FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(London, Ont.) – As the Delta variant surges and thousands of students, staff, and faculty prepare to return to campus, UWOFA calls on Western to take the following steps in order to ensure the health and safety of the Western community.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(London, Ont.) – In light of the announcement Monday by the provincial government about a normal return to campus in September, UWOFA calls on Western university administration to require all eligible students, staff, faculty, librarians and archivists to be fully vaccinated before coming to campus, acknowledging that some may be exempt for medical or religious reasons.

“Everyone has a right to a safe work and learning environment, and this can only be achieved if the vast majority of individuals on campus are fully vaccinated and strict health and safety measures are in place such as proper indoor ventilation,” said UWOFA president Nigmendra Narain. “UWOFA is concerned about the rise of the Delta variant and the potential for a fourth wave in the coming months.”

UWOFA continues to advocate for a safe and healthy return to campus for its members and all of the Western community.

The University of Western Ontario Faculty Association is a union representing about 1,500 faculty members and 50 librarians and archivists at the University of Western Ontario in London.

Contact
Vanessa Frank, Communications Officer
vbrown5@uwo.ca
519-859-4630

The University of Western Ontario Faculty Association (UWOFA) is deeply saddened by the recent deaths of four London family members who were targeted because of their Islamic faith. A nine-year-old boy remains in hospital following the attack.

UWOFA condemns this horrifying act of violence that was fueled by bigotry, racism, and Islamophobia. We affirm our solidarity with London’s Islamic community and our commitment to standing up and speaking out against all forms of racism and xenophobia. Universities such as Western draw people of many different backgrounds to the area, and we have a critical role in creating safe, equitable, and inclusive environments. Everyone deserves to be free to be who they are without discrimination and risk of injury.

UWOFA unequivocally supports the academic freedom of its members. This freedom includes the right to pursue research and open inquiry in an honest search for knowledge that is free from institutional censorship, including that of the government. UWOFA opposes antisemitism and all forms of racism and hatred. The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s Working Definition of Antisemitism poses a serious threat to academic freedom at the University of Western Ontario and in our broader community. The IHRA definition of antisemitism misconstrues antisemitism to include a broad range of criticism of the State of Israel. The IHRA definition thus undermines important anti-racist and decolonial initiatives in Canadian educational institutions. It can also be used to censor political speech and restrict the academic freedom of teachers and researchers who have developed critical perspectives on the policies and practices of the State of Israel. Such targeted attacks will have a chilling effect on the academic freedom of our members in the classroom, in their research, and in campus politics more broadly.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(London, Ont.) – The union representing faculty members at Western University (UWOFA) condemns unprecedented academic program and job cuts announced at Laurentian University this week.

Nearly 70 academic programs have been cut, including core academic subjects throughout the sciences, social sciences, arts, humanities, and health sciences, as well as professional programs. About 100 faculty members, including tenured professors and Canada Research Chairs, had their employment terminated without severance.

UWOFA stands in solidarity with students, staff, and faculty at Laurentian. The Association is calling on Western’s administration to speak out as well, reaffirming the importance of proper funding for education province-wide, and emphasizing the important cultural, intellectual and financial roles of universities in their communities: both in general and specific to Laurentian’s unique mandate in the North.

“This assault on northern, bilingual, and Indigenous education represents a failure of leadership by Laurentian’s administration, and by the provincial government that oversaw the erosion of funding to public universities,” said Beth MacDougall-Shackleton. “This should never have happened, and should never be permitted to happen again.”

Contact
Vanessa Frank, Communications Officer
vbrown5@uwo.ca
519-859-4630

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(London, Ont.)- The union representing faculty members at Western University urges both levels of government to step in and support students and faculty at Laurentian University who are living through a time of great uncertainty.

In an unprecedented move, Laurentian University sought and received insolvency protection under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA) on February 1. The restructuring process is likely to result in academic program cuts and job losses.

“The CCAA process is entirely inappropriate for publicly funded institutions such as universities. Academic planning and restructuring should be grounded in pedagogy, guided by collegial governance processes, and consistent with collective agreements,” said Beth MacDougall-Shackleton, president of UWOFA. “Ontario universities receive the lowest funding per-student of any province, and we demand that the government provide funds to stabilize Laurentian’s operations. Laurentian’s long-term future, and the good of northern Ontario communities, depend on it.”

As a public post-secondary institution in Ontario with a tri-cultural mandate to support French, English, and Indigenous communities, both the federal and provincial governments have a responsibility in ensuring Laurentian has the operating funding needed to secure the public institution’s long-term future.

A motion calling on the provincial government and the Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities to provide immediate funding with the goal of ending the CCAA process was passed unanimously by UWOFA’s Executive Committee. UWOFA joins numerous Faculty Associations across the province calling on the provincial government to end the restructuring process at Laurentian and to provide adequate and sustained funding to ensure the continued viability of this important institution.

UWOFA is a union representing about 1,500 faculty members and 50 librarians and archivists at the University of Western Ontario in London.

Contact
Vanessa Frank, Communications Officer
vbrown5@uwo.ca
519-859-4630

UWOFA sent the following recommendation to the university’s Strategic Planning Steering Committee. The Board of Directors would like to thank Dr. Katrina Moser (Geography) for consultation.

Introduction

The consequences of human-induced warming, including disappearing arctic sea ice, more frequent and intense wildfire seasons, loss of glacier ice and worsening droughts in the semi-arid tropics, are now occurring. It is imperative that individuals, institutions, cities, and countries take major actions to significantly reduce their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Universities have a responsibility to be leaders in times of crisis. As we face the climate crisis, universities can play a unique part in role-modelling innovative and multidimensional solutions to reduce GHG emissions, as well as providing transformative education to train, inform, engage and inspire our future leaders and others to make effective and equitable change. Western has identified seven themes to its developing Strategic Plan and taking significant and concrete actions to mitigate climate change will add focus and drive to each one.

What is climate change and why should we be concerned?

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) published a special report in 2018 declaring that global warming of more than 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels will cause an increase in hot extremes in many places and a change in the distribution of water resources with heavy precipitation increases in some regions and droughts in others. Sea level rise will put low-lying coastal areas at risk, including some of the most populous regions of the planet. Accelerated biodiversity loss and extinction is expected. Rising ocean temperatures and acidification will jeopardize marine ecosystems and fisheries that are already at a tipping point. Risks to livelihoods, food security, water supply, human security, and economic growth will increase. Keeping global warming to 1.5°C or less is necessary to limit these and other adverse consequences, promote sustainable development, and reduce global inequalities. Temperatures have already risen 1°C above pre- industrial levels and the increase is predicted to reach 1.5°C between 2030 and 2050 if emissions continue to increase at the current rate. To limit global warming to 1.5 °C or less, global GHG emissions must be 45% less than 2010 levels by 2030 and net 0 by 2050. This must be Western’s minimum target.

Recommendation from UWOFA to the Western Strategic Planning Steering Committee (SPSC)

UWOFA is recommending that climate change action be at the core of Western’s new strategic plan. This will require a strengthened, data-driven strategy for reducing Western’s GHG emissions, one that is critical to preserving a healthy Earth for the entire Western community and future generations.

Western’s GHG emissions goals and climate change action

Reaching Western’s minimum goal of reducing GHG’s by 45% within this decade requires refinement of our emissions targets, immediate action and accurate and consistent accounting and reporting, along with accountability. Between 2009 and 2018 Western reported a reduction of 2.1% and from 2011 to 2018 a 1.4% reduction of its GHG emissions (Western’s annual energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions to the Ministry of Energy, Northern Development, and Mines, here). It is reported in some Western documents, however, that GHGs have been reduced by 12% (see for example, here) but this number likely takes into account growth at Western and is reported in GHG/m². It is, however, total emissions that matter, not emissions per unit area. To meet its sustainability commitments, Western needs to reduce its annual GHG emissions by 45% of 2010 levels of ~50,000 tCO2e (approximate value of average of 2009 and 2012 values; 2010 values were not available) to 27,500 tCO2e by 2030, and 0 tCO2e by 2050. This change will take a sustained and long-term commitment and effort by the entire Western community – students, staff, faculty and upper administration; a goal best sustained in a Strategic Plan.

These are ambitious emission reduction targets, and one important solution to reducing our carbon footprint is comprehensive retrofitting of the built environment. This provides opportunities for the development of innovative technologies and climate change education. Such plans, however, also need to be coupled with emissions accounting to provide evidence that planned changes will allow us to achieve our commitments. Transforming Western into a national leader for climate change action should be an overarching goal of the new Strategic Plan. Committed action includes being transparent about what has been done and what needs to be done, setting realistic and meaningful targets with specific short-term goals, reporting and accountability.

Concluding Remarks

If Western is to meet the challenge of being a community leader in climate change and sustainability, committed action on GHG emissions must commence immediately and be communicated transparently in a data-driven series of objectives with built-in costs for failure to meet milestones. The city of London has declared a climate emergency and Western must commit to not only do our part but take on a leadership role in our community and beyond. Western students are already dedicated to making change and have prepared first-rate reports and statements asking the university for climate change action. These documents include many excellent ideas for reducing GHGs. For example, protecting and restoring biodiversity helps to reduce carbon emissions by increasing the uptake of carbon by healthy ecosystems; supporting public transportation and active transportation reduces scope 3 emissions. But more is needed within a university-wide embrace of these goals and a uniform measurement standard for monitoring progress. As a leading research and education institution in Canada, Western needs to show its community and the world that it will get to net 0 emissions. The next generation is demanding immediate change. We have the privilege, resources, and intelligence to make it happen.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(London, Ont.)— The union representing faculty members at Western University is calling for the resignation of Chancellor Linda Hasenfratz, saying her apology for taking a holiday trip outside Canada mid-pandemic is not good enough.

Western Board Chair Rick Konrad said in a statement Sunday that the Chancellor had been censured by the board for taking the trip against public health advice, but stopped short of asking for her resignation, calling the Chancellor’s decision to ignore directions given to the Western community a “teaching and learning moment.”

“Calling this a ‘teaching and learning moment’ is absurd,” said UWOFA President Beth MacDougall-Shackleton, “because the only lesson being conveyed is that a gross double standard exists — if you’re wealthy, you play by different rules.”

Some Western students have been threatened with discipline for breaking the university’s code of conduct following parties held in contravention of public health rules.

“The Board of Governors decision sends a terrible message to our students,” said MacDougall-Shackleton, “and will undermine Western’s reputation and credibility in the community. The decision will reinforce a stereotype that Western is a country club university where donating gets you a free pass, or where power of position entitles some to be exempt from public health guidelines.”

MacDougall-Shackleton added that the role of Chancellor is a symbolic honour, recognizing high standing in the broader community. Because of that it is important to uphold community standards for integrity, leadership, and care. The Chancellor failed to meet this standard.

The University of Western Ontario Faculty Association is a union representing about 1,500 faculty members and 50 librarians and archivists at the University of Western Ontario in London.

Contact

Vanessa Frank, Communications Officer
vbrown5@uwo.ca
519-859-4630

UWOFA’s Executive Committee is alarmed that the Ontario government is pushing through provisions of an antisemitism act that could erode academic freedom to criticize a foreign state.

Public hearings were scheduled to take place this week regarding Bill 168, the Combating Antisemitism Act. However, an Order-in-Council issued on Monday circumvented public debate by enshrining into law the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism. UWOFA is concerned that the IHRA’s working definition of antisemitism and its list of illustrative examples equates criticism of the state of Israel with antisemitism, thus limiting scholars’ ability to engage in legitimate criticism of a foreign state.

“UWOFA deplores antisemitism and all forms of hatred and intolerance,” said Beth MacDougall-Shackleton, president of UWOFA. “However, we are deeply troubled by the government’s bypassing of the democratic process, and the apparent lack of respect for freedom of speech and freedom of scholarship.”

Please also read a statement by the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA) here.

We are witnessing a defining civil rights moment in world history. UWOFA stands in solidarity with Black Lives Matter and we are committed to ensuring the equitable inclusion of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Colour) individuals and communities. As a community, Western has just begun to acknowledge how race, culture, sexuality, dis/ability, and gender shape the experiences of its faculty, students, and staff in inequitable ways. It is our responsibility as UWOFA members to do better and to support the institution as it makes meaningful structural changes to counter all forms of racism on our campus and within the City of London. The knowledge we produce and the positions we hold are a direct result of socio-economic and racial disparities as well as privilege, and as such they must be used to dismantle the oppressive racial systems of violence and institutional inequalities that pervade the lives of our students, staff, and colleagues. This radical work demands courage, collaboration, and a commitment to change over the long term.

We want to gather your insights about how to begin making these fundamental changes. Please reach out to UWOFA’s Equity Committee with your suggestions, comments, and questions.