Western Regional Conference
“Navigating the Future: Unlocking Opportunities Amid Financial and Political Challenges”

October 17–19, 2024, Victoria, British Columbia

The Western Regional Conference provides a yearly forum for Canadian faculty associations in the west to meet and exchange information about negotiations, grievance arbitration, and current trends impacting universities in our provinces, region, and across Canada. The host association rotates across the provinces and USFA will be hosting the conference in 2025. In preparation, seven members of the USFA Executive attended the WRC in Victoria. The program’s main theme was “Navigating the Future: Unlocking Opportunities Amid Financial and Political Challenges.”

“The Public Funding Gap: University and College Finances in Canada”

David Robinson, Executive Director CAUT (Canadian Association of University Teachers)

Robinson provided a historical overview of how government funding of universities has evolved after WWII, the declining trend in government funding over the last 25 years and the increasing reliance on student fees, particularly on higher fees from international students and donors to fund the basic operations of universities. This reliance makes universities vulnerable to internal political and geo-political turmoil and rapid shuffling of priorities.

Canadians have a high level of confidence in postsecondary institutions and those who teach at them. A recent survey by CAUT found that, when respondents were asked to rank the institutions they have confidence in, they placed universities/colleges the highest (tied with the military), with 67% stating they have a “fair amount” or a “great deal” of confidence. Closely behind were college/university professors/academics, with 65% declaring confidence. Less trusted were the police, banks, media, the health care system, airlines and politicians.

However, public funding of universities is posing real challenges. Robinson outlined the historical evolution of government funding for universities, noting a decline over the last 25 years. This reliance exposes universities to geopolitical and financial risks.

 

Public Funding Trends

Robinson noted general trends in Canada over the past ten years, specifically:

• a 9% decline in the real value of direct operating grants to institutions;
• a sharp increase in tuition revenues;
• inconsistent federal commitment to research funding;
• more privatized, more market-driven funding models (including, until recently, a growing reliance on international students);
• growing provincial and institutional variations in financial health; and
• a shrinking share of expenditures on academic rank salaries.

University and college operating expenses have remained the same or declined slightly for equipment and maintenance, utilities and renovations. More worrisome is the larger decline in expenditures supporting universities’ core missions: library acquisitions, materials and supplies, academic rank salaries and benefits. On the other hand, there has been a significant increase in expenses for scholarships and bursaries, contracts and professional fees and for salaries and wages for other staff.

While there is optimism due to a projected 15–35% rise in domestic university enrollments over the next 10 years, austerity measures risk eroding faculty, programs, and expertise. Robinson questioned whether governments would adequately fund the infrastructure needed to meet this demand.

 

Where do we go from here?

Robinson suggested a conversation about a multilateral funding framework such as agreements in place for early learning and child care. This framework would require:

• setting out common public service objectives: affordability, access, quality, and inclusiveness;
• conditionality: agreed upon areas of investment negotiated with each province;
• predictability: multi-year funding commitment from the federal government; and
• accountability: reporting requirements on how federal funds are spent.

“Erosion of Collegial Governance – How can we respond?”

Chair: Dr. Erik Thomoson, UMFA President; panelists Marc Schroeder, MRFA / CAUT Representative-at-large and Governance Committee co-chair; and Dr. Lynne Marks, Uvic FA President

The panel explored how faculty associations have navigated challenges in collegial governance. Key takeaways included:

1. MRFA: Establishing a University Council and Governance Committee and gathering data to guide decision-making by Senate and Board members has proved an effective strategy.
2. UVicFA: This unique governance mechanism requires senior administrators to be ratified by 60% of academic staff every five years, ensuring accountability. This is embedded in the Collective Agreement and is a policy of the Senate and the Board of Governors that can be changed only by a 60% vote of the Senate, making it a robust tool against administrative overreach.
3. Tactics Against Administrative Overreach: Examples from ULFA and U-Prince George showed the utility of organizing non-confidence votes against ineffective administrators. Faculty Associations can collaborate with Senate members to initiate these votes, which administrators fear due to potential career repercussions.

“How UVic FA Supports Indigenous Members Through Bargaining”

Dr. Christine O’Bonsawin, UVic Indigenous Portfolio holder/UVic Bargaining Team, and Dr. Qwul’sih’yah’maht Robina Thomas, UVic Vice-President Indigenous, presented on negotiating initiatives ratified in the 2022–2025 Collective Agreement. Following extensive consultation with Indigenous members, the UVic Faculty Association and the University of Victoria ratified the following groundbreaking Letters of Understanding:

 

Indigenous Recruitment Support Fund

An Indigenous Recruitment Support Fund of $300,000 was established on July 1, 2023. Units that have approved requests for recruitment of Indigenous faculty and librarians at any rank may apply for funds and, if approved, university will fund 50% of the position from the Indigenous Recruitment Support Fund. Preference is to be given to qualified Indigenous scholars and Indigenous librarians from the following, in order of priority:

1. l?k????n and W?SÁNE? nations and communities;
2. Coast Salish, Nuu-Chah-Nulth and Kwakwaka’wakw nations and communities on Vancouver Island and beyond, including cross-border communities;
3. North American Indigenous nations and communities; and
4. global Indigenous communities.

 

Associate Deans Indigenous

The parties agreed that during the term of the Collective Agreement, each Faculty will recruit an Indigenous person to the role of Associate Dean Indigenous (or equivalent). The role description of the Associate Dean Indigenous in each faculty includes, at minimum:

• work with members to determine:
  • guiding principles to be applied in the assessment and evaluation of Indigenous members’ work;
  • specific criteria related to assessment of academic responsibilities specific to Indigenous members under the unit standards.
• co-chair any Appointment Committee where an Indigenous candidate is being interviewed and provide advice to the committee.
• provide advice and support to the Dean when considering appointment of an Indigenous candidate.
• where requested by an Indigenous member, co-chair the member’s Reappointment, Promotion or Tenure/Continuing Appointment Committee and provide advice to the Committee.
• provide advice and support to the Dean for making a recommendation in the Reappointment, Promotion or Tenure/Continuing Appointment of an Indigenous candidate.
• where requested by an Indigenous member, provide advice and support to the Chair/Salary Evaluation Committee regarding the evaluation of that member.
• provide advice and support to the Dean in determining salary adjustments of an Indigenous candidate.
• provide advice on requests made to the Chair for cultural or ceremonial leave under the provisions of the Special Leave Article.

The Vice President Indigenous is also directed to form an Associate Deans Indigenous Council to support the academic strategic initiatives of the Office of the Vice President Indigenous within the respective Faculties.

 

Indigenous Faculty and Librarian Community-Engagement Fund

The university agreed to establish an Indigenous Community-Engagement Fund as of July 1, 2023, in the amount of $60,000. The fund provides support to Indigenous members to offset the costs of working in Indigenous communities, as it relates to the member’s academic or professional responsibilities. An Indigenous member can apply for reimbursement of claimable expenses incurred to a maximum of $1,000 per year, until the fund is expended.

 

Indigenous and BPoC Knowledge Connection Fund

The university agreed to establish an Indigenous and BPoC Knowledge Connection Fund as of July 1, 2022, in the amount of $500,000. Indigenous and BPoC members who are undertaking assigned or approved work related to their academic and professional responsibilities that promotes or supports university initiatives in the area of equity, diversity, inclusion, decolonization, Indigenization or anti-oppression can apply for a course release in support of that work, normally a maximum of 1.5 unit courses per year.