ontario’s university system. Further, Charles McVety, the president of the college, openly displays deeply rooted Islamophobic, transphobic, and homophobic views.

“Minister Romano and the Ford government attempted to circumvent the established process for ensuring the academic integrity of Ontario’s postsecondary education institutions,” said Rahul Sapra, President of OCUFA. “However, months of public pressure on the Ford government, combined with the recommendation from PEQAB, made it politically impossible for Romano to move forward.”

Mr. McVety and the CCC have long been embroiled in controversy. These include McVety advocating for the removal of gender identity from the sex education curriculum in Ontario schools, advocating for the teaching of creationism in Ontario schools, and calling Islam a danger to Canadian society. McVety’s alarming views also inform the teaching and pedagogy at this private institution where his wife Jennifer McVety and son Ryan McVety also play central roles directing operations and programming.

This very public history made it all the more perplexing that Minister Romano and the Ford government passed legislation to grant the CCC university status in December, months before PEQAB completed its review of the CCC’s application and made its recommendation to government. OCUFA and its member associations have been actively advocating against the granting of university status to the CCC. Ontario faculty and academic librarians communicated their concerns to the Minister and the PEQAB Board through numerous letters, raising public awareness of the issue in the process.

“The government must now formally repeal Schedule 2 of Bill 213 that granted the CCC university status and the ability to grant additional degrees,” said Sapra. “There must be no opportunity for the college to become a university in the future.”

“Instead of forcing through this legislation that the government now has to scrap, Minister Romano should have listened to university faculty and academic librarians and waited for PEQAB’s recommendation,” said Sapra. “We are pleased that Romano has accepted PEQAB’s recommendation, but this debacle is further evidence that the Minister has lost his way and should step down.”

OCUFA has lost confidence in Minister Romano, whose poor stewardship of Ontario postsecondary education system has destabilized the sector and pushed Laurentian University into financial crisis. The government should have never pushed forward with their attempt to grant university status to the Canada Christian College. Minister Romano should step aside and make space for someone who believes in the importance of Ontario’s public university system.

Founded in 1964, OCUFA represents 17,000 professors and academic librarians in 30 faculty associations across Ontario. It is committed to enhancing the quality of higher education in Ontario and recognizing the outstanding contributions of its members towards creating a world-class university system. For more information, please visit the OCUFA website at www.ocufa.on.ca.

–30–

For more information or to arrange an interview, contact:
Ben Lewis, OCUFA Communications Lead at 416-306-6033 or communications@ocufa.on.ca

OCUFA submits recommendations on government decision to make NOSM stand-alone university

| By | Be the first to leave a comment

As part of the wide-ranging Bill 276, Supporting Recovering and Competitiveness Act, 2021, the Ontario government added legislation to make the Northern Ontario School of Medicine an autonomous university. In response to this proposed legislation, which was announced without appropriate consultation or notice, OCUFA has made both written and verbal submissions to the Standing Committee on General Government.

In its submission, OCUFA notes that it is irresponsible for a decision of this magnitude to be made in such a short period of time, with no concrete information on funding commitments and supports; and with no consultation, proper process, or advice from experts and stakeholders.

OCUFA is calling for language on the composition and powers of the university’s Board of Governors and Senate to be added to the legislation in line with other public university acts. This amendment is essential to ensure the autonomy, good governance, and long-term viability of the new independent university.

Further, OCUFA is calling for the removal of any references to collective agreements being subject to change by regulatory powers. This amendment is needed to make the Act constitutionally valid with regards to the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

Read OCUFA’s full submission here.