Professors, students say Nova Scotia university bill threatens academic freedoms

A man walks across the Dalhousie University campus in Halifax on March 16, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan

HALIFAX — Academics and students told a Nova Scotia legislature committee Tuesday that a bill giving the government more control over the province’s 10 universities is a case of overreach that could threaten academic freedoms.

The legislation would link funding decisions to the government’s social and economic priorities and could force universities into unplanned reorganization. The proposed changes would also allow the government to appoint up to half the members of a university’s board of governors.

Peter McInnis, president of the Canadian Association of University Teachers, told the committee that a provision allowing the minister of advanced education to set terms and conditions for annual research grants is a concern. He said it could lead to political interference that could disrupt areas of university research.

“This is not to suggest that governments have no practical role in advanced education, but rather a balance must be sought between oversight and interference,” said McInnis, who is an associate professor of history at St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish, N.S.

He warned that university senates, which deal with academic issues, shouldn’t be bypassed in favour of boards of governors stacked with government appointees. He also questioned giving the advanced education minister discretion in whether to provide or withdraw funding for specific programs.

“This is a power accorded to no other province and would force universities to restructure according to government direction,” McInnis said.

He noted a report this month by the auditor general found that the government was not effectively funding universities or holding them accountable for the funding they do get.

Saint Mary’s University professor Cathy Conrad said the government didn’t consult with academics before setting universities on what she said will be a “chaos course.”

Conrad, who appeared on behalf of 300 faculty and academic librarians, said there’s concern funding will go to science and technology programs that align with government priorities for economic growth to the detriment of liberal arts programs.

She emphasized the need for schools to determine their own academic missions. Conrad told the committee that senior university administration officials aren’t speaking out because they are worried about losing funding.

“Nova Scotia universities deserve support for their missions in tandem with appropriate oversight rather than being subject to arbitrary and partisan political control,” she said.

Maren Mealey, an international development student at Dalhousie University, expressed concern that the bill would grant the government “unprecedented authority” over colleges and universities, especially when it comes to research priorities.

“This risks stifling academic freedom and devaluing research that doesn’t align with whatever the government decides are its interests,” said Mealey. “Research priorities should be determined by researchers and not politicians.”

Ziggy Kirch, a student at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design, told the committee that students will have even less representation on university boards under the changes.

“A top-down approach to the administration and governance of educational institutions has historically failed to meet the material interests of students,” said Kirch.

Advanced Education Minister Brendan Maguire told reporters that he has had discussions with university presidents, including as recently as Monday.

“I have assured them that this is about long-term stability,” said Maguire who added that a big financial hit is likely coming because of a drop in foreign student enrolment resulting from a change in federal immigration rules.

“It is going to be a huge cut in their budget, and we need to make sure that they are figuring out ways to address that,” he said of the presidents. “It’s not about control, and we will work with them to ensure that they still have autonomy over their universities.”

The committee returned the bill to the legislature for further debate.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 18, 2025.

Keith Doucette, The Canadian Press