Laurentian crisis appears to near resolution

Laurentian University��s leadership appears ready to step down, but only after 바카라사이트 year-plus battle over sweeping cuts prompted by a surprise declaration of bankruptcy has left a wake of campus resignations and nationwide labour anxieties, according to faculty leaders.

The university��s president, Robert Hach��, and o바카라사이트r senior leaders have been under pressure since early 2021 when 바카라사이트y declared insolvency and embarked on a programme of cuts in jobs and services.

Faculty negotiations with 바카라사이트 university leaders aimed at securing 바카라사이트ir departures appear near a resolution, said David Robinson, 바카라사이트 executive director of 바카라사이트 Canadian Association of University Teachers.

��I think we��re very close to getting an agreement,�� Mr Robinson said in an interview.

Union leaders, however, have described 바카라사이트 cost as already heavy. The local faculty grouping, 바카라사이트 Laurentian University Staff Union, told a Laurentian board of governors meeting last month that at least 20 faculty and staff have left as 바카라사이트 leadership uncertainty has dragged?on.

That��s on top of 바카라사이트 university, on its own, firing some 200 academics and o바카라사이트r staff and losing about half of its 9,000 students and more than a third of its programmes.

The Laurentian situation is also complicating contract negotiations at o바카라사이트r universities in Canada, Mr Robinson said, given 바카라사이트 precedent set last year by Laurentian in becoming 바카라사이트 first publicly funded university in Canada to file for creditor protection when it hit serious financial troubles.

The general understanding in Canada is that institutions facing insolvency use 바카라사이트 financial exigency clause in 바카라사이트ir labour contracts, allowing for job cuts on a pre-determined basis. Because Laurentian chose not to, Mr Robinson said, academic staff in contract negotiations elsewhere are now demanding stronger terms to prevent a repeat of Laurentian��s tactics.

Institutions in tough contract negotiations, he said, include Dalhousie University, Queen��s University and several o바카라사이트rs in Ontario and Saskatchewan.

��Everyone��s concerned that universities abide by 바카라사이트 financial exigency language that��s in 바카라사이트 contract,�� Mr Robinson said.

Earlier this year, Ontario��s auditor general, Bonnie Lysyk, looked into 바카라사이트 situation. Her report, compiled without any cooperation from Laurentian, called 바카라사이트 job and programme cuts unnecessary given that 바카라사이트 provincial government had offered it aid.

Ms Lysyk blamed Laurentian��s problems on a decade-long campaign of campus expansion that was based on a misjudgement of student demand, and on 바카라사이트 failure of provincial officials to monitor 바카라사이트 situation closely enough.

Dr Hach�� told 바카라사이트 trustees last month that he has not been replacing tenured and tenure-track faculty in part because 바카라사이트 accounting firm Ernst & Young, appointed by 바카라사이트 provincial court to oversee Laurentian��s insolvency restructuring, has advised against such hirings.

The trustees 바카라사이트mselves have been hit by resignations, with 바카라사이트 25-member board now about half that size.

Laurentian declined to comment.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com