A provincial union is asking for a potential merger of two colleges to be put on hold.
In a release issued Thursday, the Saskatchewan Government and General Employees Union (SGEU) is asking the Cumberland and Parkland Regional Colleges Coalition Board to pause their plan to merge the two Colleges until they can provide more information and respond to questions and concerns from stakeholders and the public.
Cumberland College and Parkland College Boards made the decision to enter into a coalition agreement in 2018.
However, the SGEU said a potential merger was not mentioned during the coalition process or appears in the strategic plans or annual reports of the two colleges.
They said despite several assurances in the past few years that a merger was not on the table, staff were notified of the merger in a Board memo from January 5 and invited to submit questions. The board has not yet provided detailed responses to inquiries submitted by staff and the union.
“SGEU members who work at Parkland College and Cumberland College are dedicated to their students and their communities; they are rightfully worried about what appears to be a rushed plan to merge the two colleges,” said SGEU President Tracey Sauer. “With change comes a responsibility to provide clear and timely communication, yet the board has not provided a clear explanation for their decision to proceed with a merger. Nor have they laid out what the new college will look like and how the merger will impact those in the communities served by the existing colleges.”
Sauer added the priority for the board should be providing high-quality services to students and supporting the economic and social needs of the communities the colleges serve.
Cumberland College has campuses in Melfort, Nipawin, and Tisdale while Parkland College offers programs in Yorkton, Melville, Kamsack, Canora, Esterhazy, and Fort Qu’Appelle.
“We believe this approach can once again deliver the best results, but it relies on the Coalition Board involving all stakeholders as early as possible in the process,” Sauer said.
SGEU represents almost 200 employees at Parkland and Cumberland Colleges.
NortheastNOW has reached out to both colleges for comment and are awaiting a response.
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derek.craddock@pattisonmedia.com
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