The newly-merged Fleming and St. Lawrence colleges say there will be no immediate changes to local brands, programs, campuses, services, or student supports following an April 10 integration announcement.
It is not yet known what impact the move will have on Haliburton School of Art + Design (HSAD), which recently had its dean position eliminated.
It was business as usual at HSAD’s open house April 11 although there appeared to be fewer students on the day and some studios closed. One staff person said the merger had caught them off guard.
Meanwhile, the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU), which represents staff, slammed the merger as a consequence of the Ontario government failing to invest in the sector.
In a joint press release, the colleges said they had agreed to integrate as equal partners, beginning a formal process “to create a stronger institution with greater scale, broader access for students to programs and services, and improved longterm financial sustainability.
They added the integration will also “better align programs and capacity with regional labour market needs. Over time, students will benefit from expanded academic pathways, increased access to specialized programs, enhanced research opportunities, and broader work-integrated learning experiences.”
They said the colleges had been working closely with the provincial government to ensure a smooth integration with minimum impacts on students and communities.
Fleming interim president Theresa Knott said, “this integration represents a forward-looking investment in our students and communities. By bringing our strengths together, we are positioning ourselves to deliver more opportunities, more innovation, greater access, and a stronger foundation for the future across our combined regions and campuses.”
The boards of both colleges have approved an integration framework agreement that sets out the steps to a full integration. Last Friday’s announcement marked the beginning of that process.
Fleming board chair, Don Gillespie, said, “as governors, our responsibility is to help ensure our institutions remain strong, relevant and sustainable for the students and each of the communities we serve. This integration process reflects a thoughtful, long-term approach to building greater capacity, expanding opportunities, and protecting the strength of college education across our region.”
The new college will have a single management team. St. Lawrence president Glenn Vollebregt will serve as the initial president and CEO and Knott as the initial associate president and chief academic officer.
The colleges said the integration will proceed through the next phase of implementation, which includes “detailed due diligence, operational planning, and community engagement.
“These steps will be undertaken under board oversight and in line with provincial requirements, with further updates to be shared as more information becomes available. Both colleges are committed to a structured engagement process that will give key partners meaningful opportunities to provide input on implementation.”
Union reacts
On April 11, OPSEU said the announcement sent ripples across the union representing college faculty and support staff as more than 2,500 delegates convened for their annual union convention.
President JP Hornick said, “just as we warned that without provincial investment, college campuses would begin to close – and they did – we cautioned that mergers were on the horizon.
“This government has clearly demonstrated an agenda to gut public services and education, so we know how this story ends: more cuts, and less support for students and communities.”
President of Local 351 representing Fleming College support staff, Marcia Steeves, said union locals at both colleges were not consulted in advance.
“For months, government officials and college presidents have sidelined direct questions about their plans for our colleges,” Steeves said.
Hornick challenged the consolidation as neither inevitable nor necessary, drawing attention back to the provincial spending choices.
“When it comes to corporate bailouts, luxury spas, or speeding up alcohol privatization, there’s billions in public dollars to subsidize private interests. But when it comes to our public colleges, something we universally benefit from, premier Doug Ford always comes up dry.”
Steeves added, “resources are being drained from our communities, especially small and rural ones, in real-time.”
Hornick said they would fight any job cuts.
To follow the progress of the integration process, people can go to flemingcollege. ca/integration and stlawrencecollege.ca/ integration.
