Budget Realignment Leads to Changes in Two Service Areas

WINDSOR, Ont. - The University of Windsor is restructuring two campus service areas as part of a multi-year strategy to balance its base budget.

University Players, the production unit within the School of Dramatic Art, will cease operations, and the Entrepreneurship, Practice, and Innovation Centre will be reimagined to integrate and enhance our innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem. Ensuring continuity and innovating new approaches to enrich the student experience and strengthen community partnerships will be priorities as these efforts move forward.

The 10 bargaining unit employees affected by these decisions were notified today of their rights under their respective collective agreements.

The University of Windsor, like many post-secondary institutions in Ontario, is grappling with significant external pressures on budgets from ongoing domestic tuition freezes, provincial policy and funding impacts, competitive forces, and fluctuating enrolment.

To maintain a balanced budget, the University's operating budget requires faculties and departments to work together to achieve budget savings in excess of $5.6 million. With escalating operating costs and several years of budget realignments, the University will continue to identify revenue opportunities, along with operational efficiencies and staffing adjustments to ensure that the University continues to fulfil its academic mission and safeguards the institution's financial sustainability.