MISSION
The Association of Nova Scotia University Teachers (ANSUT) advocates for the quality, accessibility, and academic integrity of Post-Secondary Education; it believes that such education is a right, not a privilege; and it represents its members in maintaining and
improving the autonomy and diversity of their individual institutions to those ends.
HISTORY
ANSUT was founded in 1997, following the dissolution of the Nova Scotia Confederation of University Faculty Associations (NSCUFA). By 1999 its membership had expanded to include the academic staff associations of the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design, Mount Saint Vincent University, Saint Francis Xavier University, Université Sainte-Anne, and the University College of Cape Breton—later to become Cape Breton University. As a result of this increase in membership, the initial provision that ANSUT members would include both academic staff associations and individual members from non-member associations was eliminated. Subsequent applications for membership from the associations of the Atlantic School of Theology, Acadia University, and Saint Mary’s University were approved, and in 2001 ANSUT was admitted to membership of the Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT) as an officially recognized provincial association. It currently represents academic staff at eight universities in the province. ANSUT maintains a strong commitment to lobby all levels of government in the areas of funding teaching and research activities, allowing the recruitment and retention of highly qualified academic staff. To that end, ANSUT has consistently advocated funding policies that insure Nova Scotia universities will increase their competitiveness as world-class academic institutions. ANSUT, often in association with CAUT, regularly engages in activities such as the organization of workshops on various aspects of working conditions, and supports its member associations in defending their collective agreement rights. The organization also sponsors research projects that advance knowledge of PSE, and is responsible for disseminating all relevant information to its members. Further, ANSUT is committed to working with students and student organizations to promote ways of making post-secondary education both affordable and accessible.
VISION
ANSUT’s aim is to provide its member Associations with the strongest possible voice on Post-Secondary Education issues in the province of Nova Scotia, and to advance its mission by engaging the active participation of its members to achieve that end.