Staff Report #3
January 27, 2021
To All Commissioners
Re: Tuition-based Pass Contract Extension
Recommendation
That the Commission:
I. DIRECT Administration to establish a one-year extension for the 2021/22 academic year to the Tuition-based Pass Contracts with University Student’s Council at Western University, Society of Graduate Students at Western University, and Fanshawe Student Union at Fanshawe College utilizing the same terms and conditions that are currently in place; and
II. DIRECT Administration to proceed with discussions regarding new multi-year contracts with each of the parties in order for contracts to be in place for the 2022/23 academic year.
Background
The Commission currently holds three tuition-based pass program contracts with Fanshawe College, Western University undergrads and Western University Society of Graduate Students. The contracts were set to expire in August of 2021; however, given uncertainty relating to the declaration of the pandemic, a COVID-related addendum was established with each of the parties. The addendum particulars provided the flexibility to the parties to ensure that students who would be interacting with the campus in any manner would be required to purchase the tuition pass while excluding those students who would not be returning to London to undertake their studies given the move to fully online classes for their particular program. While this addendum resulted in a decrease in participants at both Western and Fanshawe, the approach protected the universality concept of the program in that opting in or out was not allowed.
Given the ongoing uncertainty with respect to the conditions that will be in place in September 2021, the parties have agreed that a further one-year extension with the same terms and conditions remaining in place is appropriate. The best case scenario is that all students will be able to return to campuses for the fall 2021 term, and as such, the articles in the COVID Addendum will not need to be applied, and should conditions remain similar to what is currently in place, these same articles will be put in place.
This approach recognizes the long-standing positive relationship between the parties and that the good-faith position that the contract impacts resulting from the pandemic declaration were unanticipated by the parties when the contracts were initially established.
Subsequent to the Commission’s concurrence with this approach, administration will notify the respective parties of the intent to move forward.
Recommended by:
Mike Gregor, Director of Finance
Concurred in by:
Kelly S. Paleczny, General Manager