At a time when market interests and consumerism have spawned the ideology of a new global imperialism, the academy must do more than just resist cooption. In fulfilling its mandate of fostering a critical intelligence through research, teaching, and service, the university should actively promote principles of social responsibility, justice, tolerance, and solidarity.

I am proposing to the Brock community a means for furthering the cause of social justice: the establishment of a fund designed to raise moneys directed toward international and national projects, and which would heighten awareness about social justice. Brock's initiative in developing, implementing, and effectively administering a Social Justice Fund could potentially inspire other academic and social organizations to follow suit.

Partipation on the part of individual Brock faculty and staff would be VOLUNTARY.

A board of directors or advisory board (comprised of BUFA members and other Brock staff / administrators) would be appointed at Brock to judge the appropriateness of proposed projects and to monitor the Fund's implementation. As a registered charity, the SJF might be eligible for grants from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and from other governmental bodies.

Having communicated with CIDA personnel, I was informed that our SJF, once developed, might meet eligibility criteria for a "Small Project Facility Grant," depending on the kinds of overseas projects we fund.

The SJF would not be intended for charities or for agencies/programs funded, for example, by the United Way. Since social justice translates into a defence of human rights, the Fund would be used to support initiatives, like the monitoring human rights violations (as in Central America); trade union education (in Mexico, for example); the fight against violence to women (in the Middle East); peace and security projects (Africa); land reform (Brazil); and world-wide humanitarian relief. A portion of the Brock SJF would be directed toward local and national projects, including ones which address child poverty and the plight of the homeless. Again, the SJF would be used to assist projects or programs that effect systemic change and therefore WOULD NOT BE IN COMPETITION WITH THE UNITED WAY CAMPAIGN which, as mentioned, focuses on local charities.

.Proposals for eligible projects would be invited from the Brock community and beyond. Appropriate application forms would be prepared in advance.

Highly successful social justice funds have already been implemented by key unions. CIDA representatives to whom I spoke praised the Steel Workers' Humanity Fund, for example. The Canadian Auto Workers also negotiated an agreement with its companies, whereby money from the workers' salaries is set aside for a SJF, which originated in 1990 (more info)

Through a minimal 1 cent donation per hour of work performed by every labourer -- the auto workers have now increased their contribution to 3 cents -- a substantial amount of money is amassed each year for overseas projects in Central and South America, and increasingly in South Africa and Asia.

85% of this Fund is designated for international projects; half of the remaining 15% is donated to women's community shelters in Canada.

Contributions to the Brock SJF would be VOLUNTARY rather than mandated. While identified as a BUFA initiative, the SJF would be implemented through the cooperation of the Brock administration (which is likely to approve of the Fund). We might also be able to count on a (tax-deductible) contribution from the administration. The procedure for implementing the SJF would involve a system of ongoing payroll deductions, authorized by individual contributors on a voluntary basis. This mechanism has already proven to be effective at Brock. Moneys would be placed into a separate account, and the Fund registered under the charities act which, of course, puts certain restrictions on its uses; that is, it would prevent the SJF from being channelled to (overtly) political projects.

The Brock SJF could be one of ways in which the critical intelligence and social conscience of the university's employees and administrators are manifested locally, nationally, and internationally; and it could thereby help enhance Brock's profile. Those interested in seeing this proposal advanced are invited to contact Elizabeth Sauer at The implementation of the SJF will be on the agenda at the next BUFA general meeting, which will take place in September 2000.

NOTE: This board would certainly act within guidelines set out for other BUFA committees and the parameters for administering the SJF would need to be ratified by the general membership. The BUFA membership would also empower the Board and/or Executive to do some fine tuning of the guidelines when necessary. Amendments could even be made at the next general meeting where this issue will be on the agenda.