The 2013 Ontario Budget will be released on May 2nd, 2013 by Minister of Finance Charles Sousa. It is expected that the budget will continue the Liberal government’s focus on reducing the provincial deficit, although it will likely also contain provisions put forward by the NDP (such as reduced auto insurance premiums). Premier Kathleen Wynne […]
In a paper released today , the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario (HEQCO) reviews the performance of Ontario’s postsecondary education system in terms of access, quality, productivity, and social impact. It confirms what Ontario’s professors and academic librarians have known for years – our universities are efficient, productive, and accessible (though more work is needed to […]
Today, the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario released the recommendations of its “expert panel” convened to review the Strategic Mandate Agreements (SMAs) submitted by each university and college in Ontario. Overall, the panel recommends that the Government of Ontario take a more directive, interventionist role to drive greater differentiation and competition within the sector. OCUFA has long […]
Last week, Minister of Training, Colleges, and Universities Brad Duguid gave an interview to the Toronto Star indicating the Government of Ontario was close to announcing a new tuition framework for Ontario. Emphasizing his desire to find an arrangement that works for both students and institutions, the Minister had this to say: “I’m confident we’ll strike a balance that I hope will be […]
Today, OCUFA released new poll findings on public attitudes towards higher education and austerity in Northern Ontario. Presented at a news conference at Laurentian University, the results indicate that residents of the region do not want the government’s deficit-cutting agenda to compromise the quality of university education in the province. Key findings include: 74 per […]
On February 19, 2013, new Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne presented her first Speech from the Throne, outlining the priorities of her government. As expected, the speech contained a heavy focus on deficit reduction, economic growth, and employment. The speech signaled that the government will continue to pursue austerity policies, but reflected a softer approach to […]
Kathleen Wynne was sworn in as Premier of Ontario this afternoon. In addition to a new Premier, the province of Ontario also has a new Cabinet. Brad Duguid has been appointed Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities. OCUFA will meet with Minister Duguid in the coming weeks to discuss his vision for the future of […]
Ontarians do not want the government’s austerity agenda to compromise the quality of university education in the province, according to a new study released today by the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA). While most Ontarians think it is important to reduce the provincial deficit, over two-thirds oppose any cost-cutting measure that reduces the quality of education received by students. “The […]
On November 28, 2012, OCUFA President Constance Adamson met with Rob Leone, MPP for Cambridge and PC Critic for Training, Colleges, and Universities. The purpose of the meeting was to provide the faculty perspective on higher education issues for an upcoming Tory white paper. During the meeting, Adamson highlighted the need for teaching and research to […]
Glen Murray has resigned his cabinet post as Minister of Training, Colleges, and Universities to pursue the leadership of the Ontario Liberal Party. The leader – and premier – position was left open following the resignation of Dalton McGuinty on October 15, 2012. Minister Murray’s campaign page, RenewLiberal.ca, does not yet contain full platform details. […]
Last weekend, the Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities Glen Murray met with OCUFA’s Board of Directors during its October meeting. The Minister was questioned on his plans for higher education reform in Ontario, on the government’s agenda for university pension plans, and on public sector wage restraint. Overall, it was clear that the Minister has […]
Last night, Dalton McGuinty resigned as premier and prorogued the Ontario Legislature. This means that all legislative business has ceased and all legislation currently being considered dies on the order paper. When a new session of the Legislature is eventually convened, it will be a new session of parliament, accompanied by a Throne Speech. All […]
On October 9, 2012, Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities made troubling comments on faculty in an article that appeared in the Peterborough Examiner. Here is OCUFA President Constance Adamson’s response. This past Wednesday, October 10, 2012 the Minister of Training, Colleges, and Universities Glen Murray, in an interview with the Peterborough Examiner, made this statement on the Government of […]
On October 3, 2012, the OCUFA Executive met with Minister of Training, Colleges, and Universities Glen Murray to discuss our submission in response to the government’s recent discussion paper. Members of the Executive highlighted OCUFA’s concerns with the assumptions and proposals contained within the discussion paper. We believe that, taken to their logical conclusion, they would lead to […]
This week, OCUFA released its response to the Ministry of Training, Colleges, and Universities discussion paper, Strengthening Ontario’s Centres of Creativity, Innovation and Knowledge . Our submission, titled Growing Ontario’s Universities for the Future, was officially launched at a press conference this morning alongside responses from the Canadian Federation of Students , The Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU), and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) . The OCUFA response highlights our concerns with […]
