Union concerned about LU's decision to leave Barrie

News that Laurentian University plans to close its Barrie campus in three years isn't sitting well with the school's faculty union.

The Laurentian University Faculty Association (LUFA) has issued a statement saying professors are concerned about the impact the decision will have on faculty members and students in Simcoe County.

“Our members are dedicated and make important contributions to their community,” LUFA President James Ketchen said in a news release. “We greatly value the dedication and professionalism of all of our faculty colleagues at Barrie, and the importance of the programs they provide to students.”

LU's board of governors announced the decision Friday, saying it would end Arts and Management programs in Barrie as of May 2017, and Social Work programs in Barrie as of May 2019.

“No first-year students will be admitted by Laurentian in Barrie,” the school said in a news release. “Laurentian will completely exit Barrie by May 2019.”

All students currently enrolled in Laurentian’s programs in Barrie will be able to complete their studies and graduate, the school said, through a combination of on-campus, online and distance courses.

“Individual meetings are being scheduled with every student currently registered at Laurentian in Barrie.”

The province set constraints on the powers of the Board of Governors and on the Senate of Laurentian in Barrie since 2010, including a program moratorium, the release said, explaining the decision.

“In May 2015, the ministry did not approve the University’s submission for major capacity expansion in Barrie,” the release said. “Laurentian’s vision is for students who pay university tuition to be able to complete four-year degrees fully taught by university faculty in Barrie. This vision is not shared by Georgian College or by the ministry.”

The faculty union says the decision will affect more than 70 of its members in the area.

“It is unfortunate that the plan the Ontario Government was seeking to impose for the future of higher education in Simcoe County has led to this announcement by the administration of Laurentian University,” Ketchen said in the union's news release. “That plan would have seen unprecedented government interference into the university sector. Universities must have the freedom to determine and decide about the best options for program choice and how these should be delivered.

“The approach of this government over the last 10 years has been a real fiasco but LUFA is fully committed to upholding the rights and protecting the interests of our members at the Barrie campus.”