Message From the President – Carleton Budget
November 18, 2024.
Dear members of CUASA,
I am writing to you today about the email about “Operating Budget Update” sent to you on November 8 from Vice-President L. Pauline Rankin(Academic) and Interim Vice-President Angela Marcotte (Finance and Administration). Understandably their references to the “university’s financial sustainability” and the necessity of “significant measures” has left many in the Carleton community deeply troubled.
While it is important to acknowledge that there are budget concerns, know that the University cannot declare bankruptcy. As of last June, a federal bankruptcy exclusion (Bill C-59) prevents universities to do this. From the moment Laurentian University declared bankruptcy in 2021, our provincial and federal allies at OCUFA and CAUT launched an advocacy movement that led to this Bill.
Budgeting is a choice, and it is based on figures that need to be clearly explained. The “cost containment strategies” announced in the November 8 email should have the least possible impact on the quality of the education we provide to students, and on the research we conduct. For this, CUASA scrutinizes deficit and projection numbers. For example, the two Vice-Presidents wrote that, in May 2024, their offices seriously underestimated the operating deficit for 2024-2025. The reason they provide in their email is that, over the last 6 months, “the impact of the federally-imposed cap on international undergraduate student visas has been dramatic, resulting in a 55% reduction in first-year undergraduate international student enrolment. Simultaneously, we experienced a 35% reduction of incoming international graduate students.”
We need to ask hard questions. In September 2024, the number of accepted applications from students outside of Ontario (non-Ontario domestic students and international students combined) was down by 10.5% compared to the previous year (data from the Ontario Universities Application Centre). How does a 10.5% drop in accepted applications from non-Ontario domestic students and international students translate into a 55% drop in first-year international undergraduate enrolments? In June 2024, the drop was only 4.3%: why was there a considerable decline in confirmed applications between June and September? Why did Carleton look much better than the Ontario average in June, and a bit worse in September? Why did the University of Ottawa not experience a similar decline over the Summer, and what does this say about Carleton’s management of the recruitment-to-arrival pipeline? A transparent explanation of this drop, together with actual figures of undergraduate and graduate registration, would help everyone clearly understand the current and projected state of the deficit. Meanwhile, we ask that the loss of international students be discussed beyond its immediate economic impact. Restrictive caps on international students do more than reduce the finances of the University: they rob our campus and our community of cross-cultural opportunities to expand our knowledge and our horizons.
The two Vice-Presidents wrote that they “have a plan to address the budgetary deficit,” and that they “are committed to sharing information about these ongoing changes in a transparent way.” CUASA is committed to holding Carleton to their promises of transparency. We continue to work in collaboration with the other unions on campus to make sure that decisions about the future are taken collegially, in respect of the constitution of our university, and that all alternatives are fairly, seriously and openly considered. CUASA asserts that a strong, stable, and sustainable post-secondary education at Carleton is not met in the suggested decreases in the numbers of Faculty, Librarians, or Contract Instructors. Cuts to these positions inevitably mean the loss of courses and programs, larger class sizes for students, and reduced research, service work, and professional development for Faculty.
CUASA monitors all restrictions imposed by the provincial and federal governments, as well as their effects on the health of higher education in Ontario. Fair funding is not an issue that will be solved behind closed doors: it also matters a great deal when each of you takes the time to have conversations with family, friends, students, and neighbors, about the value of our work. CUASA continues to advocate for better funding: on November 6, our External Relations Officer attended OCUFA Advocacy Day events at Queen’s Park, to show MPPs from all parties the negative impacts of chronic underfunding on students, faculty, librarians, staff, community and the economy. Practical and tested recommendations to improve the situation were supplied by many in attendance. We know if the current trends continue, Ontario universities won’t even be able to accommodate the large cohort of young domestic students who will apply in the near future.
We encourage the administration of Carleton University to increase their own efforts to research hopeful models of sustainability and, importantly, to multiply their pressure on the different levels of government to reinstate reasonable caps on international students and sustainable levels of funding.
The two Vice-Presidents have asked our community for suggestions. CUASA encourages members to fill out the form Carleton provided. Let the administration know that you expect them to help safeguard the future of the institution in ways that protect the Carleton community and the quality education CUASA members provide. Please share these suggestions with CUASA at [email protected]. If you would like to send your suggestions to Carleton anonymously please fill out this survey and CUASA will send them on your behalf. If you are inclined to bring your concerns and ideas to social mediaplease tag us @cuasa and the University @Carleton_U and use the hashtags #CarletonStrong and #CUASAworks.
Have a good week,
Dominique
