Leaked documents have revealed that drastic cuts will be made to the Faculty of Arts and Science at Queen’s University, and the Queen’s community is responding.
The bulk of the conversation began when a memo that the Dean of Arts and Science Barbara Crow sent to department heads was leaked, revealing drastic cuts planned for the department in the next two years due to the Queen’s financial deficit. Students, whose education will be greatly impacted by these cuts, had not been informed before this leak.
On Thursday, Matthew Evans, Provost and Vice-Principal, sent out a message to students regarding the cuts. The message stressed the financial challenges the university is facing, with costs for the university exceeding revenue to an “unsustainable level.” He attributed the deficit to the provincial government’s decision in 2019 to cut and freeze tuition costs.
Queen’s Community Against Austerity (QCAA), a cross-campus alliance working to advocate against these cuts, hosted a widely-attended teach-in from 12-2 p.m. today to inform the Queen’s community of the situation and spread their message.
Speakers at the event represented a variety of perspectives, including professors, staff, undergraduate students, and post-graduate students. Speakers discussed the university’s financial situation, the impact of cuts on students and employees, and possible alternatives to these cuts. They also launched a petition to the Board of Trustees urging them to pursue alternative measures.
