We are living in an age of fascism where you have political leaders who disregard democratic process and are going full steam ahead in shaping the world the way they want it to look like. And this world includes a depleted higher education sector that they see as enemy number one. All over, we are witnessing a move to defund higher education, pushing universities and colleges to adopt corporate, neoliberal norms and practices. Programs are cut while tuitions fees rise with little tangible improvements in education.

So where is the money going? Why do senior administrators keep bringing their hands saying that there is a budget crisis? And why is it that as members of the university community, we can't seem to get any answers from our university leaders who are resentful that they keep being held to account for poor management decisions?

To talk about this, we speak to Dr. Todd Horton, the chair of the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations' Governance Working Group. We also talk to Dr. Sheila Embleton, a colleague at York University, and the former interim president of Laurentian University.

Thanks for listening! Get more information, support the show, and read all the transcripts at academicaunties.com. Get in touch with Academic Aunties on BlueSky, Instagram, or by e-mail at [email protected].