Faculty associations across the province have been busy hosting election-related events that are putting postsecondary education on the agenda in their local ridings. A lot is at stake for higher education when voters go to the polls on June 7. Commitments to strong public funding, faculty renewal, and fairness for contract faculty are needed to […]
To find out where each of the major parties stands on issues that matter to faculty across Ontario, OCUFA prepared a questionnaire that was sent to the leaders of each party. You can read the Green Party’s response here . Responses were previously received from the NDP and Liberals . We hope you will review these responses to see where the parties stand on […]
The New Democratic Party (NDP) was the first out of the gate with their platform in the 2018 Ontario Election. It contains important commitments, including support for faculty renewal, that will impact faculty working conditions and support students at universities across the province: The Ontario NDP platform promises to end the stagnation of operating funding […]
To find out where each of the major parties stands on issues that matter to faculty across Ontario, OCUFA prepared a questionnaire . The questionnaire has been sent to the leaders of all the major political parties. So far, we have received responses from the NDP and Liberals . We hope you will review their responses to see […]
The Ontario provincial election on June 7, 2018 is fast approaching. OCUFA’s election campaign webpage is designed to keep you informed about how postsecondary issues are being approached throughout the campaign. We’ll be posting responses to questionnaires from major party leaders and preparing platform analyses to explore what’s at stake for faculty across Ontario in this election. We’ll […]
TORONTO – The Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA) strongly condemns the government’s tabling of back-to-work legislation aimed at striking academic workers represented by Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 3903 (CUPE 3903) and defends the rights of academic workers to a fair negotiation process. This legislation breaches the constitutionally protected right of CUPE […]
In late March, the Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development (MAESD) released a discussion paper on SMA3 and performance metrics. While OCUFA appreciates the publication of the SMA3 discussion paper and the effort to solicit consultation from the community, the timeline and discussion questions proposed by the Ministry are not conducive to a meaningful […]
At this year’s Worldviews Lecture, Professor Sigal Ben-Porath addressed the increasingly heightened debate around free speech on campus. Her lecture was followed by a panel discussion that explored challenges for democratic values and minority rights in academia and beyond. Video of the entire lecture, including the panel discussion, can be viewed online here. In her lecture, Professor Ben-Porath reflected on campus free speech controversies of recent years – from […]
On March 28, the 2018 Ontario Budget was tabled. Given the upcoming election, it is widely understood that this is as much a campaign platform document as a budget. While the continued implementation of reforms to student assistance in this year’s budget are expected to further improve access for students, faculty are concerned that operating […]
Each year, dozens of faculty from universities across Ontario travel to Toronto to participate in OCUFA’s Advocacy Day. The event provides an opportunity for faculty to meet with their local Members of Provincial Parliament and brief them about faculty priorities for Ontario’s universities. In addition to local MPPs, OCUFA representatives also met with Minister of […]
It is with sadness that we announce the passing of Gerald (Jerry) E. Phillips, the longtime Chief Negotiator for the Lakehead University Faculty Association. Following 49 years of service at Lakehead University, Jerry will be remembered by his colleagues for the important and inspiring contributions he made as a Professor in the Faculty of Business […]
As a faculty member, being nominated for and receiving a teaching award can be career-altering, but serving on a teaching awards committee provides its own benefits. In a new article for the journal Transformative Dialogues , two members of OCUFA’s Teaching and Academic Librarianship Awards committee summarize their experiences as committee members. Judy Bornais and Andrea Buchholz reflect on […]
Today, the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations and the Centre for the Study of Canadian and International Higher Education at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto are hosting the fourth annual Worldviews Lecture on Media and Higher Education. Professor Sigal Ben-Porath will deliver a lecture title “Free speech on campus: […]
LONDON – According to a recent poll commissioned by the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA), 68 per cent of those who live in Southwestern Ontario want professors with job security and benefits teaching university courses. Among Ontario youth considering a postsecondary education, support was even higher, with 71 per cent stating this as […]
TORONTO – Ontario’s faculty and academic librarians are concerned that the 2018 Ontario Budget continues to underfund the province’s universities. Ontario’s universities receive the lowest per-student funding in Canada and the government’s decision not to meaningfully invest in core operating grants threatens the quality of education. The lack of increased funding to support the government’s […]
