February 2001 Our Universities Facing 'Creeping Privatization' The Canadian university is quickly becoming less a public institution and more a private one, concludes the current issue of CAUT's Education Review. Cross-Country Hearings Start in Halifax CAUT is stepping up its campaign work in 2001 with the launch in Halifax on Mar. 910 of the first in a series of cross-country hearings on the state of post-secondary education in Canada. Flip-Flopping on Education I feel like a John Ibbitson coupon clipper. Over the past two years I've been collecting the Globe and Mail columnist's articles on education, and fittingly, they are very instructive. Occasionally insightful and always bombastic, they are the basis for lively discussions about the direction of schools and universities in Ontario. They are also filled with glaring contradictions that must leave readers scratching their heads about what's going on inside Ibbitson's. Miller & Kornberg Articles Commendable The publication of an article by Sarah Miller of Queen's University on deregulation of fees back to back with that of Nobel Laureate Arthur Kornberg (Bulletin, December 2000) is certainly to be commended. The first, articulate and concise, the second reflective and prognostic, provide university students, faculty, administration, and staff choice information as they proceed in their daily tasks. Both are posted on our bulletin board outside our research laboratories. Law Commission Report Gives Short Shrift to Research Funding Issue In his review of the Law Commission of Canada report entitled The Governance of Health Research Involving Human Subjects (Michael MacDonald et al), Patrick O'Neill writes: "The study gives short shrift to the problems associated with funding of research by private industry" (Bulletin, January 2001). Carleton Teaching Assistants Win! Teaching assistants at Carleton University won a stunning victory hours before their strike deadline on Jan. 31. In addition to wage increases of 3.5 per cent in the first year and 4 per cent in the second, their new agreement provides for tuition increase protection. The Evolution of University Governance In the 35 years since the Duff Berdahl report (University Government in Canada), governance in Canadian universities has changed. It is interesting to document the changes that have occurred. Quebec Government Announces Tax Break The government of Quebec is offering five-year income tax holidays in an effort to lure foreign academics in information technology, engineering, health sciences and finance to take jobs at the province's universities. Victory at Trois-Rivières The nine-week strike by almost 350 sessional lecturers at the University of Quebec at Trois-Rivières ended on Jan Coming in 2001 The CAUT librarians conference will take place Oct National Lobby Day Set for April CAUT and the Fédération québécoise des professeures et professeurs d'université (FQPPU) have set Thursday, April 26 as the date of the next national joint lobby day Exploitation of Contract Staff Topic of San Jose Conference Higher education faculty from 16 states and four Canadian provinces gathered in San Jose, California recently for COCAL IV, a national conference on contingent academic labour. The January conference, hosted by the California Part-time Faculty Association (CPFA), brought together more than 150 activists and organizers to seek solutions for one of the most serious problems facing college and university educators — the exploitation and overuse of contract academic staff. Gaps Widen in Education Support A patchwork quilt of provincial policies is creating serious disparities in educational opportunity across Canada, says the second annual report on the state of post-secondary education released in January by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA). Controversy Heats Up at Trent over College Closures At its January meeting, Trent University's board of governors provoked an angry response from student and faculty demonstrators when it refused to allow Professor John Syrett to present a motion from the Faculty Council regarding the board's decision to close the university's two downtown colleges. Throne Speech Fosters Bad Science The Speech from the Throne, opening the 37th session of Parliament, was delivered in January with promises the government will continue to strategically target funding for university research. But CAUT is warning the Liberal government's plans will jeopardize the integrity and independence of university-based research. New Zealand Study Shows Folly of Market-Driven Universities With his customary shrewd insight and clarity, Donald Savage reports on the state of academic freedom in New Zealand and makes recommendations for change.