Results of ballot on mil-rate and CAUT Defence Fund

The results of the recent ballot on a proposed mil-rate increase and joining the CAUT Defence Fund are as follows:

Voter Turnout:  44.6%

Authorization to increase UVic Faculty Association mil-rate:  Yes 53%    No 47%   This proposal needed a 75% affirmative to pass – therefore, it  has not passed.

Authorization to join CAUT Defence Fund:  Yes 53%   No 47%   This proposal needed a simple majority to pass – therefore it has passed.

Our executive director has confirmed that the identical outcomes were a coincidence -not every voter voted the same way on both issues.

Next steps:  Many members asked for more information and time with which to consider the mil-rate issue.  As reported by our President in her email of October 1st, the Executive Committee will be bringing the issue of a mil-rate increase to a second vote, following the presentation of the draft budget for 2015/16 at the Annual General Meeting in November, because the Executive  Committee continues to believe that it is unable to fulfil its fiduciary responsibilities to adequately, and appropriately, support members and undertake the Association’s mandate,  without increasing the legal reserve and operating budget.  Our current mil-rate is tied with McMaster for the lowest mil-rate among CAUT member institutions, and is half the value of the modal mil-rate for Canadian Universities.

We’ll be posting more information here as it becomes available.  You can send your thoughts on these issues to the Executive Committee, take part in the discussion listserv, and plan to attend the November AGM.