4 senior level employees at Conestoga College lose their jobs as part of restructuring

Conestoga College has announced significant restructuring and leadership changes that includes the elimination of four high level employees who held positions that made a collective annual salary of $1.2 million.

Both deans of the School of Interdisciplinary and the School of Hospitality and Culinary Arts were dismissed. Also let go by the college were the senior vice president academic and students and the senior vice president and secretary general to the board of governors.

"We wish them the best in their future endeavours," Conestoga president John Tibbits said in a memo to college staff.

"As we continue navigating through these unprecedented and challenging times, we thank all employees for their continued understanding and support."

The announcement came in an email sent to all Conestoga college employees, which was obtained by CBC K-W. The memo also outlined the restructuring and expanded job portfolios of nine other senior positions at the college.

A spokesperson from the college confirmed the restructuring in an email to CBC K-W.

"Like most post-secondary institutions across the country, Conestoga continues to navigate unprecedented and challenging times. As a result, four executive positions were impacted over the last week," said the statement.

At least 190 support staff have been laid off at the college and suspended 82 programs.

Earlier this month, the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) said that across Ontario's 24 public colleges, approximately 10,000 faculty and staff have been laid off or are projected to lose their jobs in the past year due to funding issues. 

According to an arbitration document between OPSEU and the College Employer Council, 23 of the 24 colleges reported a 48 per cent decrease in first-semester enrolment of international students last year.  

The document says the decline and financial troubles are a result of the federally implemented international study permit cap.

The impact is being felt by employees not laid off, too, local union reps have said. Vikki Poirier, president of Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) Local 238, representing Conestoga's support staff, said "there is a sense of panicking now" for some people.

"We receive emails daily from our members with how upset they are," Poirier said. "Morale has hit an all-time low."

This fall, Conestoga College will also move out of the former Market Square building and any academic-related operations for the college will be moved to 1 Young St., near city hall.