FNBFA

Objectives and Priorities for 2008 / 2009

Main priorities

1. That the FNBFA lobby the provincial government to abandon those many items in the Action Plan to Transform Post-Secondary Education in New Brunswick that impinge on university autonomy.
2. That the FNBFA prepare and coordinate recommendations for input into proposed changes to the provincial Right to Information Act.
3. That the FNBFA define the mandate and objectives by establishing a permanent Health & Safety Committee to assist in addressing concerns at the local level.
4. That the FNBFA President (or his delegate) and the Executive Director visit each faculty association at least once in the coming year.
5. That the FNBFA continue to monitor the activities of the provincial government concerning all of the proposed changes to the post-secondary education sector and coordinate resistance as appropriate.
6. That the FNBFA lobby the provincial government to ensure that a representative of the federation is appointed to the proposed Ministerial Committee on Post-Secondary Affairs.

Other objectives

Board of Directors

1. To continue to hold a "watching brief" on the privatization of the traditional universities.
2. To continue to hold a "watching brief" on the introduction of "Distance/Multi-media Education".
3. To monitor and report to the Board on the propriety of the sources of funding to the universities in New Brunswick.
4. To remain vigilant concerning government actions which threaten university autonomy; and in particular, to continue to insist to government that the internal allocation of university funding should be left in the hands of the institutions themselves at all times.
5. To continue to update the "Directors’ Handbook" and a Portfolio of newspaper articles, and to ensure that the text thereof is made available to published each Board member at his or her first Board meeting.
6. To continue the practice of having the Executive give a yearly progress report to the Board on these objectives and priorities.
7. To undertake a review of the status of the Standing Committees of the Board, to ensure the adequacy of representation thereon of member-associations.
8. To continue to monitor the By-laws of the Federation and, when necessary, make whatever revisions are necessary to accomplish increased efficiency in its operations and ensure the timeliness of its meeting schedules.

Lobbying

1. To help local associations, if so requested by them, to mount appropriate lobbying efforts directed at M.P.’s and M.L.A’s in their ridings.
2. To continue to communicate with provincial politicians to influence their positions on university issues.
3. To coordinate efforts to abolish mandatory retirement in New Brunswick for all public universities.
4. To lobby the provincial government to ensure that the universities are not exempted from any future extension of pay equity legislation to the private sector.
5. To continue to lobby the provincial government to:
   1. put pressure on its federal counterpart to ensure both the setting of national standards for post-secondary education and the continued flow of the federal cash funding necessary for such standards to be maintained in New Brunswick;
   2. continue to provide adequate funding to ensure the maintenance of established programmes;
   3. further amend pensions legislation and regulations to reflect the concerns of faculty, especially as they relate to:
      1. solvency and deficit provisions;
      2. ownership of surplus funds.
6. To continue to lobby theprovincial government to prohibit the establishment of for-profit post-secondary educational enterprises which are legally permitted to describe themselves as "universities".
7. To reinforce and continue to pursue the Federation’s policy of lobbying the MPHEC to influence government to provide adequate financial resources to the universities.
8. To continue to lobby government for improvements in student aid, for the removal of differential fees for foreign students, and for intervention by our own provincial government at the inter-governmental level where aid is denied by any province to those of its students who wish to study in New Brunswick instead of their home province
9. To continue to lobby the provincial government for the appointment to the MPHEC of faculty representatives and others who represent the interests of the Federation when terms of office expire; and, in particular, for the appointment of a Chair of the MPHEC who is generally sensitive to the needs of the universities and their faculties.
10. To consolidate the Federation’s improved liaison with the university administrations and Boards of Governors, and student organizations, where matters of common interest are concerned.
11. To continue to support the CAUT/ACPPU lobbying effort at the federal level to establish national standards for post-secondary education, and to continue to participate as fully as possible in the ongoing debate at the federal level in matters concerning:
    1. changes to transfer payments and/or alternative federal/provincial funding arrangements;
    2. the introduction of policies or programmes which will have an impact on the universities in New Brunswick; and
    3. continued funding for Research chairs with particular emphasis on the funding of such Chairs in smaller universities.
12. To continue to maintain close liaison with CAUT concerning lobbying strategies with federal politicians at the local level.
13. To continue to promote the policies of CAUT, where appropriate, at the provincial level.
14. To maintain a constant "watching brief" to monitor quality assurance initiatives (e.g. attempts to impose "performance indicators") by government and/or government agencies, to ensure that:
    1. any measurement criteria introduced both are valid and are acceptable to the entire university community; and
    2. the meeting of quality assurance criteria, whatever their nature, is not linked with university funding levels.

Communication and Office Management

1. To organize an annual meeting with the Premier of New Brunswick.
2. To maintain the services of a contracted external communications specialist to enhance the Federation’s visibility both to its membership-at-large and externally.
3. To continue to publish the findings of any research undertaken by the Federation in the "Reflexions" for the information of the membership at large.
4. To continue to encourage local associations to inform the Federation of individual appointments and honors bestowed upon their members, to be publicized by the Federation both internally and externally.
5. To organize a meeting with the governing New Brunswick Liberal party’s Caucus in the spring of 2009.
6. To distribute to members any pertinent article published in the media.
7. To maintain a frequently-updated web site.

Public Relations

To continue the Federation’s emphasis on public relations, with particular emphasis on the short-term goal of informing the general public of the importance of post-secondary education, especially through the publication of "op-ed" pieces and meetings with editors/editorial boards in the media and through increased contact with other influential groups.

The Federation will continue to support the equitable treatment of all persons involved in post-secondary education, and will use all means permitted within its mandate to achieve this end.

Executive Director

1. To continue to require the Executive Director to report regularly on his activities for the purposes of evaluation.
2. To continue the practice of having the Executive Director, at the discretion of the President, attend all meetings, conferences and other functions related to the interests and mandate of the Federation to ensure continuity of representation and/or the development of professional skills.
3. To organize and maintain regular communication or visits with the presidents of the faculty associations.