News
Read the latest news in BC post-secondary education.
Proposed Blueprint raises more questions than answers
With the Legislative press gallery in full attendance, the BC government released its report on proposed changes to the province’s education and training plan. The proposed changes were the result of a review undertaken by former Deputy Minister Jessica MacDonald who canvassed the views of employers, the labour movement, post-secondary institutions as well as a…
International Women's Day 2014
For more than a hundred years, women around the world have marked March 8th as a day to reflect, remember, regroup and renew their struggle for economic and social equality in their communities and their workplaces. It has been a struggle marked by great gains, enormous bonds of solidarity, as well as the courage to…
Drought Continues For Post-Secondary Education in 2014
Faculty say flat budget and tougher mandates will squeeze students and institutions “Between the Minister Virk’s mandate letter priorities and the spending estimates for Advanced Education in the Finance Minister’s budget, colleges, universities and institutes will continue to see tighter operating budgets over the next three years,” said Cindy Oliver, President of the Federation of…
Faculty and student organizations launch campaign to save ESL programs in BC
For Saeideh Ghassarifar, English Language Training (ELT) programs are a very real part of her education plan. Ms. Ghassarifar is from Iran. She has three degrees including a doctorate in health care education. She’s currently enrolled in English 099 at Vancouver Community College as part of her longer term plan not just to improve her…
STATEMENT ON THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE MONTREAL MASSACRE
Twenty-four years ago Canada, and the world, were witness to the violent and senseless murder of fourteen women at Ecole Polytechnic in Montreal. Twenty-four years later those murders have become a stark reminder to us all of the problem of violence against women. According to the United Nations, at least one in three women in…
Fair Employment Week 2013: October 21-25
Fair employment means exactly that; salary, workplace rights and benefits that are fair to everyone. However, for more and more faculty and staff who work and teach in post-secondary institutions across Canada, fair employment is anything but fair. Non-regular or contingent faculty face major challenges because their employment status is temporary and their access to…
The Harper Government is at it again – this time it’s Labour Market Agreements
Provincial government’s across Canada are raising the warning flag over the federal government’s announced intention to claw back funding that had been given to the Labour Market Agreement program, a funding arrangement designed to support provincial efforts to improve training in their regions. At stake in this federal-provincial tug of war is close to a…
Finance Committee Hearings coming to a community near you
Under BC legislation, the Legislature’s Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services is required to hold public hearings to gather input on the priorities for the February 2014 provincial budget. The hearings are an important way for community organizations, unions, concerned citizens and other key stakeholders to voice their concerns about the fiscal priorities that…
Move to review ITA a step in the right direction
This month the Minster responsible for the Industry Training Authority, Shirley Bond, announced her government’s intention to review the ITA. Minister Bond announced that Jessica MacDonald, a former Deputy Minister with the BC government, would be the Independent Review Lead for a thorough review of the ITA. In making the announcement, Minster Bond noted that…
Union goes to court to stop Capilano University’s Board from approving budget cuts
Faculty Want Budget Meeting Re-Scheduled to June, After the BC Election The Federation of Post-Secondary Educators (FPSE), the provincial organization that represents over 10,000 faculty and staff in BC’s post-secondary institutions, is asking the BC Supreme Court to issue an injunction that would force the Board of Capilano University to re-schedule their May 14 meeting…