September 26, 2014

To the University Community,

Universities are great places for debating juxtaposing ideas, particularly when the outcome of the debate has no
material impact on ones health or livelihood. A rousing difference of opinion or defeat in an argument can
always find comfort in the anodyne that we can agree to disagree.
The Windsor University Faculty Association has asked its members to go on strike on October 1
st
. This invitation
is based on various arguments that have been put forward by WUFA. Specifically, WUFA argues that we are
building buildings at the expense of hiring people or paying them more. WUFA argues that the pension plan
challenges are over-hyped. WUFA argues that the University of Windsor is in good fiscal shape.
On these issues, there is no the truth is in the middle. WUFAs representation of the Universitys funding of
buildings, its operating budget, and its pension challenges are wrong and not supported by any credible bodies
to which the Universitys operations are accountable. These include our Board of Governors, auditors, the
provincial Ministry that funds universities and colleges, provincial pension regulators, funding bodies, credit
rating agencies, and donors. Should WUFA go on strike, any eventual solution and return to work will contain
no changes in the administrations position that in any way validate WUFAs misrepresentations.
The University of Windsor is in the midst of an exciting $250M renewal of its campus. This has been badly
needed for our university to be competitive and attractive to prospective students from here and around the
world, and for our faculty and staff to have better facilities for their work. The attached table lists every Board-
approved major capital project. There is a wide range of funding sources in support of the projects, and each
funding source is identified. The date on which each project was approved by our Board of Governors is
indicated. Agendas and minutes of all Board meetings are available
(http://www.uwindsor.ca/secretariat/12/agendas-and-minutes), and any supporting documentation referred to
but not directly on the web site is available on request. In the entire capital plan there is a funding solution for
every project, including principal and interest costs if applicable. In the entire plan, to date only $680K, one-
time, is taken from the operating budget with no related offsetting revenue source.
More and more money is being taken from the operating budget to pay the increasing costs of the Faculty
Pension Plan (http://www1.uwindsor.ca/president/system/files/President-Update-23.pdf). The going concern
deficit in the Plan is projected to increase by $10M, to $55M. In 2011/12 the University contributed $10.7M to
the Plan. By 2015/16 this annual cost is expected to increase by 53% to $16.4M annually. This additional $5.7M
is coming out of the operating budget and is one of the main drivers causing the realignments that have affected
every department on campus. Over this time, member contributions will only increase from $5.2M to $6.2M.
Unless members increase their contribution, the University will soon be paying more than 70% of the cost of the
Plan. This disproportion is significantly out of step with our Employee Plan that has full cost-sharing, and out of
step with the provinces expectation that public sector plans move to full cost sharing.
For six years, in detail, the entire community has been apprised of revenue and expense growth at the
University through regular updates (http://www1.uwindsor.ca/president/communications-presidential). The
fact is that expenses have risen faster than revenues every year, which is why we have had to realign our budget
every year. Enrolment across Ontario is dropping, and realignments will continue unless we can dampen the
cost escalation curve. Six years of communications, all of which map directly onto our financial statements,
Office of the President
401 Sunset Avenue, Windsor
Ontario, Canada N9B 3P4
T 519.253.3000 (ext.2000) F 519.971.7070
www.uwindsor.ca




audited statements, reports to credit rating agencies, enrolment reports to government, and Board-approved
operating budgets, are accurate, and the truth is that almost 80% of the operating budget goes to salaries,
wages, benefits and pension contributions for employees. WUFAs extraordinary claims all summer that
somehow the University has no financial challenges are utterly baffling.
After twenty days with a mediator in June and July, it was clear that WUFA did not share the administrations
desire first stated in January to get a new collective agreement when the existing one expired. This desire
was expressed because students should not have their education unnecessarily disrupted. Unfortunately, it is
WUFAs stated principle that the union must always use the threat of a strike to get what it wants. The final
offer was implemented because the administration could go nowhere in bargaining with WUFA denying the
fiscal facts summarized above. The final offer an offer that over three years will see an average increase of
8.9% plus Windsor Salary Standard adjustments to keep salaries at the provincial median confirmed the
commitment to keep salaries at the University of Windsor competitive. If WUFAs anger that a final offer was
imposed rather than negotiated is enough to justify a strike, there is no financial remedy to reduce that anger.
The University wants its faculty to be paid competitively and wants to see their work and contributions
celebrated. Some have expressed frustration that the Windsor Salary Standard has not helped them in the past
couple of years. This is because salaries at the rank they are in had in fact moved ahead of the provincial
median.
I am being urged to send the administration team back to the bargaining table. Many people purport to know
or to have heard that the two sides are very close, and if the administration gives just a little bit there will be a
deal. To all of you I say this. It seems that some may not be informed of WUFAs demands - demands which
indicate that the fiscal realities are not being acknowledged. In Update #23 I indicated that there will be a
realignment challenge of $5.4M in 2015/16. That was based upon a projected first year enrolment decline of
200 students. We now know that the actual decline will be 380, and undoubtedly this will increase the
realignment challenge.
Our final offer was developed in the context of the initial enrolment assumption. It was an offer meant to
moderate the escalation in salaries, but to do so in a way that was fair, transparent, and maintaining the
commitment to keep our faculty at the provincial median. The enrolment reality has also been shared with
WUFA. Lastly, I hope that we can all recognize that we should strive to separate professional opinions from
personal attacks. We will get through this and go forward as a community that has built a proud fifty year
legacy. This is something I know our University can do.
To students at the University of Windsor, I know that this is a frustrating situation. There are two points I want
to make. First, neither the administration nor the faculty want to see your education disrupted. There are
exceptional teachers and researchers across the University, and there will be a resolution to the current
impasse. Second, I personally cannot guarantee that there will not be a strike. That is the decision of WUFA. I
assure you, WUFA members, and everyone on campus, that the administration will continue to do all it can and
use whatever flexibility it has within its immediate and longer term fiscal realities to reach a negotiated
collective agreement as quickly as possible.
Sincerely,

Alan Wildeman
President and Vice-Chancellor

CAMPUS TRANSFORMATION PLAN
Board-Approved Phase I Capital Transformation Plan Projects ($M)
Project Approved Timeline
Federal
Capital
Restricted
Funds
Provincial
Capital
Restricted
Funds
Municipal
Capital
Restricted
Funds
CEPE - One
Time
Monies
2006 Bond
Debenture
*Debt
Financing
*Debt
Financing -
Ancillary
Fund-
raising
**Other
External
Sources Total
*Funding source of Debt Cost
(Principal & Interest)
**Other External
Sources
Centre for Engineering
Innovation April, 2009 Complete 40.00 $ 40.00 $ 21.00 $ 5.50 $ 5.50 $ 112.00 $
Interest Income on
Provincial Capital Funds
International Student
Centre April, 2011 Complete 1.60 $ 1.60 $
Enrolment growth -
International
3rd Floor Medical
Education Building May, 2011 Complete 4.20 $ 4.20 $
IC/Parking Deck Dec, 2011 Complete 1.50 $ 9.50 $ 11.00 $ 22.00 $
External leases / Parking
Services
Odette School of
Business Renovations Jun, 2012 Complete 3.00 $ 3.00 $
Welcome Centre Feb, 2014 Summer 2015 8.46 $ 8.46 $
Existing base budget -
External leases (Canterbury &
Assumption)
Armouries April, 2014 Sep-16 15.00 $ 10.00 $ 3.60 $ 4.00 $ 32.60 $
Sale of Property (ie.,
Lebel, ITEC)
Bus Depot / SOCA/ TBQ
Pending
finalization &
approval Sep-16 TBD TBD TBD TBD
Windsor Star April, 2013 Spring 2015 4.50 $ 16.30 $ 11.28 $ 32.08 $
Enrolment expansion plan for
Social Work/ CEPE
Cody/Drama Demo Jun, 2011 Complete 0.85 $ 0.85 $ Provincial Tax Rebate
Campus, Def. mtnce. (eg.
Biology, Library April, 2013 Ongoing 6.00 $ 6.00 $ Provincial Capital Grant
40.00 $ 59.20 $ 10.00 $ 4.50 $ 38.80 $ 36.84 $ 11.00 $ 12.10 $ 10.35 $ 222.79 $
Additional Board-approved capital projects ($M)
Project Approved Timeline
Federal
Capital
Restricted
Funds
Provincial
Capital
Restricted
Funds
Municipal
Capital
Restricted
Funds
One Time
Monies-
Operations
2006 Bond
Debenture
*Debt
Financing
*Debt
Financing -
Ancillary
Fund-
raising
**Other
External
Sources Total
Campus Master Plan -
Phase I Jun-14 Fall, 2016 3.30 $ 0.30 $ 1.387 $ 4.987 $
Innovation Centre fit-out Apr-14 Ongoing 0.40 $ 3.510 $ 0.20 $ 4.110 $ Student Enhancement Tenant lease
Graduate Student
Society - Renovations Feb-14 Complete 0.38 $ 0.49 $ 0.870 $
Graduate Student Society
contribution
Assumption Complete 2.975 $ 2.975 $
Campus Bookstore Apr-13 Complete 2.278 $ 0.307 $ 2.585 $ Bookstore operations
UWSA & Property
Management Board
Contribution
TOTAL OTHER PROJECTS 0.400 $ 6.275 $ - $ 0.680 $ 1.387 $ 3.510 $ 2.278 $ - $ 0.997 $ 15.527 $