FACULTY opseu.org

Report on in Colleges Summary Overview ON $10,390 tain quality education, has been im- paired by insufficient government fund- This report examines Ontario’s commu- ing, and by recurring tensions between nity colleges from the perspective of the PE $11,390 the need for a strong academic and faculty who deliver their public service innovative culture, and the presence of – high quality post- an autocratic, “industrial” management and job training. The report was com- PQ $12,455 system. missioned by the Colleges of Applied Colleges were once 75% funded by government, Arts and Technology – Academic now government funding makes up less than 50% Changes to Government BC $13,901 of their operating revenue† (CAAT-A) division of the Ontario Public Funding Service Employees Union (OPSEU). Research for this study involved con- NB $13,979 Since their founding, the colleges have versations with over 600 faculty at all 24 been significantly impacted by cuts to colleges, along with historical research MB $15,161 government funding. In the mid 1980s, and present-day inquiry into the sector’s a Progressive Conservative federal financing, management, and opera- Today Ontario spends government began enacting neoliberal tions. The report is focused primarily on NL $16,118 policies that cut funding to the provinc- perceptions by college faculty that there es for post-secondary education, and is a crisis of quality within the college the least amount per that caused a resource crisis within the NS $16,218 2 system today. The report examines colleges. Insufficient funding, coupled challenges to quality, and advocates full time PSE with faculty-management conflicts over for system reforms that would properly SK $24,482 workload and academic decision-mak- resource Ontario’s colleges, and that ing, led to a 1984 faculty strike. The would establish an equal partnership AB $25,674 resolution of this strike brought needed between faculty, government, and ad- changes to the process of assigning faculty work, and also brought in- ministration. In 1987/88 tuition made up 9% Changes to Highest Marginal Income Tax Rates Canada and Ontario * creased provincial funding. In addition, History of college revenue, now it is several reports on the college system, 33.3% – a 370% increase 100% commissioned by the provincial govern- The Ontario Colleges of Applied Arts 80% 60% ment, advocated for a more collegial, and Technology (CAATs) were found- 40% collaborative approach to manage- 9% 33.3% Total College Revenue 20% ed in 1965 as a vehicle to increase 0% ment.3 access to post-secondary education, 1987/88 Tuition Levels 2013 Tuition Levels 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 to address the needs of learners not Despite a temporary influx of resourc- es and improved workload formula, served by the system, and to 0.45% Changes to Corporate meet local economic and community Income Tax Rates Canada and Ontario ** financial pressure on the colleges soon 0.40% development needs. The CAATs have 100% intensified. The election in 1995 of a 80%

0.41% Conservative provincial government, been highly successful at fulfilling their 0.35% 60% 40% along with a succession of fiscally con- mandate, with 24 institutions currently 20% serving 220,000 full-time and 300,000 0.30% 0% servative governments federally, led to

0.33% 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2013 part-time . This level of enrol- 0.32% further cuts to post-secondary funding. ment represents a 100% increase over 0.25% 0.29% Decreased funding was directly linked the past 28 years.1 to a drastic reduction in government 0.20%

0.23% 0.23% revenue caused by cuts to federal and 0.22% 0.22% 0.21% Since their founding there have been 0.21% 0.20% 0.20% 0.20% 0.20% provincial corporate taxes, and to the

0.15% 0.19% many changes to the mandate of the 0.18% highest brackets of personal income 0.16% 0.16% 0.15% 0.15% CAATs, as subsequent governments 0.15% 0.10% tax. Over the past 15 years these cuts have sought to update and even re- have reduced the government’s tax rev- make the system based on changing 0.05% enue as a percentage of GDP by 4%, economic conditions and political 2004–05 2006–07 2008–09 2011–12 2012–13 2005–06 1997–98 2010–11 1995–96 1993–94 2001–02 2000–01 2007–08 2009–10 1996–97 2002–03 2003–04 1994–95 1998–99 1992–93 0.00% 1999–00 leading to an approximately $80 billion ideologies. The ability of the colleges to deficit in income.4 adapt to these changes, and to main- Federal Cash Transfers for Post-secondary Education (% GDP) * (Brown & Mintz 2012:26) ** (Brown & Mintz 2012:28)5 † (CFS-O 2013a, Impact of Underfunding 2 on Students)6 (Colleges Ontario 2005 Environmental Scan, p. 71)7 (CAUT Almanac 2013 p. 3)8 3 (CFS-O 2013a, Impact of Underfunding on Students)10 2012 Salary The Neoliberal College Challenges Facing Quality Algonquin +10.13% $333,497 Expanding Administration In addition to cutting financial support Education Boréal +8.23% $242,925 College While overall government funding for for post-secondary education, provin- Cambrian +6.30% $257,031 the colleges is far below sustainable Unsustainable Workload cial governments have also sought to Canadore +8.32% $213,310 Presidents’ levels, what resources have been com- re-make the colleges within a neoliberal Excessive faculty workloads have a di- ing into the system have increasingly Centennial +11.57% $319,045 framework. Changes have included the rect impact on the quality of education, Average gone toward expanding full-time ad- proliferation of private career colleges, a as they reduce the time faculty have to Confederation +16.07% $226,922 ministration and increasing adminis- mandate to globalize college operations interact with students and support their Conestoga +14.42% $409,900 Yearly Salary tration salaries. Between 1996/97 and in terms of student recruitment and learning. In 2009, a government-ap- Durham +20.17% $277,324 2011/12, the number of full-time college for-profit foreign partnerships, creation pointed Task Force on Workload stud- administrative staff has increased by Fanshawe +9.51% Increase $275,515 13 of a competitive domestic environment ied the daily activities of faculty, and based on 1996 through 2012 Sunshine Lists 55% (Colleges Ontario 2013). In the between colleges and , mass concluded that the current formula for George Brown +10.69% $358,700 colleges today there is now one full-time layoffs of full time faculty and reliance on assigning faculty work does not ac- Georgian +10.67% $159,821 administrator for every three full-time In the college system today there is... 14 part time workers, and increasing stu- count for the extra time associated with Humber +13.73% $427,916 faculty. dent tuition and corporate sponsorship a high technology workplace, larger La Cité +14.02% as percentages of total college operat- classes, and fewer full-time faculty.12 $256,229 Full-Time Faculty Autocratic Management and ing revenues. Most recently, changes to Lambton +14.03% Low Faculty Morale Today, other prevalent workload con- $249,786 the colleges have included a massive for every cerns include: Loyalist +8.53% $274387 In his 1985 report on work assignment push to expand online course delivery, in the CAATs, professor Michael Skol- ❱ insufficient time for developing, Mohawk +16.81% $275,515 a rapid increase in numbers of admin- nik was struck by the poor morale of preparing and delivering online and Niagara +7.94% istration, and in administration salaries, $329,224 college faculty, and the incompatibility blended courses Part-Time Faculty and a mandate to “differentiate” the Northern +11.18% $256,640 of an academic environment with an college sector to avoid “program dupli- ❱ growing expectations that faculty St. Clair +6.58% $300,124 industrial management style. He noted: cation”. volunteer time for college promo- St. Lawrence +8.07% Full-Time Administrator tional events $228,873 What is perhaps most at issue here Collective Bargaining Sault +14.12% is the extent to which faculty are ❱ $284,181 for every increasing time spent mentoring viewed and treated as responsible College faculty have adapted to the Seneca +32.09% part-time faculty $396,173 professionals whose judgment in sweeping changes of the past 20 years ❱ unsustainable teaching loads for Sheridan +19.91% $353,908 academic matters is valued and as best they can, while maintaining their librarians Sir Sandford Full-Time Faculty whose opinions are sought. Faculty professional focus on student success. $279,313 ❱ Fleming +5.44% should not be seen as educational Through 19 rounds of collective bar- unsustainable caseloads for coun- technicians who must be told in gaining, faculty have made key gains in selors Between 1988/89 and 2004/05, detail what to do. Effective man- their ability to maintain quality educa- full-time student enrolment Increase in Non-Full-Time agement of the colleges does not tion, while only resorting to job action Faculty 60 increased by 53%, while full-time require clocking faculty time as three times. However, despite faculty’s 7 faculty decreased by 22% much as it does motivating, sup- commitment to resolving concerns In the colleges today the ratio of full- 50 porting, and involving faculty, and through negotiations, the lack of ac- time to part-time faculty is approximate- Academic Administrative Student Enrolment assessing educational outcomes, ademic freedom in the faculty collec- ly 1 to 3. The lack of full-time faculty 40 rather than inputs of time.15 tive agreement has made maintaining means less time for dealing with stu- 30 standards increasingly difficult. Other dents, less time for course and program Skolnik recommended a much more development, and a greater challenge challenges to quality include unsustain- 20 collegial approach to faculty-manage- able workloads, the increasing use of to maintain academic standards. In ment relations; however, little change non-full-time faculty, the expansion of addition, partial load faculty (teaching 10 has been made in this direction. To- college administration, and the prolifera- between 7 and 12 hours per week) are day’s college faculty continue to feel -0 tion of online course delivery. precarious workers who have no job cent change over 1995-96 Per undervalued, micro-managed, and security or seniority when it comes to marginalized from academic decisions. applying for full-time jobs. -10 In addition, faculty who voice concerns about educational standards are being -20 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–00 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 bullied, disciplined, and even having Changes in full-time college staff and full-time student enrolment their employment terminated. The poor

4 Sources: College Employer Council, Ontario Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities and Colleges Ontario. 5 state of faculty morale is evidenced Cost Cutting and ❱ First, it is scientifically and empiri- by the growing number of grievances Commodification cally invalid to claim that, in com- being filed against managers under the College Professors munity colleges, online and hybrid Online classes are widely cited as new discrimination/bullying/psycholog- courses provide comparable or a means to cut costs. Cost savings ical harassment article in the collective most trusted to superior quality of education in rela- generally come through reducing the agreement. tion to face-to-face courses. number of faculty, using part-time or ensure quality less skilled faculty in course delivery, in- ❱ Second, it is clear that the deficits Public Opinion on College When asked who they trust the most to ensure creasing class sizes, and reducing “pro- of online and hybrid courses in Faculty and Academic Freedom that students at Ontario colleges get a high quality gram duplication” between colleges. As community colleges are greater for students who are male, low-so- education, Ontarians chose college professors college professors have no academic For this research, two public opinion polls cio-economic status, from minority 62% - College Professors over administration or government. freedom or intellectual property pro- were commissioned through Vector Marketing. tection, all they develop can groups, or less academically pre- Both polls show strong public trust for college be sold by their employers to whatever pared. faculty in providing quality education, as well third party the employer chooses – be Given these conclusions, two practices as support for faculty academic freedom and it a publishing company, a private, faculty control over online learning. in relation to online and hybrid learning Of particular note, among Ontarians aged for-profit college, or a technology com- seem of primary importance: pany. In documents on the web site of 18 to 24, 76% chose college professors as ❱ First, it is imperative that the use most trusted to ensure quality of education. Contact North, the consortium of On- Online Course Delivery tario colleges and universities that runs of online and hybrid courses be In 2012 the Ministry of Training, Col- online courses through Ontario Learn, it determined by pedagogical criteria leges, and Universities (MTCU) pub- When asked who they trust to decide when is clear that online classes are seen as and student success, not by simple “one size fits all”, cost-cutting im- lished Strengthening Ontario’s Cen- a course or program should be offered online, a means of reducing faculty and utilizing peratives. These delivery methods tres of Creativity, Innovation, and or in a traditional classroom, Ontarians again less qualified faculty.17 It is also clear can be effective for certain students Knowledge, a “discussion paper” on trust college professors over administration 57% - College Professors that forming partnerships with massive “post-secondary differentiation”.16 This or government. educational corporations to provide and courses, and significantly report suggests sweeping reforms content and delivery is one of Contact detrimental to others. The use of to Ontario’s post-secondary system, North’s goals.18 non-face-to-face delivery should be designed to account for continued assessed on a course by course financial austerity. In order to cut costs, Online is Not a and program by program basis, colleges are being encouraged to of Ontarians think that college professors, in defense Replacement for with academic faculty determining of academic standards, should have the right to when and how they are used. increase their online course offerings. Face-to-Face Learning Although faculty see a definite place for criticize college administration without fear of being ❱ Second, it is imperative that rig- online classes in post-secondary, they punished or fired. 91% of Ontarians aged 18 to 24 The debate about the effectiveness of orous studies of comparative also believe this delivery method is not % think professors should have this right. online and hybrid (blended) delivery in educational outcomes in online, an adequate replacement for face-to- relation to face-to-face delivery is hot- hybrid, and face-to-face courses face instruction, and that its use needs 83 ly contested. Two extensive studies be conducted in Ontario colleges. to be based on pedagogical criteria, not performed by the Community College This research should deal with the on budgetary considerations. of Ontarians think that it is very important or important for Research Centre (CCRC) at Columbia concerns raised by the significant college professors to determine what they teach in their University showed that online and hy- critical literature on online educa- In addition, at each of the 24 CAATs, brid classes at Virginia and Washington faculty identified a significant number of classroom, what teaching methods they use, how students tion. are graded, what textbooks and assignments are used, and State community colleges were less student complaints concerning on- effective than face-to-face instruction. other course requirements. Among Ontarians aged 18 to 24, Academic Freedom line courses. Faculty report that many Both studies followed tens of thousands 92% affirm the importance of faculty academic freedom. % Ontario college faculty currently have no students are unable to learn effectively of students and hundreds of thousands guaranteed academic freedom, and no online, and that they feel they are being 81 of courses over four years.19 When con- ability to defend academic standards in “ripped off” by required courses either sidering the research on online learn- the face of budget cuts and austerity. being offered only online, or in “blend- ing’s effectiveness, the following firm of Ontarians think that having a full-time professor is The lack of academic freedom threat- ed” format, in which a certain percent- conclusions can be drawn: age of a course’s face-to-face instruc- either very important or important for quality of education. ens quality in several ways: tion time is replaced with online time. Among Ontarians aged 18 to 24, the number preferring full-time professors is 83%. 6 74% 7 Lack of Faculty Control over that the CAATs continue to fulfill their ❱ As endorsed by the CFS and 2. Academic Freedom, Staffing, Academic Decisions original mandate of access, quality, and CFS-O, enact a program of federal and Workload in Faculty service to diverse communities. Being student loan debt reduction intend- Academic freedom includes the ability Collective Agreement equal partners with college adminis- ed to cut the amount of Canadian of faculty to determine what they teach, The second recommendation is that tration and the provincial government student debt in half.23 how they teach it, what materials they means faculty having a strong voice articles on academic freedom and intel- use, and how they evaluate students. In ❱ Reintroduce a comprehensive, within the classroom, within the gov- lectual property protection be included the colleges today all of these decisions need-based tuition grant pro- ernance of each institution, and when in the college faculty collective agree- are being increasingly made by man- gram.24 setting priorities for the system as a ment. In addition, provisions to ensure agement and by educational corpora- whole. To this end, the report makes Commitment to Community- adequate numbers of full-time faculty, tions. the following recommendations. Centered Public Education and sustainable workloads must also be included. Inability to Criticize ❱ End public-private campuses, and 1. All-party Select Committee Management Decisions and ensure that all new CAAT cam- Commitment to Faculty Academic on Ontario Post-secondary Advocate for Student Success puses in Ontario are fully publicly Freedom Education funded and staffed with CAAT-A ❱ With no guaranteed academic freedom, Include academic freedom in the The first recommendation is for the faculty covered under the collective faculty can’t publicly criticize manage- college faculty collective agree- provincial government to convene an agreement. ment decisions that compromise stu- ment, specifying faculty control all-party select committee to examine dent learning or student safety. Faculty ❱ Give equal standing to faculty, over academic decisions related to the present and future sustainability of face management retaliation when along with colleges and the MTCU, course design, content, delivery, the post-secondary system in Ontario, speaking up for students who clearly in decisions affecting the devel- and evaluation. and to work closely with college fac- don’t want online learning, or who are opment of the community college ❱ Include intellectual property protec- ulty, university faculty, and students to otherwise being underserved by the system. Immediately establish the tion in the faculty collective agree- address issues of funding, tuition, and college due to large class sizes, chang- Joint Task Force, as required under ment. student debt. The committee needs to the faculty collective agreement es to curriculum, requirements to pur- ❱ Affirm faculty control over how, consider the following proposed chang- whenever changes to college man- chase expensive learning technologies, where, and when online course es: dates occur, to deal with the issue cancellation of popular, but less profit- delivery is utilized. able programs, classroom health and Commitment to Adequate Funding of differentiation, and to discuss the recommendations in this report. Commitment to Full-Time Staffing safety, and increasing tuition fees. ❱ At the federal level, implement a ❱ Ensure that program and course ❱ Plan to increase numbers of full- No Intellectual Property Post-Secondary Education Act, as endorsed by the Canadian Feder- offering diversity is maintained at time faculty and maintain a mini- Protection ation of Students (CFS).20 This Act the local level, and that individual mum ratio within each college of It is widely noted that without intellec- would be modeled after the Cana- colleges are able to determine how full-time to part-time. tual property protection (IPP) there is da Health Transfer, and would bring best to meet the educational needs ❱ Introduce into the collective agree- a profound disincentive for intellectual federal funding for post-secondary of their community. ment seniority for partial load fac- workers to innovate, create, and devel- education back to 1992 levels, or ❱ Ensure continued funding and sup- ulty in terms of work assignments op new knowledge. The lack of faculty 0.4% of GDP. port for the unique needs of North- and hiring preference for full-time IPP places a chill on innovation in the ❱ At the provincial level, bring gov- ern and Francophone colleges. jobs. college system, and creates a disin- ernment funding per full-time Evaluate the specific impact on centive for faculty to bring their best ❱ Introduce conversion language into post-secondary student up to the these colleges from any mandate knowledge, skill and experience to the the faculty collective agreement for national average. change proposed by the MTCU. courses that they teach. part-time faculty. Commitment to Affordable Education ❱ Affirm federal and provincial funding ❱ Ensure that all non-full-time faculty sufficient to maintain appropriate Recommendations ❱ As endorsed by the CFS and are allowed to organize into a union statistics on the college system, to Establish an Equal CFS-O, reduce college tuition fees without interference and opposition including financing, operations, Partnership to 1992 levels.21 from management or the provincial staffing, enrolment, student tuitions government. Faculty need to be equal partners in ❱ As endorsed by the CFS and and student debt, and educational order to meet the challenges facing CFS-O, cap college administrator outcomes. college education today, and to ensure salaries .22

8 9 Commitment to Sustainable Workload References ❱ Modify the faculty collective agree- ment to account for the additional workload implications of email 1. Colleges Ontario (2014) Ontario colleges experience high- 12. Joint Workload Task Force (2009) Joint Workload Task communications, learning manage- est-ever first-year enrolment. http://collegesontario.org/ Force Report. p. 14 news/news-releases/2014/FirstYearEnrolment.html 13. Colleges Ontario (2013) College Resources Environmen- ment system maintenance, de- Gandz, J (1988) Report of the colleges collective bargain- tal Scan 2013. Toronto: Colleges Ontario, p. 11 http:// ing commission. Toronto: Minister of Colleges and Univer- veloping, preparing and delivering collegesontario.org/research/2012%20Environmental%20 sities, p. 2 http://www.thecouncil.on.ca/articles/56 courses through alternative meth- Scan/CO_EnvScan_12_College_Resources_WEB.pdf 2. Jones, G. (2004) Ontario reform, 1995- ods (including online and blended 14. Colleges Ontario (2013) College Resources Environmen- 2003: From modest modifications to policy reform. The tal Scan 2013. Toronto: Colleges Ontario, p. 10 http:// delivery), and mentoring part-time Canadian Journal of Higher Education. 34(3), pp. 39-54 faculty collegesontario.org/research/2012%20Environmental%20 3. Gandz, J (1988) Report of the colleges collective bargain- Scan/CO_EnvScan_12_College_Resources_WEB.pdf ing commission. Toronto: Minister of Colleges and Univer- 15. Skolnik, M (1985) Survival or excellence: A study of in- 3. Task Force on College sities, p. 2 http://www.thecouncil.on.ca/articles/56 structional assignment in Ontario colleges of applied arts Skolnik, M (1985) Survival or excellence: A study of in- Co-Governance and technology. Toronto: Instructional Assignment Review structional assignment in Ontario colleges of applied arts Committee., p. 124 http://www.thecouncil.on.ca/articles/56 The third recommendation is that the and technology. Toronto: Instructional Assignment Review province appoint a Task Force on Committee. http://www.thecouncil.on.ca/articles/56 16. Ministry of Training, Colleges & Universities (2012) Pitman, W. (1986) The report to the advisor to the Minister Strengthening Ontario’s centres of creativity, innovation, College Co-Governance, including of Colleges and Universities on the governance of the col- and knowledge. http://www.tcu.gov.on.ca/pepg/publica- representatives from the college faculty leges of applied arts and technology. Advisor to the Minis- tions/DiscussionStrengtheningOntarioPSE.pdf ter of Colleges and Universities on College Governance. union, the College Employer’s Council, 17. Contact North (2013) Reducing costs through online learn- the Canadian Association of University 4. Storey, J. (2013) Saying no to the conjurer’s trick of tax ing: Five proven strategies from the US, Canada, the UK cuts. http://behindthenumbers.ca/2013/12/17/saying-no- and Australia. Contact North. p. 2 http://www.contactnorth. Teachers (CAUT), and university admin- to-the-conjurers-trick-of-tax-cuts/ ca/trends-directions/cost-savings istration. This task force would exam- 5. Brown, R.D. & Mintz, J. (2012) The big picture. in Kerr, 18. Contact North (2013) The corporate educators are ine a process to establish institutional H., McKenzie, K. & Mintz, J. (eds.) Tax policy in Canada. coming…. Contact North. http://www.contactnorth.ca/ co-governance in the colleges. Toronto: Canadian Tax Foundation. pp. 1-34 trends-directions/strategic-directions-0 ❱ Examine the possibility of a bicam- 6. Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario (CFSO) (2013a) 19. Jaggers, S.S. & Xu, D. (2010) Online learning in the Virginia The impact of government underfunding on students. community college system. Community College Research eral governance structure in the http://cfsontario.ca/downloads/CFS-Factsheet-Underfund- Center. http://ccrc.tc.columbia.edu/Online-Education-In- CAATs province-wide. Each institu- ing%20of%20PSE.pdf structional-Technology.html Xu, D. & Jaggars, S.S. (2011) Online and hybrid course tion will have an Academic Senate 7. Association of Colleges of Applied Arts and Technol- enrollment and performance in Washington state commu- ogy Ontario (ACAATO) (2005) ACAATO environmental as well as a Board of Governors, nity and technical colleges. Community College Research scan 2005. p. 71 http://www.collegesontario.org/re- Center. http://ccrc.tc.columbia.edu/Online-Education-In- with the Senate responsible for search/2005-environmental-scan.html academic decision-making. structional-Technology.html 8. Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT) (2013) 20. Canadian Federation of Students (CFS) (2013) Public edu- CAUT almanac of post-secondary ❱ Bicameral governance will enable cation for the public good. Toronto: CFS, p. 10 http://cfs- 2013-14. Ottawa: CAUT, p. 3 http://www.caut.ca/docs/ fcee.ca/research-policy/policy-papers-and-submissions/ colleges to better determine insti- default-source/almanac/almanac_2013-2014_print_finalE- tutional priorities, and to ensure 20A5E5CA0EA6529968D1CAF.pdf?sfvrsn=2 21. Ibid that academic standards are not 9. Ibid, p. 1 22. CFS-O (2012) Deconstructing Drummond: Bleeding the system dry. Toronto: CFS-O, p. 7 http://cfsontario.ca/ sacrificed in pursuit of cost-cutting 10. Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario (CFSO) (2013a) downloads/CFS-Drummond%20Analysis.pdf imperatives. The impact of government underfunding on students. http://cfsontario.ca/downloads/CFS-Factsheet-Underfund- 23. Canadian Federation of Students (CFS) (2013) Public edu- ing%20of%20PSE.pdf cation for the public good. Toronto: CFS, p. 12 http://cfs- fcee.ca/research-policy/policy-papers-and-submissions/ 11. Ibid 24. Ibid, p. 14

Faculty and students are at the heart of college education; it’s time they played a greater role in determining the system’s future... To read the full report, go to opseu.org

10 11 Produced by OPSEU Communications

Report author Kevin MacKay, Professor

1st Edition, April 2014