Loss of funding to College>Programs delivered by not for profits..?
There are codes of ethics and established professional standards for teaching in most formal institutions, as well as laws and educational policies to which teachers must adhere. When Camosun college received federal cuts and a subsequent loss of their ESL program, not for profit agencies were approached to offer ESL to the same learners. http://www.timescolonist.com/news/local/cuts-to-camosun-college-esl-programs-leave-immigrants-tongue-tied-1.844029.
When the issue of cuts affecting ESL programs hit the media, it raised particular questions related to professional ethics. While Camosun College has established guidelines and ombuds processes, unfortunately, few not for profit agencies have had an opportunity to undertake comparable formal work on codes of ethics and standards of ethical practice. Some questions:
- What do newcomers/ immigrants/ refugees think of undertaking ESL at college vs. a not for profit agency?
- Perhaps operating out of a college provides a better entrance to Canadian life, in terms of formal education experience?
- Perhaps it is more bureaucratic to enter a college and less comfortable that entering through a community organization that is more accessible, such as a not for profit agency?
Perhaps there should a choice, but at present I am not sure if decision making from policy makers and administrators is based on ground up qualitative and quantitative research, or based on pragmatic fiscal considerations, which do not necessarily guarantee longer term financial health.
To my mind ethics should be a more prominent part of the discourse about parties delivering services in critically important areas of health, public safety and social services. With my own background almost entirely in “not for profit” work, I am concerned about any shift in service delivery that may (intentionally or unintentionally) feed a “divide and rule” ethic. When ESL programs are cut in an academic institution, and if immigrant communities are largely against the cuts, than the public, community organizations, college staff and stakeholders should voice their grounds of opposition, whether civil, academic or moral. However, when not for profits [often] on the brink of losing funding are offered a program such as ESL, they may be compelled for pragmatic reasons to respond positively to the offer. I am sure there are many other factors I have completely obscured, but these kind of federal funding cuts do have a role in the conversation around professional ethics, and applying consistent standards.
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