Collective bargaining relationships are enhanced through useful, timely and accessible data on relevant financial and human resources matters. It is paramount that administrations share financial and operational information to ensure that the institution’s academic pursuits remain prioritized, particularly with regard to the quality of instruction and research, and the preservation of academic freedom.^[1] The obligatory and ongoing sharing of information gives associations a clearer picture of the institution’s financial status to monitor its financial health.

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Associations should include in their collective agreements requirements that the administration regularly provide specific financial, human resources, and operational information.

The following is a model of appropriate collective agreement language on transparency^[2]:

Information on University/College Finances and Activities

The University/College agrees to provide to the Association the following information within seven calendar days of the information becoming available (unless a shorter time period is specified below), or within 14 days of a request by the Association, whichever is earliest:

a) Financial statement information

i. Audited financial statements,

ii. Quarterly financial reports presented to the Board of Governors,^[3]

iii. Operating and capital statements for the month and fiscal year to date,

iv. Comparison of budgeted financial results to actual,

v. Month-end balances in Cash, Investments and Components of Net Assets,

vi. Cash and Investments balances as at month-end, segregated by restriction/fund, (unrestricted, internally restricted, endowment, externally restricted for Capital, externally restricted for Research, and other externally restricted),^[4]

vii. Deferred revenues setting out spent versus unspent and the components of deferred revenues (e.g., capital vs research vs tuition/residence fees/ancillary/etc.).^[5]

b) Pension and benefits reports that have financial implications

i. Actuarial and other reports for any pension plan covering the Association’s members,

ii. Benefits reports, including actuarial reports, where applicable.

c) Salary information

i. Salary information for individual members, with rank, faculty and department identified,^[6]

ii. Salary and expenditure information provided to the Canadian Association of University Business Officers (CAUBO) by category (academic, other instruction and research, and other salaries and wages), and specifying which employee groups are included in each category,

iii. The number and amount of any market supplements paid.

d) Workload information

i. Student enrollments by course, department and faculty,

ii. Academic staffing within each department noting gender, age, qualifications and seniority rank of faculty,

iii. Individual teaching loads,

iv. Calendar and course schedules,

v. Staff/student ratios by department/faculty

vi. Position advertisements provided at time of advertising,

vii. Copy of letters of offer made to, and contracts of employment with the Employer signed by each Member,

viii. Teaching assignments for people who are not members of the Bargaining Unit,

ix. Position advertisements provided at time of advertising.

e) Other

i. Agendas, minutes, documents from all meetings of the Board of Governors, and

ii. Agendas, minutes, documents from all Senate meetings.