BCIT Budget Notice

BCIT Budget Notice

At the Community Budget Forum today, BCIT President Kathy Kinloch and the Leadership Team advised faculty and staff that the Institute’s draft 2015-16 budget still includes a gap equivalent to 14 FTE of staff position.  Despite projected new sources of revenues and eliminating positions considered vacant, layoffs seem likely.  Where those layoffs may occur is still being considered.  Services for international students will see an increase of 6.5 FTE and a new counselling position will be created.

Despite BCIT now operating at a staggering 115% of budgeted student FTE and despite the government trumpeting its support for trades and technology training, the operating grant from the provincial government will decrease in the coming year.  As well, more of the money BCIT receives from government will be restricted to specific programs and purposes.  BCIT has had to make up significant gaps in funding for the past several years and that trend is expected to continue.

The FSA expects that details of the layoffs and position eliminations will be finalized by the end of February or early in March.  Layoff notices would be issued to departments by the end of March with individual layoffs likely taking effect in June.

While we continue to consult with management about means of avoiding any cuts, the unions have asked BCIT to negotiate a severance incentive package to minimize the need for involuntary layoffs.  No agreement has been reached yet around the terms of such a package or who would be eligible for it. The Institute has agreed to freeze postings to ensure that faculty and staff identified for layoff have every opportunity to move to available opportunities for which they might be qualified.  A brief guide to the layoff process is available on the FSA web site (PDF).

The FSA will continue to consult with management, departments, and members to ensure that any positions identified for layoff are properly assessed, that the layoff process is conducted in accordance with the collective agreement, that individual members are well represented throughout the process, and that the impact of these cuts on our members and the services we provide to students are well understood at every level.