Alex Usher
@alexusherhesa.bsky.social
Higher Education. All of it. All around the world. Also: snark, sumo, Winnipeg Jets triumphalism and bitching about Toronto FC.
I blog here: https://higheredstrategy.com/blog/
I podcast here: https://worlded.transistor.fm/
I blog here: https://higheredstrategy.com/blog/
I podcast here: https://worlded.transistor.fm/
4/ You're a provincial government. Cuts are going to happen no matter what. You can:
1) Take all the responsibility/blame yourself
2) Let institutions work it out on their own and take the lumps for you.
What possible motive is there for taking #1?
Smdh.
1) Take all the responsibility/blame yourself
2) Let institutions work it out on their own and take the lumps for you.
What possible motive is there for taking #1?
Smdh.
November 26, 2025 at 6:08 AM
4/ You're a provincial government. Cuts are going to happen no matter what. You can:
1) Take all the responsibility/blame yourself
2) Let institutions work it out on their own and take the lumps for you.
What possible motive is there for taking #1?
Smdh.
1) Take all the responsibility/blame yourself
2) Let institutions work it out on their own and take the lumps for you.
What possible motive is there for taking #1?
Smdh.
3/ And of course, institutions *have* been cutting. Programs, for instance (thinking TRU especially but there are others). What this review proposes to do is to provincialize the cuts, make them the responsibility of the government.
WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND WOULD WANT TO DO THIS?
WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND WOULD WANT TO DO THIS?
November 26, 2025 at 6:08 AM
3/ And of course, institutions *have* been cutting. Programs, for instance (thinking TRU especially but there are others). What this review proposes to do is to provincialize the cuts, make them the responsibility of the government.
WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND WOULD WANT TO DO THIS?
WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND WOULD WANT TO DO THIS?
2/ The government's analysis of the situation is this: "the bad federal government took money away form institutions. We don't have any money, so institutions will need to cut".
On the one hand: yes.
On the other: NO SHIT SHERLOCK, WHAT DO YOU THINK WE'VE BEEN TELLING YOU THE LAST 24 MONTHS?
On the one hand: yes.
On the other: NO SHIT SHERLOCK, WHAT DO YOU THINK WE'VE BEEN TELLING YOU THE LAST 24 MONTHS?
November 26, 2025 at 6:08 AM
2/ The government's analysis of the situation is this: "the bad federal government took money away form institutions. We don't have any money, so institutions will need to cut".
On the one hand: yes.
On the other: NO SHIT SHERLOCK, WHAT DO YOU THINK WE'VE BEEN TELLING YOU THE LAST 24 MONTHS?
On the one hand: yes.
On the other: NO SHIT SHERLOCK, WHAT DO YOU THINK WE'VE BEEN TELLING YOU THE LAST 24 MONTHS?
Could you give me an example of what could have been said at UBC that a) everyone didn't implicitly understand from the announcement and b) would not have resulted in a defamation suit?
November 25, 2025 at 10:56 PM
Could you give me an example of what could have been said at UBC that a) everyone didn't implicitly understand from the announcement and b) would not have resulted in a defamation suit?
Typically, employers who fire people for cause don't go around explaining in great deal what the cause was. Defamation lawsuits are a thing.
November 25, 2025 at 9:37 PM
Typically, employers who fire people for cause don't go around explaining in great deal what the cause was. Defamation lawsuits are a thing.
That's part of it yes
November 25, 2025 at 5:54 PM
That's part of it yes
1) It may have an older-than-average professoriate (pay correlates with age).
2) The union probably negotiates well.
2) The union probably negotiates well.
November 25, 2025 at 3:45 PM
1) It may have an older-than-average professoriate (pay correlates with age).
2) The union probably negotiates well.
2) The union probably negotiates well.
A lot of that is due to age and when each university went on a hiring binge.
November 25, 2025 at 3:43 PM
A lot of that is due to age and when each university went on a hiring binge.
Oh wow, thanks, I didn't get down that far UBC didn;t use to be that close to the top.
A
A
November 25, 2025 at 3:40 PM
Oh wow, thanks, I didn't get down that far UBC didn;t use to be that close to the top.
A
A
It's all relative.
November 25, 2025 at 3:35 PM
It's all relative.
Volume of hiring fell, and the formerly 30-something profs became 40-something profs.
(and eventually, these become the 65+ profs who pop up at the right-hand side of the graph).
(and eventually, these become the 65+ profs who pop up at the right-hand side of the graph).
November 25, 2025 at 3:34 PM
Volume of hiring fell, and the formerly 30-something profs became 40-something profs.
(and eventually, these become the 65+ profs who pop up at the right-hand side of the graph).
(and eventually, these become the 65+ profs who pop up at the right-hand side of the graph).
There's a bump there!
November 25, 2025 at 3:31 PM
There's a bump there!