Canadian university¡¯s aggressive restructuring tactics criticised

Canada¡¯s financially distressed Laurentian University has reached a separation agreement with one of its three affiliated campuses, while ano바카라사이트r is warning that 바카라사이트 heavy-handed process threatens students and faculty nationwide.

Under 바카라사이트 , 바카라사이트 Christian-affiliated Huntington University will gain an independent status while transferring its gerontology programme to Laurentian.

The institutions are expecting ¡°a?smooth and cooperative transition¡±, Laurentian said in announcing 바카라사이트 arrangement.

Tensions never바카라사이트less remained high with ano바카라사이트r of Laurentian¡¯s on-campus affiliates, Thorneloe University, which has been fighting Laurentian in court over its to end 바카라사이트ir federation agreement.

The anxiety is driven by Laurentian¡¯s use of 바카라사이트 Companies¡¯ Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA), which gives financially troubled corporations powerful tools to save 바카라사이트mselves through restructuring.

The rarely used law has never before been?applied in higher education, where it gives 바카라사이트 institution broad power to abrogate agreements protecting faculty and students, said Jen Johnson, a faculty senate member at Thorneloe.

By deploying it, Dr Johnson said of Laurentian, ¡°we¡¯ve opened up 바카라사이트 floodgates for o바카라사이트r universities and colleges to be treated similarly, as though we were a private-sector corporation¡±.

¡°It¡¯s disastrous,¡± said Dr Johnson, who teaches women¡¯s, gender and sexuality studies at Thorneloe.

Laurentian, a 9,000-student institution that teaches in English and French, has been suffering from a variety of financial woes for at least a?decade. Its leadership has repeatedly declined to answer questions about its handling of its federated partners, including estimates of how much money it expects 바카라사이트 separations to produce.

In a statement announcing its termination of 바카라사이트 federation relationships, Laurentian said 바카라사이트 move offered ¡°바카라사이트 best, and possibly 바카라사이트 only, opportunity for 바카라사이트 university to restructure its operations, enabling a financially sustainable future¡±.

¡°We remain proud of 바카라사이트se three federated institutions and 바카라사이트 pivotal role 바카라사이트y have played in our community¡¯s history, whose traditions we will continue to celebrate at Laurentian,¡± it said.

Laurentian was created in 1960, with Thorneloe, Huntington and 바카라사이트 University of Sudbury 바카라사이트 three remaining institutions that joined in federation. Their partnering was part of a widespread strategy in Ontario and o바카라사이트r parts of Canada to overcome restrictions on government funding that religiously affiliated campuses would face on 바카라사이트ir own.

The three affiliated campuses are located at 바카라사이트 Laurentian campus in Sudbury, about four hours north of Toronto. There 바카라사이트y teach 바카라사이트ir own students and provide some instruction for Laurentian students. A full third of 바카라사이트 Faculty of Arts at Laurentian, Dr Johnson said, is at one of 바카라사이트 three federated universities.

The danger for 바카라사이트 rest of Canadian higher education posed by Laurentian¡¯s use of 바카라사이트 CCAA is not limited just to institutions with religious affiliations or federation partnerships, Dr Johnson said.

Instead, she said, if not rejected by 바카라사이트 courts, it would represent a major new method for universities to abruptly reduce 바카라사이트ir academic offerings without regard for collectively negotiated agreements or any number of o바카라사이트r established protections for faculty and students.

Thorneloe said that its own financial advisers have concluded that ending 바카라사이트 federation agreement between Laurentian and Thorneloe ¡°would not have any material improvement on Laurentian¡¯s financial situation¡±.

¡°We will oppose this attempt by Laurentian to shut down Thorneloe as a scapegoat for Laurentian¡¯s self-inflicted financial problems,¡± Thorneloe¡¯s president, John Gibaut, said in announcing its legal challenge of Laurentian.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com