Former Laurentian professor questions ease of accessing research funding

Laurentian University is promoting itself as a top undergraduate research institution but a former professor said accessing research dollars since the school declared itself insolvent has been a challenge.

According to Research Infosource, Laurentian garnered $37.8 million in grants, contributions or contracts from external sources in 2020. On Feb.1, 2021, the school declared itself insolvent and has been restructuring under the CCAA process since then.

Court monitor Ernst & Young wrote in its first report that prior to insolvency, Laurentian was depositing all funds— including research dollars— into the same bank account and using it to pay off expenses. Laurentian started setting aside research money in a separate account at the end of 2020.

David Leadbeater was an economics professor at the university who lost his job due to restructuring. He had received funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council for research he's still trying to complete.

"It's been a struggle, honestly, to access the funds," he said.

"I've had so much disruption of the research, both through with the CCAA and trying to deal with the way the federal government has supported Laurentian in not providing adequate access to the research funds."

Leadbeater said researchers have to get approval from the monitor before being able to access their research dollars.

"It's really delayed a lot of the research," he said. "Some expenditures are not considered critical and other ones are."

He added the impact of limited access to research spending will go beyond Sudbury.

"In some cases, we've been involved with organizations and community groups who have given up their time and energy," he said.

"Some have allowed themselves to be interviewed. We've worked together on plans on how to develop policies and other matters that would be useful for the community. This is being trashed. Laurentian has said nothing about it. It hasn't given one single apology for the communities affected."

In a statement, Laurentian communications officer Sarah de Blois said most research grants are given directly "to a faculty member or several faculty members who are collaborators on the research project."

"Research funds are administered through the Office of Research Services and the university faculty members are provided with a budget amount and are able to submit expenses for reimbursement in accordance with the budget amount and the terms and conditions of the grant they were awarded," she said.

"Faculty and students are able to follow established procedures at the university to receive required approvals to use new research funds they have been awarded to support their research projects."