Worldviews Lecture tackles populist challenge for universities On April 5, Professor Sir Peter Scott, a Professor of Higher Education Studies at the UCL Institute of Education, delivered the third annual Worldviews Lecture on Media and Education with a focus on the populist challenge for universities. In a live video broadcast to an audience in the […]
On Wednesday, March 1, university faculty from across Ontario gathered in Toronto to participate in a day of advocacy at the Ontario Legislature. Twenty-three faculty ambassadors spent the day meeting with over 35 Members of Provincial Parliament who have universities in their region. These included the Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Development Deb Matthews, […]
The Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA) stands in solidarity with refugees, immigrants, and all communities targeted by acts of violence and intolerance. OCUFA is deeply saddened by the attack on the Centre Culturel Islamique de Québec and extends condolences to the victims, families, and communities suffering in the aftermath of this hate crime. […]
OCUFA has set out its priorities for the 2017 Ontario Budget in a written submission to the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs. Preserving the quality of university education in Ontario provides a vision for postsecondary education founded on a strong, comprehensive system of public funding that is accessible, high quality, and provides good […]
In February of 2015, NDP MPP Peggy Sattler introduced a private member’s bill that would increase student access to work-integrated learning opportunities – particularly paid opportunities – and would provide for increased regulation and oversight of unpaid internships. This past October, the bill accomplished a rare feat for private members’ legislation – it made it to the next […]
TORONTO – The 2015 Ontario Budget repeatedly acknowledges that universities are vital to economic prosperity, yet does not make any new investments in public funding for higher education institutions. In fact, under the current plan, per-student university funding will reach its lowest level since the 1960s. This has professors and academic librarians questioning the government’s […]
Finance Minister Charles Sousa will deliver the 2015 Ontario Budget on Thursday, April 23, 2015. What can professors and academic librarians expect to see in Ontario’s financial plan? A good first question is to ask what should be in the budget. As OCUFA pointed out in its pre-budget submission to government, public investment in our universities is […]
TORONTO – Professors and academic librarians from across the province will be at Queen’s Park today, talking with MPPs about important issues facing Ontario’s universities. The meetings are part of the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Association’s annual Advocacy Day. “The work of professors and academic librarians is at the heart of higher education in […]
On March 6, 2015, representatives of OCUFA were pleased to attend the launch of the Government of Ontario’s It’s Never OK: An Action Plan to Stop Sexual Violence and Harassment . The plan is a wide-ranging and comprehensive document, and demonstrates Premier Kathleen Wynne’s commitment to fighting sexual violence and harassment in Ontario. The plan makes the reduction of sexual violence on university and college campuses a […]
When a policy is proposed, the burden of proof lies with the people making the proposal. They need to explain why the new policy is better, and they need to provide evidence to support their claim. This is how sensible policy gets made. The Government of Ontario is interested in performance funding for universities. That […]
On Friday, January 30, 2015, OCUFA President Kate Lawson presented OCUFA’s 2015 Pre-Budget Brief to the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs (SCFEA). The Brief, entitled Strong Universities for a Strong Ontario argues for renewed investment in higher education and increased faculty hiring. Every year, SCFEA conducts hearings in the run-up to the provincial budget. The committee then makes recommendations […]
For several months, OCUFA has been working to protect faculty rights in regards to two new pieces of legislation – Bill 8, The Public Sector and MPP Accountability and Transparency Act, 2014 and Bill 10, Amendments to the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities Act. Bill 8 extends grants the Ontario Ombudsman authority to examine […]
On Monday, July 14, the Liberal government introduced a new budget identical to the one that sparked the recent election. And with a majority in the legislature, this budget is certain to pass. So what does it mean for higher education in Ontario? In short, small funding increases in some areas, but a continued slide […]
TORONTO – Professors and academic librarians across Ontario are puzzled that today’s provincial budget did not make significant new investments in higher education. In a budget that seeks to “strengthen our competitive advantage, create jobs, and provide vital public services” it is surprising that universities were overlooked. “Ontario’s universities have the capacity to achieve all […]
On Thursday, March 8, 2014, the Premier Kathleen Wynne unveiled a sweeping “Accountability Act” that, among other reforms, will allow the provincial Ombudsperson – currently Andre Marin – to investigate universities. The proposed act also extends Ombudsperson oversight to municipalities and school boards. Other reforms include changes to the lobbyist registry and a new requirement for MPPs and civil servants to […]
