Operating Budget Deficit Updates

At ��˴�Ƭ, we are committed to excellence in research and teaching. To support and advance our academic mission, we are tackling our financial challenges together.

Queen's is not alone in facing budgetary pressure, as more than half of Ontario's universities are projecting a combined operating deficit of $338 million for the 2024-25 academic year. This sector-wide situation is due to the 2019 provincial tuition cut, the ongoing tuition freeze for Ontario students, the international student enrolment cap, and steadily rising expenses.

Queen's is currently projecting operational deficits of $20-25 million for each of the next three years. Additional information on the Queen's structural operating budget deficit and plans to address it are available on the ��˴�Ƭ Balanced Budget Plan website.

As the largest Faculty at Queen's, the Faculty of Arts and Science (FAS) carries the largest portion of the institution's structural operating budget deficit. FAS has taken a comprehensive and collaborative approach to budget development as part of a multi-year plan to reduce costs, increase revenue, and move to financial sustainability.

One of the initiatives that was a part of this multi-year plan was the FAS administrative restructuring plan for management and administrative supports within our academic units and business operations.

As of July 1, 2024, the Faculty moved to a Hub structure within our academic units, and to a new administrative support structure for centralized business operations services within FAS for finance, human resources, communications and marketing, advancement, and Arts and Science Online (ASO).

This structure reflects a comprehensive assessment of the resources and administrative structure needed to achieve the FAS priorities of delivering on Queen's academic and research mission and supporting the student experience.

For questions regarding the Hubs or the centralized business operations support services, please contact deanartsci@queensu.ca.

Hub Structure for Academic Units

There are 7 Hubs with staff from the following academic units:

Hub 1: Political Studies; Policy Studies; Sociology; Global Development Studies; and Geography and Planning
Hub 2: Economics; and Employment Relations
Hub 3: English; Classics and Archaeology; History; and Philosophy
Hub 4: Languages, Literatures, and Cultures; French Studies; Gender Studies; and Religion
Hub 5: Art History and Art Conservation; Fine Art; Film and Media; Cultural Studies; and DAN School of Drama and Music
Hub 6: Biology; Environmental Studies; Kinesiology and Health Studies; and Psychology
Hub 7: Chemistry; Computing; Geological Sciences and Geological Engineering; Mathematics and Statistics; and Physics, Engineering Physics, and Astronomy

FAS Centralized Business Operations Administrative Supports

The Faculty Office has centralized business operations that provide a number of administrative services in finance, human resources, communications and marketing, and advancement. In transitioning these operations to support the academic units there has been and will continue to be guidance and training on services that are be delivered from within Hubs.

FAQs - New Administrative Structure

What FAS business operations services were centralized?

The Faculty Office has centralized business operations that provide a number of administrative services in finance, human resources, communications and marketing, and advancement.

Why were business operations services centralized?

Business operations services, particularly those in the areas of human resources, finance, advancement, and marketing and communications, can be managed more efficiently and effectively by centralized service provision at the Faculty Office level.

What are the Hubs?

The Hubs are teams of administrative staff from academic units that will share specific staffing functions, resources, and expertise, such as undergraduate, graduate and other administrative roles, to provide support to groups of academic units.

How were the Hubs formed, and why were they formed a certain way?

The decision to move to a Hub structure utilized data-driven distribution strategies, sharing of administrative resources and expertise, and structures to mitigate redundancy and to increase efficiency.

Staffing allocations across the Hubs were developed based on the principles of equity, resiliency, and efficiency, while working within the parameters of Queen's collective agreements and supporting the university's academic and research mission, and student experience.

Hub administrative structures are not identical. The heads and managers within the Hubs had agency and autonomy to decide on intra-hub structures that determine how allocated staffing resources are deployed within their Hubs, based on the specific needs and demands of their units and programs.

Why were the Hubs developed?

FAS budget planning and financial decisions reflect an assessment of the resources and administrative structure needed to achieve the FAS priorities of delivering on Queen’s academic and research mission and supporting the student experience.

The Hub model provides efficiencies of scale and scope, increases resilience by building in backstopping between staff, maintains expertise at a unit level, and opens new opportunities for staff.

How will we know that the Hub model is working?

The Faculty Office has been working closely with academic units within the Hubs and the business operations support services to ensure there are regular check-ins and meetings, along with mechanisms for input and feedback.

Where do I go if I have further questions?

You can email deanartsci@queensu.ca any time you have questions.

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