I am writing to provide an update on our budget process, as we move toward finalizing our business plan and budget for 2021-2022 at the end of April.
As we have shared throughout this challenging process, second-and-third waves of the pandemic have been longer in duration and broader in scope than we could have anticipated a year ago. Public health measures continue to evolve along with the pandemic itself, having significant impacts on our current and projected enrolments and how we deliver our programs and services. At the same time, vaccinations continue to roll out across Ontario and around the world, and we know that a gradual return to more normal operations is on the horizon.
Given these realities, our budget has been guided by a strategy of aligning resources with our enrolments and operations. It’s a process that we continue to approach with a commitment to transparency, to minimizing the impact on students and our employees, and to positioning Niagara College to thrive and fulfill its important role in the post-pandemic recovery period that lies ahead. While we had the benefit of entering the pandemic from a position of financial strength thanks to responsible fiscal management and investments that eliminated debt, our ability to maintain financial stability and regain strength in the recovery period relies on the decisions we make now.
The 2021-2022 budget will also see some non-salary and salary measures carried over from the 2020-2021 budget, including strict vacancy management. Currently, approximately 85 positions are unfilled across the college.
As noted previously, the process of aligning our resources with our enrolments and operations has also identified positions where there is a decrease in work – in most cases temporary but in limited cases permanent. There are also areas where there is new work or increased demand and a need for more resources. In areas where work has decreased, the difficult but necessary decision to implement staffing reductions will occur, including the extension of some existing furloughs as well as additional reductions within the administrative and support staff groups. Affected employees will be notified between April 26 – May 4. These very challenging decisions are driven by an assessment of our current operational needs.
In previous months we have been able to recall some employees affected by the furloughs implemented last spring, and we look forward to welcoming additional furloughed employees back as our operations gradually return to normal and the affected work resumes.
The business plan and budget will be finalized and approved at the end of April, and a further update will be provided at that time. In the meantime, should you have questions, please reach out to your dean or director.
We are in challenging times that continue to test our resilience and our strength. Our NC DNA has provided a solid foundation for our ability to persevere, and our shared dedication to our students and to each other will guide us through to the much better days that lie ahead. On behalf of our entire executive team, I extend heartfelt thanks for your ongoing hard work and commitment to our college, our students and our community.
