About OCASA

Mission

OCASA is the voluntary association that supports and promotes the interests and needs of the province's community college administrators. On behalf of its members, OCASA advocates professionalism, excellence, and learning for the betterment of the community college system.

Mandate

The Ontario College Administrative Staff Association (OCASA) is a democratically structured, self sustaining professional association that pursues and fosters the interests of its members as employees within the Ontario CAAT system.

Its mandate includes:

• fostering proficiency and professional excellence;
• achieving, through advocacy and consultation, provisions beneficial to the economic, social and working conditions of its members;
• working to influence the terms and conditions of employment at local colleges through advocacy and consultation;
• developing and presenting a common position on issues affecting members;
• collecting and distributing information for the benefit of individual members and local administrative staff associations.

How OCASA Operates

A College Representative is elected at each college by OCASA members at that college. These 24 College Representatives form the Committee of College Administrative Representatives (CCAR). This group meets usually twice a year: in spring, at the Annual General Meeting; and in the fall, at the Fall General Meeting.

Each year at the AGM the CCAR elects from among its members an Executive consisting of a president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, and four regional representatives. The immediate past president is an ex officio member of the executive.

The Executive is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the Association and the CCAR supervises the management of the Association's affairs by approving, rejecting or amending the Executive's decisions.

OCASA also has regular consultation with the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, the College Compensation and Appointments Council and ACAATO (Association of Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology of Ontario.)

Day-to-day operations of OCASA are supported by a provincial office under the direction of Diane Posterski, Executive Director. Outside services include Bill Swan, Communications Consultant and Michelle Flaherty (Sack Goldblatt Mitchell LLP), legal advice and analysis.