So administration at Laurentian University used Tri-Council research funds to pay the bills.
This is happens after decades of systemic underfunding of public education and @fordnation @RossRomanoSSM say it has nothing to do with them.
I have some thoughts. A thread.
This is happens after decades of systemic underfunding of public education and @fordnation @RossRomanoSSM say it has nothing to do with them.
I have some thoughts. A thread.
https://twitter.com/torontostar/status/1368634066400989184
Ross Romano @RossRomanoSSM, Minister of Training, Colleges, and University, knew about the financial issues at @LaurentianU MONTHS go. Did not then and is doing nothing now.
FIVE of LU’s board members are appointed by the provincial government.
This didn’t come out of nowhere.
FIVE of LU’s board members are appointed by the provincial government.
This didn’t come out of nowhere.
“BUT DEREK IT’S BECAUSE PROFS LIKE YOU MAKE SO MUCH MONEY!!!”
Sure, I’ll concede some profs have great, well-paying, secure jobs. But you seem to be missing something here:
Sure, I’ll concede some profs have great, well-paying, secure jobs. But you seem to be missing something here:
1) shouldn’t we want more of these jobs?
2) don’t forget the massive ⬆️ in precarious and adjunct teaching that dovetails austerity — TT profs may make more but NTT certainly do not (and there are a hell of a lot more of those today than 10 years ago)
2) don’t forget the massive ⬆️ in precarious and adjunct teaching that dovetails austerity — TT profs may make more but NTT certainly do not (and there are a hell of a lot more of those today than 10 years ago)
3) teaching and research are the CORE function of a university. To put it in corporate terms, teaching and research are the product. There is value in providing a good product.
4) stable & jobs are NOT why LU finds itself in this position — the % of operating expenses allocated to academic salaries has remained pretty flat in this province. LU is here b/c government funding ⬇️ which has made universities take on more risky financial decisions
AND Public education is FAR more than providing a product. Laurentian is unique:
✅ Tri-cultural mandate to support French, English, and Indigenous communities in Ontario
✅ 52% of students are first-gen university students
✅ 65% of LU alum reside in Northern Ontario
✅ Tri-cultural mandate to support French, English, and Indigenous communities in Ontario
✅ 52% of students are first-gen university students
✅ 65% of LU alum reside in Northern Ontario
But DEREK, wouldn’t tax $$ just compound the issue?!
1) why should students & staff pay the price for poor governance at LU?
2) we need a commitment to accountable, meaningful, and transparent discussion of LU and the provincial government’s role in it as a PUBLIC institution.
1) why should students & staff pay the price for poor governance at LU?
2) we need a commitment to accountable, meaningful, and transparent discussion of LU and the provincial government’s role in it as a PUBLIC institution.
For YEARS @lufappul has been raising concerns about the secretive, non-consultative approach to university finances.
Again, financial exigency at LU is a result of poor decisions AND systematic defunding of higher Ed.
Again, financial exigency at LU is a result of poor decisions AND systematic defunding of higher Ed.
Most faculty collective agreements have a very clear process to deal with financial exigency — LU admin refuses to participate in this process and instead decided to take this to a court that deals with private corporations.
LU is a PUBLIC institution, not a private one.
When you systematically underfund public education, you bulldoze society — it extends to every sector.
Even more, when it’s an institution serving Northern and Indigenous communities, it is MORE important to support, not less.
When you systematically underfund public education, you bulldoze society — it extends to every sector.
Even more, when it’s an institution serving Northern and Indigenous communities, it is MORE important to support, not less.
If we treat LU as a private sector corporation, neoliberal austerity will come after the rest.
The university that are or hope to attend, hold a degree from, or work at. The one that serves your community, offers jobs, helps the local economy. Austerity will come for it too.
The university that are or hope to attend, hold a degree from, or work at. The one that serves your community, offers jobs, helps the local economy. Austerity will come for it too.
What we have here is a precedent setting issue — should we treat public universities as private sector corporations?
As close as I may be, I think the answer must be an astounding no. Public education cannot and should NEVER be confused with private business.
As close as I may be, I think the answer must be an astounding no. Public education cannot and should NEVER be confused with private business.
Universities are spaces for critical engagement with big ideas about the myriad problems that we face every day.
Sometimes that means taking on the status quo, taking on the very system we are part of.
We need to support this as a matter of civic responsibility.
Sometimes that means taking on the status quo, taking on the very system we are part of.
We need to support this as a matter of civic responsibility.
We rely on universities to develop the innovators, critical thinkers, and entrepreneurs that become laborers, scientists, teachers, doctors, and leaders. We need to FUND that as a PUBLIC good. Not a private one.
#onpse #onpoli #SaveLaurentian #fundLU @CAUT_ACPPU @OCUFA @UWOFA @YUFAyorku @NUFacultyAssoc @suttonjenn @OurSudbury @UA_magazine @chronicle #AcademicTwitter #cdnpoli #highered #highereducation
*resounding
If interested, see this piece by Deidre Rose @uofg who provides a snapshot of academic precarity in Canada (shoutout to Jamie Brownlee’s “Academia, Inc. @fernpub).
ojs.library.ubc.ca/index.php/newp…
ojs.library.ubc.ca/index.php/newp…
This piece written by my brilliant @kingsatwestern colleague @tracy_smithca for @ConversationCA illuminates how these issues are particularly relevant during the pandemic:
theconversation.com/low-funding-fo…
theconversation.com/low-funding-fo…
One of the questions I think we have to ask ourselves is: do we see ANY way out of this pandemic (or future ones) that doesn’t include support for our university and scientific communities?
Teaching and research matter today more than ever.
Teaching and research matter today more than ever.
Shoutout to @OCUFA for a lot of the info that went into this.
So why should you care?
LU is a test site for new arrangements of neoliberal austerity in higher education.
LU might be the first, but it certainly will not be the last.
Corporatization and privatization are circling our universities and they won’t stop.
LU is a test site for new arrangements of neoliberal austerity in higher education.
LU might be the first, but it certainly will not be the last.
Corporatization and privatization are circling our universities and they won’t stop.
I had someone drop into my DMs calling me a “liberal propagandist” for suggesting that public education should be public, so I figured I would just write my response here.
This is not partisan issue — supporting public education as such helps us all in ALL scenarios.
This is not partisan issue — supporting public education as such helps us all in ALL scenarios.
You want this pandemic to end? You can thank Oxford University and all of the universities that trained folks at those big pharma companies developing the mRNA vaccines.
idgaf about left or right, up or down, public education is fundamental to society. Full stop.
idgaf about left or right, up or down, public education is fundamental to society. Full stop.
Note: I did this 🧵 on my phone so yeah there are a bunch of errors. I am also RILED UP. Sorry.
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