Western University's partnership with for-profit recruiter clears final hurdle

Western University's Board of Governors has voted to move forward with a partnership with an Australian company to create a new, privately funded entry program for international first-year students.

The board voted 13-4 with one abstention in favour of Western partnering with Navitas to create a privately run international college that will operate under the Western banner.

The decision amounts to a ratification of a much closer vote in the Senate to approve the partnership.

In making her case to the board in favour of the partnership, Provost Florentine Strzelczyk said the new college is needed to boost recruitment of international students "who wouldn't otherwise find a way to Western."

Because international students pay much higher tuition, recruiting them has become a priority at a time when domestic tuition is capped and operating costs keep rising.

The university has said the students in the new college would not typically qualify for direct admission, in most cases because they lack the prerequisites in their home country.

Once they pass first year, the students could enter regular second-year studies.

Strzelczyk presented revenue projections for the new college, showing revenue growth to $120 million by 2033-34 year.

"This will not replace what we do. It would augment and amplify the model of public education," she told the board.

University President Alan Shepard said that other universities have made significant investments in international recruitment in recent years, while Western has fallen behind.

The university has a goal of reaching 20 per cent international enrollment, but is currently sitting at just 7.5 per cent.

"It's not all about cash," said Shepard. "If you want to be a great university, you have to attract students from around the globe."

Jane Toswell is one of the board members who voted against the Navitas partnership.

"We're changing a fundamental feature of the university by outsourcing our teaching for a specific cohort of students," she said. "There's a real sense of anxiety and unhappiness around this."

The draft of the proposed partnership, however, says Western would continue to have full oversight over staff hiring, which would be done in compliance with existing collective bargaining agreements.

Toswell also asked if, once the contract with Navitas is negotiated, it can viewed by the board members. Shepard said that might be possible but would likely have to happen in camera.

Toswell put forward a motion to have the vote happen by roll call, in which each board member, one by one, would state their vote verbally. The board voted that down.

In addition to Toswell, board members Arzie Chant, Beth MacDougall-Shackleton and Joel Welch voted against the Navitas partnership.

MacDougall-Shackleton is the faculty's elected representative to the board.

"I was worried about the hit to Western's reputation," she said in explaining her vote. "The institutions in Canada that have partnered with Navitas are not what we would consider our partner institutions. It's been very divisive among faculty and students on campus."

MacDougall-Shackleton said the recorded vote shouldn't have been an issue.

"This is an open session of the board, it's open to the public," she said. "I feel as though a recorded voted would have been appropriate. I'm obviously not ashamed of the way I voted and putting my name beside it."

David Heap, a professor and activist, watched the discussion and the vote that followed. Outside the meeting, he held up a sign that said, "No to risk, No to outsourcing, No to Navitas."

"It's a disrespectful use of international students as cash cows for the university," said Heap. "Everybody values internationalization, but it's not appropriate to do that through a private equity firm. It's appropriate to do that by funding international education properly."

The university plans to begin admissions in the new college by 2026-27 academic year.