Toronto, ON – The Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU/SEFPO) is condemning yesterday’s unprecedented announcement that the Ford government is putting Conestoga College under the administration of supervisor Linda Franklin.
The union is calling for more transparency and accountability in college governance structures to put an end to mismanagement.
“Instead of a leadership team accountable to students, parents, and staff, we get a one-person Board of Governors – setting dangerous precedent and repeating the mistakes which got us here,” said JP Hornick, OPSEU/SEFPO President. “Tibbits is exactly the kind of opportunist one can expect when Ford starves the college system of public funding and leaves unaccountable leaders to their own devices.”
“Ford’s government is only trying to look like the hero now because the extent to which they have looked the other way is coming to light – including a $3 million payout for Tibbits, the so-called ‘problem’ as he goes out the door,” added Hornick. “That payout should go back into the pockets of students and the hundreds of workers already walked out.”
In their release yesterday, the Ministry of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security (MCURES) said the decision came following an extensive audit uncovering “egregious financial decisions which lacked appropriate oversight” – something that the union has decried for years.
“If we are going to rebuild Conestoga College as a responsible public institution, the results of that audit need to be made publicly available immediately,” said Leopold Koff, President of OPSEU/SEFPO Local 237 representing faculty at the college.
“Full transparency must be provided without delay to restore community trust – and workers need to be at the table,” added Vikki Poirier, President of OPSEU/SEFPO Local 238 representing support staff at the college. “Anything less will look like the Ministry is trying to sweep this mess under the rug after waiting far too long to take action.”
“This announcement needs to be evaluated in the context of not just what Ford says, but what he does. The track record shows Ford’s government legislating away transparency and eroding community control,” added Hornick. “They rammed through a law to shield their records from scrutiny, and imposed supervision of public school boards to distract from chronic underfunding.”
“The solution isn’t government overreach. The solution is adequate public funding for education and ensuring that colleges serve the communities they were designed to support.”
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