The Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT) is deeply concerned over the unprecedented situation at Laurentian University, which has filed for court protection under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act.

CAUT notes that contributing factors leading to the crisis include a lack of transparent and accountable institutional governance by the Laurentian administration, recent cuts by the Ontario government, and the long-standing erosion of public funding for post-secondary education.

“This has local, regional and national implications for post-secondary education and the people who work in our universities and colleges,” says Brenda Austin-Smith, CAUT president. “CAUT will be supporting the Laurentian University Faculty Association (LUFA) to ensure it gets the legal, financial, and other support it needs to protect workers and students.”

CAUT is working closely with LUFA and the Ontario Confederation of Faculty Associations to ensure the best possible outcomes for quality education from the anticipated restructuring of the university while holding senior administrators to account for poor financial management.