OCASA has asked that the legislation remove the position of Dean (in the colleges) in its list of executive positions included in wage restraint. Or alternatively, that a benchmark salary level be used to determine “executive”.
OCASA was invited ñ with less than a dayís notice ñ to present to the committee. The presentation was made by Diane Posterski, Executive Director of OCASA.  (see the whole document on the Submissions page).
Bill 55, An Act to implement budget measures and to enact and amend various Acts, is currently in committee. It is expected to be voted on in the Legislature later this month. To support the brief to the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Development, OCASA members are being asked to write to their local MPPs in support of OCASAís position, particularly those on the standing committee (list is included on the Submissions Page).
The draft legislation currently includes the title of ëDeaní in colleges and universities and would impose wage restraints on those with that title regardless of other circumstances.
ìIn Colleges,î Posterski said, ìDeans are the third tier down, reporting to the Vice President Academic. Theyíre not included in the executive meetings.î
ìThey are administrators, managers ñ part of a larger leadership team within the College structure. Ö(T)hey are a passionate, highly educated group of college leaders, dedicated to their jobs, but still more at the operational level.î
Following two years of wage restraint, she said, the ability of colleges to attract those familiar with the college system to this position has been hampered.
The OCASA presentation points out that 35% of administrators are now eligible for some form of retirement, while 11% are eligible for unreduced retirement. ìMany will be thinking about accelerating their exit date,î Posterski added, at a time when institutional knowledge is leaving the Colleges at alarming rates.
ìChoosing one title beyond that clearly definable executive group Ö creates inequities at the operational level,î she added.
The OCASA brief made two recommendation:
OCASA recommends the following:
1.    That section 7.3.1 (1) of Schedule 5, Broader Public Sector Accountability Act, 2012 be amended by removing the title of ìDeansî at the Colleges from the legislation.
2.    Alternatively, a fixed dollar amount be used to determine which employees are included in the wage restraint. OCASA would recommend a minimum salary of $150,000 be used as this benchmark. This would eliminate inequities within the college structure as wage restraint is extended for two more years.