Faculty Committee Responds to Administration on Restructuring and Staff Cuts
On February 26, 2026, the Coordinating Committee of the President’s Advisory Committee on Human Rights, Equity, and Decolonization (PACHRED) at Brock University issued a letter to President Lesley Rigg and Provost Arja Vainio-Mattila addressing recent statements made at Senate and ongoing restructuring efforts across campus.
The letter responds directly to administrative claims about staffing reductions and outlines concerns about transparency, workload impacts, and the broader direction of institutional change.
Key Points and Actions Raised in the Letter
- Clarification on Staff Reductions
- Disputes the claim that reports of one-third staff cuts were “misinformation.”
- Clarifies that concerns referred specifically to academic unit administrative staff, not the entire university workforce.
- States that 44 positions were laid off, 23 new positions created, resulting in a net loss of 20.5 full-time equivalent unionized roles represented by OSSTF.
- Impact on Academic Work
- Reports substantial reductions in administrative support for faculty.
- Notes increased workload pressures on remaining staff.
- Raises concerns that newly created job descriptions may be unworkable once actual responsibilities are fully realized.
- Concerns About Process and Transparency
- Challenges the assertion that no Non-Disclosure Agreements were used, stating that separation packages included NDA-like clauses.
- Points to the centralization and pooling of administrative assistants as evidence of structural change, contrary to claims that no broad restructuring is occurring.
- Highlights limited advance communication regarding potential layoffs in areas such as academic advising, experiential learning, and graduate student support.
- Union and Job Security Implications
- Emphasizes that the restructuring has reduced unionized positions.
- Raises concerns about long-term implications for job security and collective representation.
- Campus Climate and Community Response
- Describes growing anxiety and cultural strain on campus amid sweeping changes.
- Notes significant engagement from faculty, staff, and students at Senate and union meetings related to the restructuring.
Call for Meaningful Engagement
The letter calls on senior administration to commit to greater transparency, clearer communication, and genuine consultation with faculty, staff, and students as institutional changes move forward.
Faculty representatives stress that the long-term academic health of the university depends not only on financial decision-making, but on maintaining strong support structures, trust, and shared governance within the campus community.
THANK YOU
We sincerely thank all members of the Brock University community, faculty, staff, and students and especially PACHRED for their ongoing support, engagement, and commitment to shared governance during these challenging times. Your participation and vigilance are essential to maintaining a strong, transparent, and collaborative campus environment for everyone.
The response letter.