News Release Archive
EDUCATION/CULTURE--COLLEGE LEGISLATION
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Legislation introduced today will help prepare Community
College graduates for jobs by directly linking training to
Nova Scotia's economic needs and opportunities, said
Education and Culture Minister John MacEachern.
Specifically, the bill, entitled An Act respecting College
de l'Acadie and the Nova Scotia Community College, creates a
board of governors for both colleges to help them become
more competitive, cut through bureaucratic red tape, and
provide better quality training to support economic
development.
"The bottom line is, better training means graduates are
more likely to find jobs," Mr. MacEachern said.
The boards of governors will link college expertise with the
experience and needs of the people it serves -- students,
employers and communities, he said. Each board will include
students, college faculty and non-faculty employees. The
remaining appointments, totalling between 10 and 15, will be
directly linked to the colleges' priorities and direction.
Mr. MacEachern said board governance is a logical and
necessary step for the colleges. "We don't try to run our
public schools or our universities from within government,
and it's even more important that our Colleges respond
quickly to economic potential. Otherwise, business will go
elsewhere."
To more rapidly respond to changing labour market needs,
self-governance will enable the colleges to operate more
like a business, the minister said.
For example, the government hiring process often involves
three departments, all with many other clients and competing
priorities. The college boards will develop a policy that
maintains fair hiring principles, but enables the colleges
to hire more quickly.
The colleges will continue to share accountability with the
minister and government in areas of public interest.
Specifically, the board is accountable for program quality,
because the board links college faculty and staff with the
people the programs are designed to serve. Under the
legislation the minister is accountable for use of tax
dollars, with responsibility for approving budgets and
funding core programs. The minister is also accountable for
accessibility, by being required to approve the college
admission policy. Finally, tuition increases are only
possible if recommended by the board and approved by
Cabinet.
Mr. MacEachern said the labour relations provisions in this
bill are consistent with other government legislation.
"Government has developed a consistent, reasoned approach to
labour relations. We believe this approach treats employees
fairly, by protecting collective agreements, salaries,
benefits and other important employee rights."
With these protections, faculty and staff will now be
employed directly by the colleges instead of by government
departments. As the colleges are post-secondary
institutions, college faculty and staff will be covered
under the Trade Union Act like faculty and staff at Nova
Scotia universities.
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NOTE TO EDITORS: College de l'acadie should have an accent
grave on the first E in College.
Contact: Donna MacDonald 902-424-2615
Len Canfield 902-424-2524
trp Dec. 05, 1995
