The CAUT executive has formed a new committee to advise on francophone issues in Canadian post-secondary education.

"We're enthusiastic about the opportunities offered through our new committee," said Loretta Czernis, president of CAUT. "Everyone in the academic community is facing the same challenges, but we felt we should be working more closely with our francophone members. We needed a place to meet, to talk and to resolve issues. The francophone committee is that place."

Czernis said the eight-person membership has been selected to ensure a diversity of voice from large and small francophone institutions, as well as from bilingual universities and francophones teaching in anglophone universities.

CAUT treasurer Greg Allain will chair the committee. Also on the committee are Anne-Marie Bernier (Saint-Boniface), Jean-Charles Cachon (Laurentian), Paul Deguire (Moncton), Jeannette Gaudet (St. Thomas), Raymond Laprée (Saint-Paul), Eileen Lohka (Calgary), Ginette Mageau (Ottawa) and Yalla Sangaré (Sainte-Anne).