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OPINIONS / Letter addressed to the Minister of Higher Education, Danielle McCann. The signatories are members of the Table of University Partners, which brings together organizations representing students, support, technical and professional staff, lecturers and professors.
On February 19, the chief scientist, Mr. Rémi Quirion, released his final report on the work on the Université québécoise du futur. The Table of University Partners (TPU) must admit to being disappointed with the conclusions drawn by Mr. Quirion from the entire consultation process that led to this report.
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Indeed, throughout the consultation process, starting with the communications sent by each of the member organizations of the TPU to the chief scientist, through the brief of the TPU to virtual consultations, the members of the TPU made share their concerns, many of which have been dismissed.
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For example, the members of the TPU were hurt by the omission of certain professions in the initial report on the Quebec university of the future. The report had a very limited view of the world of higher education by excluding several members of the university community such as lecturers, professional, technical and support staff, including research professionals and students. and salaried students. These employment groups must imperatively be an integral part of the reflections on the university of the future.
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In addition, the TPU wishes to express its disappointment with the format of the consultations. Indeed, there was a noticeable imbalance in the composition of the groups during the consultation sessions. The university directors were redundant compared to the representatives of all the other groups. This imbalance allowed the directorates to have more turns and to ensure that their interests take precedence in the summaries presented by the chief scientist at the end of the sessions and in the final report. In addition, certain populations were practically absent from the consultations: we are thinking in particular of the indigenous populations represented by a single person.
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Despite repeated requests from the TPU, the final report unfortunately still has this limited vision of the university and does not take into account all the actresses and actors in the field. In this sense, we believe that it is a missed opportunity to revisit the various university dynamics in order to make them more collegial and to recognize all the groups which participate in the mission of the universities.
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TPU is also concerned about the recommendation on university funding in the outcome document. Throughout the consultation process, TPU members made it clear that reinvestment in universities should come neither from students nor from the private sector. However, although the report mainly deals with public funding, the presence of private companies in universities is never formally condemned, nor is funding through students.
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Because of the above, the TPU asks Minister Danielle McCann to consider that the report on the Quebec university of the future does not represent a consensus and to use its conclusions with caution. Although several of the recommendations contained therein adequately reflect the will of the university community, some do not take into account the aspirations of several groups that make it up.
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Louise Briand, Vice-President, University Sector, Federation of Professionals-CSN
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Hadrien Chénier-Marais, president, Federation of Quebec University Student Associations in Continuing Education
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Claude Fortin, President, Federation of Professional Staff of Universities and Research
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Jade Marcil, President, Quebec Student Union
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Carole Neill, President of the Provincial Council for the University Sector, Canadian Union of Public Employees
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Caroline Quesnel, President, National Federation of Teachers of Quebec-CSN
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Portuguese Jean, President, Quebec Federation of University Teachers
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Vincent Beaucher, President, Quebec Federation of University Research and Education – CSQ
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Valerie Fontaine, President, Federation of Higher Education Support Staff – CSQ
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Renaud Beland, member of the coordination committee, University Federation of Student Unions
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