Despite a message from Concordia University president Alan Shepard that attempts to soothe fears of job cuts on campus, it remains unclear how the institution will cope with a dramatically shrinking budget.

A letter sent by Shepard to the university community on Nov. 18 said that not only is Concordia grappling with a government-directed reduction of $15.7 million in its 2014–2015 operating budget, but also now faces a second wave of budget cuts that leaves the university short $1.5 million in government funds.

The university had hoped to find savings of up to $12 million with a “voluntary departure program,” but the letter revealed that only 90 of a hoped for 180 staff had opted to participate in the program.

In the letter, Concordia says it is holding off on filling current vacancies, reducing the expenditure budget for upgrading computer equipment, and will continue to make adjustment to various funds to deal with the challenges brought about by budget compressions.

“There’s no question that morale is being affected,” said Ted Stathopoulos, president of the Concordia University Faculty Association. “Faculty are concerned. I’m personally concerned. We’re trying to take it one day at a time.”

He said where the remaining savings will be found is uncertain, but if another 90 or so staff are cut in order to meet the original target of 180 departures, “it will be no small thing.”

Other than the magnitude of the cuts, Stathopoulos is surprised by both the speed at which the reductions have been imposed, and at the lack of direction demonstrated by the provincial government.

He said the university has been unable to plan with any certainty, as funding cuts and changes to budgets have continued to erupt with little predictability.

“The rate of change is unreasonable. The government is cutting, and constantly vacillating,” he said. “Concordia has had to change its budget five times over the past two years. It has created huge uncertainty.”

Concordia is not alone. Quebec’s universities were told on Nov. 12 about the second wave of budget cuts for this fiscal year, amounting to $31.6 million, which followed the first round of deeper cuts originally divulged in September.

It was after the first round of cuts that Concordia held a series of community meetings, seeking input on ways to find savings. The idea of voluntary staff departures arose from those meetings, but has fallen far short of the needed take-up, leading to the tough question of how the institution will proceed.

Stathopoulos said faculty have been asked to innovate in an effort to find new ways to save, but with more than 80 per cent of the university’s costs attributable to fixed salaries, that may be easier said than done.
     
“The climate is not the best, but I hope this crisis will generate ideas and motivations to save, to do things differently,” he said.