Category: OCUFA

Dear Colleagues; 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 […]

Dear Colleagues; 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 […]

Dear Colleagues;Today, OCUFA released a research paper examining recent proposals around increasing university productivity as part of its Trends in Higher Education series. The paper finds that the current discussion in Ontario is plagued by unclear definitions, problematic assumptions, and troubling policy ideas. Reviewing the available evidence, the paper argues that: The discussion in Ontario […]

Dear Colleagues: Today, Minister of Training, Colleges, and Universities Brad Duguid announced a new tuition framework for Ontario’s higher education institutions. The new policy caps yearly increases for undergraduates at 3 per cent (down from 5 per cent under the previous framework, while graduate and professional fees will increase by 5 per cent (down from […]

Dear Colleagues: Please find attached OCUFA’s 2013 Pre-Budget Submission to the Ontario Legislature’s Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs. The intent of the OCUFA plan outlined in the 2013 Pre-Budget Submission is to enhance the quality and affordability of university education in Ontario by 2020 through increased government investment. It recommendations reflect both the […]

Dear Colleagues: We are pleased to announce that the upcoming Toronto universities Town Hall Meeting, “Austerity and Ontario’s Universities: Finding a way forward” will be accessible via live webcast on Wednesday. March 27, from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.  For those associations who have not already held a town hall meeting and would like to […]

Dear Colleagues: 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 […]

Dear Colleagues: Following from the email sent on February 19, 2013 regarding the Ontario Conservative Party’s white paper — “Better Learning for Better Jobs”, please find attached OCUFA’s analysis of the white paper, which was released on Tuesday. As noted in the OCUFA analysis, the paper articulates an instrumental vision of higher education in which […]

Hello all, Please see below a message from OCUFA President Constance Adamson regarding the Liberal leadership outcome and what to expect moving forward. Best, Erica Erica Rayment Policy Analyst – Government and Community Relations Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations 83 Yonge Street, Suite 300 Toronto, ON M5C 1S8 Office: 416-979-2117 x 223 | Mobile: […]

Dear Colleagues: Below is a University Affairs article on a panel discussion, “Debating Austerity: Is Public Constraint the Only Way Forward?” featuring Jim Stanford, Alex Himmelfarb, and Derek DeCloet that took place at OCUFA’s Academia in the Age of Austerity conference last week. The article highlights many of the key critiques of austerity policies that […]