Today, OCUFA released new poll findings on public attitudes towards higher education and austerity in Ontario’s Ottawa region. Presented at a news conference at the University of Ottawa, the results indicate that Eastern Ontarians do not want the government’s deficit-cutting agenda to compromise the quality of university education in Ontario. Other key findings include: 72 […]
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OCUFA launches “We Teach Ontario” Campaign
Teaching and research are at the heart of Ontario’s universities and together produce extraordinary results for students and their communities. We Teach Ontario , a new OCUFA initiative, celebrates how professors use research to enrich their students’ learning and strengthen the province. “Ontario professors and academic librarians know how powerful the connection between teaching and research can be […]
OCUFA releases new research on public attitudes towards austerity and higher education in the 905 region
Today, OCUFA released new poll findings on public attitudes towards higher education and austerity in Ontario’s 905 region. Presented at a news conference at McMaster University in Hamilton, the results indicate that residents of the 905 region do not want the government’s deficit-cutting agenda to compromise the quality of university education in Ontario. Other key […]
Academia in the Age of Austerity
Governments in Canada and elsewhere have embraced “austerity” as a necessary public policy to eliminate budgetary deficits and ensure future prosperity. How has this “austerity agenda” affected faculty, students, administrators and institutions in Ontario, in Canada, and globally? Is “austerity” inevitable, or are there alternatives? And what might universities do now, and in the future, […]
Ontario wants less austerity, more investment in higher education: new study
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 […]
What’s ahead for OCUFA in 2013
Happy New Year! As 2013 gets underway, OCUFA will be busy representing professors and academic librarians as we work to build a high quality and accessible university sector in Ontario. Key initiatives include: Launching a new campaign, “We Teach Ontario”, on January 22, 2013. This new initiative promotes the important connection between teaching and research […]
When it comes to students, let’s not play with the truth
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 […]
OCUFA meets with Minister of Training, Colleges, and Universities about reform Agenda
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 […]
Anti-labour legislation update: What OCUFA is doing
As we reported last week, the Liberal government has unveiled anti-labour legislation that strips public sector employees of their bargaining rights – including professors and academic librarians. OCUFA is moving aggressively to fight back against this legislation. Since the announcement, we have: Attended a meeting a senior public sector union leaders to coordinate strategy, and […]
McGuinty breaks his promise to respect rights. Again.
Ontario’s professors and academic librarians are disappointed that Dalton McGuinty has once again broken his promise to respect collective bargaining by imposing legislation on the province’s broader public sector workers that attacks their constitutional rights. “A year ago, Premier McGuinty said he would respect the rights of hard-working Ontarians,” said Constance Adamson, President of the […]
OCUFA ready to fight any compensation freeze
In the wake of the McGuinty government’s imposition of a salary freeze on Ontario’s elementary and secondary teachers, the government has now indicated that it will extend this freeze to the broader public sector. Such a freeze would apply to university sector, including professors and academic librarians. Yesterday, the Minister of Finance Dwight Duncan announced a freeze of executive salaries in the broader public sector . During […]
OCUFA holds ‘Building Solidarity’ workshop in Toronto
On May 23, 2012, OCUFA held a member mobilization workshop at the Sutton Place Hotel in Toronto. Attended by over 60 faculty association representatives from across Ontario, the goal of the workshop was to develop the skills needed to effectively communicate with and engage faculty association members. The workshop was led by Rob Fairley and […]
OCUFA Statement on allegations of research misconduct at Queen’s University and HEQCO
Download the PDF In recent weeks, the research practices of the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario (HEQCO) have come under scrutiny by the media and members of Ontario’s higher education stakeholder community. On April 10, 2012, Jennifer Massey and Sean Field, both PhD candidates at Queen’s University, wrote a letter to Harvey Weingarten, President and CEO of […]
Ontario Budget adds up to less funding and more intervention
OCUFA is disappointed that today’s provincial budget effectively cuts university resources while signaling increased government intervention in labour relations. “If you look behind the numbers in the budget, the government is providing less money to universities than recommended by Don Drummond,” said Constance Adamson, President of the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA). “University education is one […]
OCUFA Meets with NDP Critic Teresa Armstrong and Premier’s Office Staff
On March 6, 2012, OCUFA President Constance Adamson met with NDP Critic for Training, Colleges and Universities Teresa Armstrong. Adamson highlighted several issues important to Ontario’s professors and academic librarians, including the need for renewed investment in higher education. Ms. Armstrong and her staff indicated her desire to work with OCUFA and bring these issues […]