Know something? Say something!
Over the past year and a half, you have seen, heard, and witnessed the discussion at the college—and provincially—concerning increased cuts to programming and people being encouraged to depart. Algonquin’s leadership team is characterizing these actions as necessary mitigating strategies related to financial hardship and sustained college viability.
In the meantime, the college continues to operate with profits (see the February Board of Governors’ material). As a frontline educator, however, you are seeing reductions impacting your ability to deliver quality education such as restricted course and program offerings, increased class sizes, limits on student-related costs (printing, invigilation support, paying OTFT for participating in meetings, etc.), reduced preparation and PD opportunities, diminished coordinator hours with growing responsibilities, and shorter SWF discussions. As Pres Claude Brule stated in January 2025, nobody and no program is safe from potential cuts. You and your colleagues are fearful and understandably stressed.
What can you do?
- Attend an Employment Stability Information Workshop.
- Review these questions and reach out to comms@locallines.org with comments:
- Are you part of a program that has been openly identified in as being cut?
- Have you received a recent notice that your program has been suspended, cancelled, or deactivated?
- Has there been a change in practice in your area that causes concern?
- Are you in a teach-out part of a closing program?
- Are there new directives/activities in your department departing from past practice?
- Have you spoken to colleagues in your department and in other areas of the college to see about continuing work outside your department?
- Have you updated your Workday on a regular basis (especially if you were hired before 2018, and your resume was just ported to the site)?
- If there are non-full-time faculty in your area, could you teach those courses?
You need to put in this effort to give the Local something to fight with for your work at the college. Your degree/credential and experience are not enough protection. This is an urgent request. The college is not forthcoming with information, until it’s time for a big closure or cancellation notice. Your Local officers cannot access the loading or courses available in your departments. Find this information and talk to us, so we can support you.
Tracy Henderson, President
Judy Puritt, First Vice-President
Local 415 CESC reps