• When: Monday, February 23, 6:30–8:00 PM
• Where: Online via Zoom. Watch the recording here
• What: This event is focussed on the provincially mandated reviews of Nova Scotia universities. It is organized by the Coalition for Collegial Governance (CoCoGov) in collaboration with the Dalhousie Faculty Association (DFA) and the Association for Nova Scotia University Teachers (ANSUT).
• Who: The envisioned audience for this event includes students, academics, university administrators/leaders, policy makers, and the public.

Program

1) What is this all about? A brief overview about provincially mandated program reviews, including a summary of concerns that have been raised, by Dr. David Westwood (Professor of Kinesiology at Dalhousie, President of the Dalhousie Faculty Association, Co-chair of CoCoGov) followed by a brief Q&A.

2) Two panel discussions focused on The Big Picture and The Devil is in the Details with plenty of time for questions from the audience. Our fabulous group of panelists includes:

• Dr. A. Wayne MacKay (Professor Emeritus of Law, Dalhousie University, past President of Mount Allison University)
• Isabel Duque (Journalism Student, University of Kings College)
• Mathew Reichertz (Professor of Fine Arts, President of ANSUT, NSCAD)
• Dr. Noreen Kamal (Associate Professor of Industrial Engineering, Co-chair of CoCoGov, Dalhousie University)
• Dr. Norbert Zeh (Professor of Computer Science, Dalhousie University)
• Dr. Chelsea Gardner (Associate Professor of History and Classics, President of the Acadia Faculty Association, Acadia University)
• Eshan Arora (Medical Student, member of the Dalhousie Board of Governors, Dalhousie University)
• Dr. Chris Algar (Associate Professor of Oceanography, Dalhousie University)

3) Open question period with time for comments from the audience. Find the unedited and uncut responses here.

Background information

CoCoGov Op-Ed from Feb 22, 2026: The economic value of higher education by Christopher Algar

CBC News February 5, 2026: Bulk of $30M natural gas program at Dalhousie aimed at incentives for developers by Taryn Grant

CBC News from Jan 23, 2026: Some N.S. universities struggling to fill residences — a must to hold on to funding; Some schools haven’t met provincial demand to reach 95 per cent occupancy by Shaina Luck

Halifax Examiner commentary from Jan 22, 2026: Bill 12 misses the real cost crisis in Nova Scotia universities by Geneviève Boulet and Nathaniel Street

CoCoGov blog post from Dec 24, 2025: A close look at Schedule H: Provincially mandated annual program reviews by Katja Fennel and Talan Iscan

Halifax Examiner commentary from Dec 19, 2025: Why we still need ivory towers by Kate Ashley and our panelist Wayne MacKay

Halifax Examiner article from Dec 19, 2025: A firm with a reputation for recommending deep cuts and layoffs has been hired as a consultant to review Nova Scotia’s universities by Tim Bousquet