The Ontario University and Colleges Coalition echoes the concerns of students and workers across the province about unsafe and rushed plans to return to campus. With notice of returning back to in-person learning for some institutions as soon as January 31, students are nervous about inadequate safety plans, the accessibility of continuing with online learning and academic penalties for those who do not feel safe being back on campus. Without access to critical PPE such as N95 masks, uncertainties about ventilation, lack of routine reporting of COVID-19 case counts, and no physical distancing practices, students and workers know that such an abrupt plan to return to campus is not conducive to learning, and it seriously jeopardizes the safety of all campus community members.
Far too often, information around post-secondary education issues are lost during large election campaigns broadly focused on winning votes, not necessarily addressing the challenges facing our public post-secondary education system. The imposition of Bill 307 does not remedy this issue. Rather, it hinders the ability of students’ unions, labour unions, and other independent democratic organizations to educate their members and the public on the nature of provincial elections, democracy, and the importance of their participation.
Members of the Ontario Universities and Colleges Coalition (OUCC), which represents over 435,000 faculty, staff, and students from every public postsecondary education institution in Ontario, are calling on Ross Romano and the Ontario government to provide Laurentian University with the necessary funding to secure the future of the university.
Members of the Ontario Universities and Colleges Coalition (OUCC), which represents over 435,000 faculty, staff, and students from every public postsecondary education institution in Ontario, support the Decent Work and Health Network’s call for seven (7) permanent, paid sick days for all workers and an additional fourteen (14) paid sick days during public health outbreaks.
The Ford government recently announced its plans to steamroll ahead with a reckless “performance” based funding plan. Postsecondary faculty, academic librarians, staff, and students are opposed to this flawed funding experiment and give the government a failing grade for its approach.
In a letter to Minister of Colleges and Universities Ross Romano, the OUCC has raised concerns about the privatization of postsecondary education in Ontario and the government's efforts to grant university status to the controversial Canada Christian College.
We are writing to express our support for PSUO-SSOU, the certified Bargaining Unit for 1,300 administrative and support staff at the University of Ottawa. We are deeply concerned that your administration is trying to strip the health benefits of these workers during the pandemic as they work tirelessly to keep the university running during these unprecedented times.
Access to post secondary education is a critical part of responding to the COVID-19 crisis and ensuring a successful social and economic recovery. Unfortunately, decades of government funding shortfalls have created barriers to accessing education. Ontario students pay some of the highest tuition fees in the country and graduate with an average $28,000 in debt.
Members of the Ontario Universities and Colleges Coalition (OUCC), which represents over 435,000 faculty, staff, and students from every public postsecondary institution in Ontario, stand in solidarity with students, educators, and parents in their demand for adequate public funding to allow for a safe reopening of schools in September.
Today, the Ontario Universities and Colleges Coalition sent the following letter to Minister of Colleges and Universities Ross Romano raising concerns about the use of invasive proctoring software.
Today, the Ontario Universities and Colleges Coalition sent the following letter to Minister of Colleges and Universities Ross Romano and Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development Monte McNaughton.
Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) applications for the 2020-2021 academic year opened on May 20. The application now requires students to complete a mandatory “information module” that purports to highlight financial literacy. Students are disappointed in this addition to the OSAP application process, which is both patronizing and does not address the true financial barriers to post-secondary education.
Addressed to Federal Government, Provincial Governments, Canada’s Research Funding Councils, and University senior administrators: The COVID-19 pandemic has posed unprecedented challenges to graduate students across the country. We recognize the steps taken by both the federal and provincial governments, and post-secondary institutions, to protect not just graduate students, but all students, faculty, and staff. These measures include the six-month suspension of student loan repayment and the expansion of the Canada Summer Jobs program. These measures are important steps towards redressing the financial burden on students. However, we would like to emphasize that graduate students are facing additional challenges that have not been addressed. We, the undersigned, want to draw your attention to these unique issues that graduate students are facing as the result of the ongoing crisis, and ask that Federal Government, Provincial Governments, Canada’s Research Funding Councils, and University senior administrators take immediate actions to address these issues.
Students’ unions, founded by and for students, are fully autonomous organizations governed by democratically elected boards and executives. They are membership-driven organizations funded by their members through dues. University administrations do not have the authority and cannot justify violating the legal autonomy of students’ unions or any other campus unions.
Today, the Divisional Court released their unanimous decision deeming the Student Choice Initiative unlawful. From the streets, to the court room, the students united, will never be defeated.
Announced in the Ontario Budget, the Ford government’s reckless new market-based approach to funding postsecondary education will fundamentally compromise the integrity of Ontario’s higher education system. This alarming shift in education funding will create greater inequity, hurt students, and threaten the quality of education in our province.
Ontario faculty are warning that the Ford government’s so called “performance” funding model for postsecondary education is reckless, ineffective, and dangerous. The new funding model will link 60 per cent of government funding for universities ($2.2 billion dollars) to an arbitrary set of metrics chosen with no consultation. These metrics will not actually measure “performance” but are likely to be used as an excuse to cut university budgets. Across Ontario, OCUFA estimates that this new funding model could mean cuts of over $500 million dollars that will substantially undermine our postsecondary institutions’ academic missions and mandates.
The Ford government has introduced legislation to cap increases in total compensation at an average (benefits and wages) of 1% per year for all public sector employees, including university and college workers. The legislation will affect all collective agreements on expiry and last three years. Current bargaining will continue, and while the bill has not passed, it may apply retroactively to deals reached since June 5, 2019.
