by Up to 20 faculty association members at Cape Breton University could lose their jobs as the school looks to save money.
President David Wheeler says CBU is looking to trim $5 million from its $50-million budget because of a shortfall in projected revenues.
As a result, Wheeler told Faculty Association President Scott Stewart yesterday that he’s invoking the layoff clause in the collective agreement.
Layoff notices could go out by April or May.
The faculty association has about 150 members and represents professors, instructors, librarians, archivists, lab instructors, nursing practice educators and research chairs at CBU.
By invoking the layoff clause, Wheeler sets in motion the formation of a committee to decide whether his claim that a financial shortfall actually exists at CBU.
The committee will be made up of two faculty association members, two people from CBU’s board of governors and a fifth person to chair the committee that both sides agree on.
Meanwhile, Stewart says CBU has run a $2-million surplus in four of the past five years and broke even last year and adds the latest financial outlook is a very sudden turnaround.