Ontario is overhauling the way it finances universities and colleges, replacing some per-student funding with performance-based support intended to discourage the emphasis on growth that many acknowledge has [...]]]> After years of encouraging ‘growth at all costs,’ the G&M recently reported that Ontario now wants some post-secondary institutions to change their focus — to teaching (!)

Ontario is overhauling the way it finances universities and colleges, replacing some per-student funding with performance-based support intended to discourage the emphasis on growth that many acknowledge has been detrimental to educational quality. Although still pushing expansion, the province is also pressing some schools to focus more on teaching than on aspiring to grow into elite comprehensive institutions.

The province will negotiate each school’s strategy individually, measuring success by examining factors such as student satisfaction, employment rates, and student mobility.

The goal is to have universities and colleges specialize more in their own strengths and core programs, spending more on excellence in teaching and the student experience on campus, while also providing as much choice and flexibility as possible in the style of learning available.

A representative of the province’s students said that funding should be targeted to specific areas. “If you want teachers to have better pedagogy, then fund training of pedagogy,” said Sam Andrey, executive director of the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance. “Don’t increase budgets and hope for the best.”

Many schools, especially those in urban areas, will continue to expand. But for the first time in years, the government is also suggesting that some schools can decide not to grow, or even to shrink, without automatically seeing their funding stagnate.

Food for thought here at home, as Douglas strives to become the the largest and most progressive baccalaureate degree-granting college in British Columbia.

The complete text of this article is available online.

The first report shows that while corporate profits have increased significantly over the last decade, taxes collected from these [...]]]> In July, 2011, the BC Federation of Labour released the first in a series of reports examining corporations in B.C. The “Failed Policies” series will examine corporate profits, corporate taxes paid, corporate investment and job creation.

The first report shows that while corporate profits have increased significantly over the last decade, taxes collected from these corporations have steadily declined. At no time in the last 30 years have corporations contributed less in tax revenue – as a proportion of their earnings – to British Columbia, even as corporate profits are at historic high levels in our province.

In 2011, B.C. corporate profits are expected to hit a new record high of $23.7 billion and are predicted to climb to $31.3 billion by 2015. During the last decade, B.C.’s corporate income tax rate was cut from 16.5% to today’s rate of 10%. These corporate tax cuts led to a loss of provincial revenues of at least $7.7 billion over the last 10 years and will lead to the loss of an additional $8.8 billion in revenues between now and 2015.

You can read the complete report at http://www.bcfed.ca/files/0500-11rep-es-failed_policies.pdf

If we are going to successfully defend our own collective agreement, we need to know what other public and private-sector unions are up against.

For [...]]]> From time to time I’m going to post information about the pressures other unions are facing to accept significant reductions in benefits, pensions, and other hard-won rights and protections.

If we are going to successfully defend our own collective agreement, we need to know what other public and private-sector unions are up against.

For example, Verizon Communications is seeking major concessions from 45,000 unionized workers in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic states, citing a long-term drop in revenue and profits in its old-fashioned telephone business and intense competition in television and Internet services.

In the most aggressive set of contract demands the union says it has ever seen, the employer wants:
- employees to contribute to their health care premiums, ($1,300 – $3,000 for family coverage, depending on the plan)
- the ability to lay-off workers without severance
- to tie raises more closely to job performance and to deny annual raises to subpar performers
- to freeze pensions for current employees
- to eliminate traditional pensions for future workers
- to limit sick days to 5 a year

Source: NYT Online, July 29, 2011

Positive traits that can make faculty more appealing teachers, such as openness, also make them more susceptible to suffering feelings of weariness and [...]]]> ScienceDaily (May 3, 2011) — Conscientious academics who try hard to keep in regular contact with their students are the most likely to suffer from work-related “burnout,” a new study has found.

Positive traits that can make faculty more appealing teachers, such as openness, also make them more susceptible to suffering feelings of weariness and emotional exhaustion.

The problem could be getting worse as more students join part-time, distance and online learning programmes and other flexible study options that increase their need for learning support.

To read the complete article, go to
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110418083353.htm

Working with the Canadian Labour Congress, local labour councils, provincial federations of labour, and other national unions, NUCAUT promotes the interests of academic [...]]]> I attended the triennial convention in June of the National Union of the Canadian Association of University Teachers (NUCAUT), which is the national union of Canada’s post-secondary faculty and academic staff.

Working with the Canadian Labour Congress, local labour councils, provincial federations of labour, and other national unions, NUCAUT promotes the interests of academic staff and seeks to improve the quality and accessibility of post-secondary education in Canada.

At the convention, CLC President Ken Georgetti spoke about the importance of protecting Canada’s public services and identified some of the challenges ahead for the labour movement faced with a majority Conservative government and persistent fiscal restraint by employers.

Resolutions passed included support for CAW and CUPW who were negotiating with Air Canada and Canada Post at the time, a call for increased funding for the Canada student Grant Program, and a request to change Canada’s discriminatory student bankfuptcy laws.

The next NUCAUT convention will be held in Montreal in 2014.

Faculty evaluation. Hiring and regularization. Course schedules and workloads. These and other collective agreement provisions are being targeted by our employers across the sector, not just in the new universities.

At noon on Wednesday, 9 March 2011, [...]]]> What happens to faculty — and to faculty collective agreements — when a college becomes a university?

Faculty evaluation. Hiring and regularization. Course schedules and workloads. These and other collective agreement provisions are being targeted by our employers across the sector, not just in the new universities.

At noon on Wednesday, 9 March 2011, all FPSE locals throughout British Columbia are uniting to hold simultaneous education and information sessions to draw attention to these and other critical issues threatening post-secondary education.

Come hear Maureen Shaw, President of the Kwantlen Faculty Association and former President of the National Union of Canadian University Teachers, as she describes the faculty experience with “special purpose teaching universities”.

Time: 12:00 – 1:00

Location: Room 2217, New West Campus, with a follow-up meeting at noon, 16 March, in the David Lam Boardroom

Monday 28 February

Rehabilitation Management Committee (1:00 – 2:30)

Tuesday 1 March

DCFA Time Release Committee (12:00 – 1:00)

CLC Information Session on CPP Reform, Burnaby Firefighters Hall (5:30 – 8:30)

Wednesday 2 March

Meeting with FPSE Staff Representative (10:00 – 12:00)

Faculty Matters Editorial [...]]]> What’s Happening at the DCFA: 28 February – 4 March

Monday 28 February

Rehabilitation Management Committee (1:00 – 2:30)

Tuesday 1 March

DCFA Time Release Committee (12:00 – 1:00)

CLC Information Session on CPP Reform, Burnaby Firefighters Hall (5:30 – 8:30)

Wednesday 2 March

Meeting with FPSE Staff Representative (10:00 – 12:00)

Faculty Matters Editorial Team (12:00- 1:00)

DCFA Executive Council Meeting (4:00 – 6:00)

Thursday and Friday, 3 and 4 March

DCFA Bargaining Team

A temporary moratorium is being introduced for new degree program applications from all public, private and out-of-province public institutions. The moratorium, which will begin on September 1, 2010, is for 6 months. New [...]]]> I learned today that the Ministry of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development has imposed a six month moratorium on all degrees:

A temporary moratorium is being introduced for new degree program applications from all public, private and out-of-province public institutions. The moratorium, which will begin on September 1, 2010, is for 6 months. New degree program applications will be accepted up to August 25, 2010. Questions regarding the moratorium may be directed to the Strategic Policy and Initiatives Branch.

There is no word on the rationale for this decision.  Perhaps there’s a backlog at the Degree Quality Assessment Board, who knows? If you have a degree in development you have 15 days to get it done! After that, you must wait until March.

I have to admit that I’m dumbfounded by the decision. I keenly await responses from around the Post-secondary system.

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