'Taking a hammer to the humanities:' Profs say SMU slashing arts courses, putting jobs at risk

Around 50 arts and humanities courses at Saint Mary's University in Halifax will be dropped for the upcoming academic year, leaving dozens of part-time professors scrambling for work, according to the union representing them. 

The course cuts will begin in May and will mainly impact the departments of English, religion, history, and languages and cultures, said Erica Fischer, vice-president of CUPE Local 3912. 

Fischer said in an interview she has been teaching Spanish courses at Saint Mary's for around 13 years, but her courses are no longer being offered.  

"I need to find another job," said Fischer, adding that her options are limited because post-secondary institutions elsewhere in Halifax are also cutting courses.

"It's really having a psychological impact because I didn't have any time to prepare."

Fischer provided CBC News with a table of courses offered in the 2024-25 academic year that are no longer appearing on the university's internal course schedule platform for the upcoming year. They include courses like Canadian political history and religious diversity in Canada.

At a time when some universities are facing increased financial pressures and concerns are being raised about government influence on post-secondary institutions, CUPE Local 3912 president Lauren McKenzie called this a "significant escalation" of cost-saving cuts.

"This reduction will dramatically decrease the courses that are available on campus," McKenzie said. 

"It will impact the livelihood of many of the instructors here on campus, and their incredible expertise and knowledge in their discipline will no longer be available to our community."

The union said the number of arts courses taught by part-time professors will drop to about 63, down from over 140 in recent years. Around 40 part-time profs will be either out of work or have drastically reduced work, it said.

University admin says this is 'normal practice'

Saint Mary's University administration declined an interview request about the course cuts, due to current collective bargaining with CUPE Local 3912.

But a spokesperson said in an email that an annual course review is underway, wherein the university looks at the ratio of courses taught by full-time faculty and part-time faculty, and places a priority on full-time professors.

"Courses must also meet a minimum number of students enrolled. It is normal practice to add and drop courses leading up to the start of a new academic year," wrote Margaret Murphy, associate vice-president of external affairs.

"We are very early in the process and there will be many adjustments between now and the start of fall term 2025."

McKenzie disputed this claim, saying more courses are being dropped than usual, and some were popular and always full. Other faculties, such as science and business, are losing 10 or fewer courses, added Fischer.

Profs call for cuts to 'administrative bloat'

Syed Adnan Hussain, chair of the department for the study of religion, said his department is one of the most impacted, with the dean "under a lot of pressure from the administration to make cuts."

The Nova Scotia government recently put legislation in place that, among other things, could see provincial funding withheld from certain post-secondary institutions unless they create an acceptable "revitalization plan." Advanced Education Minister Brendan Maguire said in February the legislative changes were needed to ensure the institutions are sustainable and "meeting the job market."

Hussain mused that this could be behind the decreased arts and humanities courses. 

"If there's a revitalization conversation going on in the government, the revitalization really should be about cutting administrative bloat, which almost every study about the academic sector will say that that is the real problem in our universities," Hussain said. 

"It is not the courses that we are offering. It is not the education that we are giving our students."

McKenzie said she hopes the university will reconsider some of the changes before the fall semester.

"We hope very much that the university will stop taking a hammer to the humanities," she said. 

Provincial government says it isn't involved

A spokesperson for the Department of Advanced Education declined an interview request for Maguire, and instead sent a statement denying any involvement in the cuts.

"Post-secondary institutions are independent, board-governed institutions who make their own decisions on programming," wrote spokesperson Chloee Sampson. 

"The department hasn't had any involvement in this decision, and we have not requested a revitalization plan from Saint Mary's University."

Sampson did not answer a question from CBC News asking how the government responds to the concerns of the union representing part-time professors who are now out of work.