Union calls for SMU president to resign as university faces financial woes

Faculty members at Saint Mary's University in Halifax are calling for the president of the institution to resign, as the school's enrolment dips, its debt load increases and it faces escalating financial problems.

The union that represents nearly 300 full-time professors, librarians and instructors said Tuesday that 91 per cent of those who took part in a recent vote supported a motion of no-confidence in university president Robert Summerby-Murray and board of governors chair Alan Abraham.

"I'm angry, frustrated," said Cathy Conrad, the president of the Saint Mary's University Faculty Union. "I've had more conversations with professors in tears in the last two weeks than I have in the last 25 years."

The union accuses university leadership of "mismanagement," pointing to a long-term slide in enrolment, what it calls a lack of transparency around financial issues and cutbacks, and concerns about capital project spending.

CBC requested interviews with Summerby-Murray and Abraham, but a university spokesperson instead sent a statement. It said Saint Mary's is facing similar challenges as other post-secondary institutions in Canada related to international student enrolment, government funding and inflation.

"We understand that the union is giving voice to concerns," the statement said. "We have assured them, our faculty and staff that we will work collectively to take action to place the university on a course for sustainability."

Saint Mary’s University president Robert Summerby-Murray is shown in 2018. (Jean LaRoche/CBC)

The motion by the faculty is not binding, but Conrad said it's a message that members believe new leadership is needed in order to deal with the "precarious" financial situation the university finds itself in.

In January, Summerby-Murray warned the university faced a difficult financial picture, one he blamed on inflation, declining tuition revenue mainly due to a drop in international student enrolment, and "static" government funding.

"The road ahead is not an easy one and will require some difficult decisions and changes," he wrote in an email to staff.

Saint Mary's last year ran an operating deficit of $9.8 million, according to its financial statements. The financial records also note the university's debt has doubled since 2021 to fund projects such as the Dauphinee arena and the recladding of a large student residence.

While enrolment numbers at Nova Scotia universities have been largely stable in the last decade, or increased in the case of Cape Breton University and Dalhousie, Saint Mary's had about 12 per cent fewer students this year than it did 10 years ago, according to statistics from the Association of Atlantic Universities.

The provincial government recently capped tuition increases for Nova Scotia students at Nova Scotia universities at two per cent, down from the previous three per cent, and set provincial funding increases for the upcoming year at two per cent.

Saint Mary's University said in January it was closing the Language Centre, which over the years has helped thousands of students from other countries improve their English. (Jeorge Sadi/CBC)

Last week, Summerby-Murray said in an open letter that salaries have been frozen for all university executives and some administrative staff as part of a larger effort to contain costs.

He also noted a fresh problem. The processing of international student study permits is behind schedule as the university had to wait to see how many it would be allocated this year after the federal government capped the number in January.

"Our recruitment and admissions teams have received feedback that applicants are choosing other universities while waiting to hear back from Nova Scotia universities," he said in the letter.

Salaries and benefits make up the largest part of Saint Mary's expenditures, and spending on them has increased in recent years, according to an analysis of the university's finances prepared for the union by two retired University of Manitoba accounting professors.

The union's collective agreement with the university doesn't expire until 2025. Conrad said a number of weeks ago she told the board chair the union "would be willing to engage in difficult discussions related to austerity measures."

"What that might exactly look like, we didn't know, but we absolutely would engage in hard conversations if there was a change in leadership," she said.

Conrad said 85 per cent of the faculty union's 292 members took part in the no-confidence vote.

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