University Governance Conference 2024

Presented by the Confederation of University Faculty Associations of British Columbia (CUFA BC)

January 18-19, 2024

Fairmont Hotel Vancouver (daytime conference event) – 900 West Georgia Street, Vancouver, BC
Hyatt Regency Vancouver (overnight guests) – 655 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC

University governance reached a turning point in the pandemic that exposed fundamental flaws in institutional decision-making. Administrations say the pre-pandemic rules and structures are outdated, and no longer serve the purposes they once did. Senates and faculty say they’re displaced from shared governance, their authority and autonomy in decision-making eroded. Faculty associations participate in university governance, but their role is historically peripheral and ambiguous. The overarching questions behind this conference are: What is the state of university governance today, and can it survive modern day challenges? Is there a defined role for faculty associations in the governance model of today’s university?

This national conference will provide valuable opportunity for faculty, staff, university administrators, government policymakers, and other stakeholders to shape the future of university governance.

CUFA BC has published a new report, University Governance: From Surviving to Thriving (PDF), which synthesizes key insights and compelling discussions from our national university governance conference held last year.

The report provides a critical assessment of university governance in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw many norms bypassed with lasting effects. It explores the increasing neoliberalization of post-secondary education in Canada, driven by pressures such as underfunding and overregulation. Further, the report dives into the internal tensions, dysfunctions, and power imbalances within university governance systems—highlighting possible root causes and suggesting sustainable solutions.

This is a practical and inspiring publication for anyone working to strengthen governance at Canadian universities. Beyond simply documenting the conference proceedings, this report distills the speakers’ most compelling discussions, insights, success stories, and advice into an actionable resource. Above all, it’s a call to refocus on core values: transparency, collegiality, and academic integrity.

University Governance: From Surviving to Thriving (PDF) is publicly available and free to download. Message us to get your own paper copy!