A recent study has found that hiking tuition fees, as recommended by former NDP premier Bob Rae in his Postsecondary Review, would be the wrong move. To do so would disadvantage students from middle income families earning $35,000 to $75,000 a year. According to reports that would create financial barriers for Ontario families in the middle 50 per cent of the income distribution. The study, entitled "The Tuition Trap" was commissioned by the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA). Continue reading
 

Unlike the Ontario universities which are exempt from Freedom of Information (FOI) legislation, the Ministry of Colleges and Universities is subject to the FOI Act. A Freedom of Information request has revealed that the Rae Review cost just under $2-million, with Rae himself pocketing a cool $90,000. The report has been criticized by some as an exercise in the discovery of the obvious, and has been lauded by others as comprehensive. The single nugget we find most useful in the report is that under ACCOUNTABILITY Rae said "Freedom of information legislation should be extended in its application to all institutions." Rae has recognized that only by legislating accountability and transparency for Ontario's universities will we know if our tax and tuition dollars are being wisely spent. Continue reading
 

The final report of Bob Rae’s Postsecondary Review has been splashed all over the media following its release yesterday. Overlooked in the ensuing media buzz, including Trent President Bonnie Patterson's "Press Release", is Rae’s recommendation that “Freedom of information legislation should be extended in its application to all institutions.” (Predictably, the phenomena of not acknowledging and/or ignoring this recommendation is wide spread among Ontario universities who have long resisted becoming transparent and accountable under legislation.) The public has a right to demand and be assured universities are managed responsibly and that new funding does not, as Rae warns, “disappear into the administrative function of institutions.” (See related Examiner letter to the Editor). Premier McGuinty must now act swiftly to assure universities become subject to Freedom of Information legislation. Continue reading
 

Released today, Bob Rae's Postsecondary Review's final report contains at least one ray of hope. Under "ACCOUNTABILITY" Rae said "Freedom of information legislation should be extended in its application to all institutions. ". Is our guarded optimism just wishful thinking or has Rae realized that only by legislating accountability and transparency for Ontario's universities will we know if our tax and tuition dollars are being wisely spent or if we're just being fleeced? We're not alone in our thinking - even OPSEU has endorsed the call to include universities in freedom of information legislation. Continue reading
 

In the Peterborough town hall meeting Rae was asked: "In view of the government’s commitment to openness and transparency and this Review’s accountability objectives I ask the Postsecondary Review to formally recommend to the government the following;

1. That universities must be subject to and fully compliant with Ontario’s Freedom of Information legislation, and,
2. That tuition fees not be increased until such time as the Ontario universities are subject to, and fully compliant with, Ontario’s Freedom of Information legislation, and finally
3. That no new funding should flow to universities until such time as the Ontario universities are subject to, and fully compliant with, Ontario’s Freedom of Information legislation."

Continue reading
 

Newsflash: OPSEU president Leah Casselman says there needs to be a more transparent and open process in the universities and that they should be included in the freedom of information legislation so that their administration is held more accountable for funds. Continue reading
 

In the Ottawa town hall meeting Rae was asked: "We note that you are presently the chancellor of a university that is an active member of the COU. Given that, and your own government’s reluctance to bring universities under freedom of information in the early 90’s, can you tell us where you * now * stand on the issue and what scope you feel the panel has to make recommendations on the matter?" Continue reading
 

OurTrent submits Rae Postsecondary Review recommendations directly to Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities Mary Anne Chambers.(In her November 16, 2004 response Minister Chambers agreed that Ontario universities should be subject to Freedom of Information legislation by saying "I believe there should be freedom of information in our universities." Continue reading
 

Here is a formal submission to the Rae Postsecondary Review by one of our members. This submission was also sent directly to the Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities, Mary Anne Chambers. Continue reading
 

Accountability? According to Dave Tough of the Trent Arthur, this is the only principle that’s actually an imperative of the Rae Review: “post-secondary education institutions and government must answer for their results and the manner in which their responsibilities are discharged.” Tough raises the obvious but pointed questions of "Answer to whom? To students? To other post-secondary institutions? To the private sector? To the general public? Exactly who is the dominatrix here?" Continue reading
 

The Postsecondary Review, if conducted openly (which is already in doubt) will be of considerable interest to those of us who believe the management of our Ontario universities must become accountable, transparent and subject of Freedom of Information legislation. The Review's Guiding Principles specify accountability: "Postsecondary education institutions and government must answer for their results and the manner in which their responsibilities are discharged". We believe that accountability in postsecondary education can only occur if the Ontario universities are brought under the Freedom of Information legislation. We have said this in our formal submission to the Review. Continue reading
 

The new Ontario Liberal government of Premier Dalton McGuinty announced a Postsecondary Review (also known as the Rae Review) in their Budget 2004 to review the design and funding of Ontario's postsecondary education system and recommend innovative ways in which our institutions can provide the best education to students and support Ontario's prosperity. On its newly launched ReviewRae website CFS notes: "Unfortunately, it appears that Rae had an outcome in mind before the consultation even began. Days after Rae's appointment, he publicly announced his opposition to centrally regulated tuition fees. And the discussion paper released on October 1 provides only a poor rationale for higher tuition fees and higher student debt." The CFS has noted that the Ontario universities are exempt from Freedom of Information legislation. We at OurTrent believe that this has allowed the Ontario universities and to operation without any accountability whatsoever and that higher tuition fees are a direct result. OurTrent applauds the efforts of the CFS. Continue reading