Weekly Update – February 26
February 26, 2021
Weekly Update – February 26
CUASA Statement on Situation at Laurentian University
We stand in solidarity with the students, faculty, staff, and broader community of Laurentian University as they try to find a way out of their current financial challenges. In particular, we call on the provincial government to provide the short-term and long-term funding needed to ensure that Laurentian’s revenues exceed their expenses as required under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA). There is also a role for the federal government to increase its funding, given the tri-cultural mandate to support English, French, and Indigenous communities.
Laurentian University is a public institution and doesn’t neatly fit under the CCAA process, which was largely written with for-profit corporations in mind. Universities create public goods and they rely on public funds. There are other unique aspects to the university sector that aren’t properly accounted for in the CCAA, such as tenure and its connection to academic freedom, collegial governance, financial exigency clauses, and funding through research grants.
The provincial and federal governments have a responsibility to support this vital body. Without increased funding, Laurentian is in a vulnerable position at risk of having to close or merge programs, layoffs or terminate employees, reduce salaries, and possibly even file for bankruptcy. Laurentian University is a crucial public institution in Northern Ontario, and its faculty, staff, students, and the broader Sudbury community will suffer immensely and needlessly unless the provincial and federal governments increase their funding and restore Laurentian to good financial health.
Make your voice heard: Click here to send a letter demanding the provincial and federal governments intervene to protect this vital public institution.
Click here to read the letter CUASA’s External Affairs Officer, Raj Singh, sent to Minister of Colleges and Universities, Ross Romano. Click here to read OCUFA’s statement on the situation at Laurentian, and click here to read CAUT’s statement.
As Laurentian’s funding crisis continues, Ministry of Colleges and Universities refuses to take action
As part of a week of advocacy, faculty and students from across Ontario have been meeting with dozens of MPPs to demand the provincial government take responsibility for the underfunding of Laurentian University and provide the institution with the necessary resources to secure its future. Despite the damage that would be caused by the severe cuts being planned for Laurentian, Minister of Colleges and Universities Ross Romano and Ministry representatives continue to refuse to stand up for the people of Northern Ontario and provide vital funding for the public university. Click here to read more.
OCUFA Grievance Committee stands in solidarity with faculty members at Laurentian University
In response to the events unfolding at Laurentian University, OCUFA’s Grievance Committee passed a motion of solidarity while calling on the Ontario government to provide immediate funding to the university. Click hereto read more.
CUASA Advisory
In case you missed it, yesterday we issued an advisory to CUASA members on two topics: Opting Out of Extended Healthcare, and Web Based Course Development. You can read the full advisory here. Please contact [email protected] if you have any questions or concerns.
Join the Waitlist: Anti-racism and Oppression Training
CUASA’s Chair of Equity, Dawn Moore, has contracted a facilitator to provide anti-racism and oppression training for CUASA’s Executive and Council. We are also building a waitlist for Association members who may be interested in this training, should some extra spots be available.
Workshop Name: Building resilience, anti-racism & oppression training for CUASA Council
Duration: The workshop will be split over 2 days so attendance to both sessions is critical.
If you are interested, please email [email protected] and indicate if you are available to attend the full training block:
- Thursday, March 11, 1:00 – 3:00pm
- Thursday, March 18, 1:00 – 3:00pm
We will add names to the waitlist and contact those persons if spots become available. Note: If you are not able to attend this block, there will be more opportunities for this training in the future.
Call for Expressions of Interest: CUASA Caucuses
CUASA is seeking expressions of interest from the membership in forming a women’s caucus, an LGTBQIA2S+ caucus, and a disability caucus. We also welcome other suggestions for caucuses. If you are interested and/or have a caucus suggestion, please email our Chair of Equity, Dawn Moore, at [email protected].
Nominations for Steering Positions
We are still accepting nominations for the following Steering positions (click on the title to read the position description):
Information on the nominations process can be found on our How to Volunteer page. The work of the Association continues, despite the current environment we find ourselves in. Remember that our Association is only as strong as its membership, so we count on the time and commitment of our members to achieve our goals. Some of these positions come with a course release subject to the availability of funds (please ask if interested).
Retired Representatives on Council
CUASA council has two positions for retired persons representatives. The terms of both positions expire on March 31, 2021 and accordingly the Carleton University Retirees Association (CURA) has been mandated by CUASA to fill these positions. It should be noted that these positions are ‘voice but no vote’. That is, one can speak to any issue but not put motions or vote for motions. This is open only to CUASA members who have retired.
It is expected that the representatives attend the usually two-hour long, monthly council meetings, this year on Zoom.
If you wish to stand for election for the CUASA rep position please send your name and former CUASA unit to the CURA president: [email protected]
Depending on the response, elections will be held. Since this is the first time this approach is being used, please inform the President of CURA before March 1, 2021 so that the next step can be organized.
Academic Community Updates
Recruitment of Faculty for the Healthy Professional Worker Study
An interdisciplinary, multi-university research team led by Dr. Ivy Lynn Bourgeault in the School of Sociological and Anthropological Studies at the University of Ottawa has contacted our organization, asking us to inform you about an important study they are conducting. The team is exploring the mental health experiences of professional workers, and how these experiences are affected by their personal, work and family life. This study includes academia, accounting, dentistry, medicine, midwifery nursing and teaching professions. The team is particularly interested in the role that gender has on these experiences. There will also be some questions about how COVID-19 has impacted these experiences.
If you are interested in taking part in this study, please follow this link to the online survey: https://bit.ly/3nk2gBf. The survey will take about 15-20 minutes to complete.
If you would prefer to participate in an interview, please contact the study project coordinator, Audrey Kruisselbrink, at [email protected]. The interview will take 40-60 minutes for which there will be a $20 honorarium.
You can participate in both.
Please note that you are not required to participate in this study.
This study is being conducted independently from our organization and your decision to participate (or not) will not be known to our organization.
Taking part or not taking part in this study will not affect your status at the organization. At any point you can withdraw participation without recourse.
This study has received ethics approval from the Universities of Ottawa (#S-05-19-2508), British Columbia (#H19-01665), Laval (#2019-395/30-01-2020), Manitoba (E2019:125; HS23537), McGill (#A12-B77-19A/19-12/039), Nipissing (#102391), Waterloo (#41108), Saint Mary’s (#20-052), Toronto (#00038882), Victoria (#19-0476) and Carleton (#112037), Dalhousie (#2019-5019), Memorial (20201427-EX), Queen’s (#GGEN-035-19), Simon Fraser (#H19-01665), and Western Universities.
