Mission and Values
Mission
We organize and support members to advance and defend academic freedom, professional rights, equity, collegial governance, and good working conditions. We are committed to strengthening publicly funded, high-quality, and accessible post-secondary education as a public good and a cornerstone of democracy.
Vision
CAUT aspires to strengthen the status, rights, and freedoms of members, creating a future where they thrive in an equitable, inclusive, and well-supported workplace.
Values
As we seek to fulfill our mission, we are guided by these values:
- Solidarity
- Civil liberties
- Trade union rights and principles
- Equity, diversity and inclusion
- Bilingualism
- Indigenization and decolonization
- Human interactions at the core of education
- Climate justice
Strategic priorities
Securing better public funding for post-secondary education and research
We fight for increased public funding to improve the affordability, accessibility, and quality of post-secondary education, and to make publicly funded scholarship available to all by advocating to government, building coalitions, and organizing public campaigns to strengthen post-secondary education as a public good.
Strategic initiatives
- Develop and execute the next phase of the Unlock Education campaign to advocate for the value of public post-secondary education and research and the need for better public funding
- Create and implement a comprehensive communications strategy to raise CAUT’s public profile and messaging
Defending and advancing academic freedom and professional rights
We monitor institutional policies and practices, investigate violations, and intervene to ensure members have the freedom to teach, research, and express their views inside and outside of the institution without interference. We defend collegial governance and work against government overreach and political interference in our institutions.
Strategic initiatives
- Develop and disseminate new educational tools and resources on academic freedom and collegial governance
- Collect and share best practices and leading collective agreement language on academic freedom and collegial governance
Advancing fair and equitable working conditions
We seek to improve working conditions by supporting gains at the bargaining table, defending labour rights, promoting healthy workplaces, combating precarity, and advocating for fair, secure, and fulfilling work. We advance a labour-centred approach to equity, diversity, Indigenization, and decolonization, ensuring inclusivity across all member groups and categories.
Strategic initiatives
- Develop strategies, tools, and messaging to counter the political attacks on equity, diversity, inclusion, and Indigenization
- Revamp and re-launch Fair Employment week to better engage members to campaign for fairness for contract academic staff
- Analyze and develop policy, contract language, advice, and guidance for members on the implementation of AI and other educational technologies to ensure equity, quality working conditions, academic freedom, and job security
- Advocate and lobby for equitable recognition of scholarship in French
Empowering and organizing our membership in solidarity within the labour movement
We build the strength and solidarity of our members across the diversity of institutions and employment categories in our sector by connecting them to the wider labour movement, and by providing training, resources, and support for collective bargaining, organizing, grievance handling, and equity promotion. We strengthen member associations to expand their capacity to defend and advance the rights of their members and to build the power of organized labour.
Strategic initiatives
- Build the membership of NUCAUT and strengthen alliances and interactions locally, provincially, and nationally with other labour unions
- Develop new tools and strategies to build power at the bargaining table
- Expand the “train the trainer” program to leverage member expertise and engagement in CAUT’s workshops and course
Protecting the integrity of post-secondary education in its service to democracy and civil liberties
We safeguard the value, independence and integrity of scholarly activity as foundational to democratic societies, promoting these values through public-facing advocacy. We campaign and work in coalitions to protect civil liberties and ensure academic staff are free to exercise their rights in service to the common good.
Strategic initiatives
- Advocate for the importance of post-secondary education for democracy in the Unlock Education campaign, CAUT forums and events, and in lobbying governments
- Collaborate with academic staff associations internationally and work with partners such as Education International, Scholars at Risk, and UNESCO to strengthen academic freedom, civil liberties, and democratic values
- Develop policy, contract language, and other materials to strengthen the understanding and protection of extramural academic freedom
