A message from President Sean Kennedy:
I am writing to provide an update regarding our third Strategic Mandate Agreement (SMA3), which is effective from 2020 to 2025, and will be approved by the Ministry of Training, College and Universities for posting in the coming weeks.
SMAs are multi-year agreements with the Ontario Ministry of Colleges and Universities. They have been in place since 2014 and are designed to outline how each institution’s mission and activities align with the provincial government’s priority areas for postsecondary education per the Differentiation Policy Framework. The framework sets out the principles for a differentiated postsecondary system by helping institutions build on their individual strengths while remaining accountable for quality, sustainability, and outcomes.
Performance-based funding changes delayed for 2 years
The most significant element of the third Strategic Mandate agreement is related to metrics for performance-based funding. In the spring of 2019, the provincial government announced that the amount of funding tied to the outcomes of the SMA would increase to 60% over five years.
However, this performance-based funding process has now been delayed for two years due to the uncertainty regarding future impacts of the pandemic on SMA3 metrics. This delay supports funding stability while we navigate the significant fiscal challenges related to COVID-19 – including decreases in revenue related to enrolment.
Niagara College’s SMA for 2020-2025 (SMA3)
Our new agreement outlines the College’s enrolment profile and planning, including the following:
- Our enrolment corridor, which supports grant stability by allowing for enrolment fluctuations within a calculated band;
- Program areas of strength (expected growth);
- Metrics for performance-based funding in two categories: skills and job outcomes, and economic and community impact. As part of the process, these metrics are weighted by institutions, within government guidelines.
Further updates on SMA3 will be provided when the approval for posting of the agreement is provided by the ministry. For further information regarding the SMA process, click here. To view the previous SMA (2017-2021), click here.
