cafa press release april 2
TRANSCRIPT
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7/28/2019 CAFA Press Release April 2
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CAFAConfederation ofAlberta FacultyAssociations
11043-90 AvenueUniversity of AlbertaEdmonton, Alberta T6G 2E1(780) 492-5630 (780) 436-0516 (f
Representing Academic Staff at Albertas Universities
ProvincialfundingcutsandLettersofExpectationwillreduceaccess,qualityand
independenceatAlbertauniversities,sayacademicstaffassociations
[Forimmediaterelease]
Edmonton,April2,2013
AcademicstaffassociationsatAlbertasfourresearch-intensiveuniversitiesarespeakingoutagainstthemassivecuts
infundingforpost-secondaryeducationannouncedintheMarch7provincialbudget,warningthatthecutswillhavea
dramatic,negativeimpactonthequalityandaccessibilityofprogramsacrosstheprovincespost-secondarysystem.
TheacademicstaffassociationsarealsoraisingconcernsabouttherecentlyreleasedLettersofExpectationthatwill
requireeachpost-secondaryinstitutiontosignontothegovernmentsvisionofaCampusAlbertamorecloselyaligne
withitsownshort-termagenda.
Dr.RobSutherland,thePresidentoftheConfederationofAlbertaFacultyAssociations(CAFA),whichrepresentsthe
academicstaffassociationsattheUniversityofAlberta,theUniversityofCalgary,theUniversityofLethbridge,and
AthabascaUniversity,expressedtheshockanddismayofhismembershipatthemajorreductioninprovincialfundin
forpost-secondaryinstitutionsfor2013-14.
Thegovernmenthasrenegedonitscommitmentlastyeartoprovideincreasesof2%perannumforthreeyearstoth
operatinggrantstoAlbertapost-secondaryinstitutions,saidSutherland.Institutionsplanningtheirownbudgetson
thebasisoftheseincreasesmustnowabsorbanunexpectedandmassivecutinprovincialfunding,amountingto
upwardsof9%fromwhatwaspromisedforthecomingyear.Thefactisthat,ontheheelsoftwoyearsofflat-lined
operatinggrants,evena2%increasewouldhavebeeninsufficienttocounteractthecombinedeffectsofcostinflation
andenrolmentgrowthinoursector.Thedeepcutsinoperatingfundingtoourpublicuniversities,collegesand
technicalinstitutesrepresentahugestepbackwardforpost-secondaryeducationinAlberta.Itwillhaveamajoreffect
onourabilitytoprovidethekindoftop-qualitypost-secondaryopportunitiesAlbertanswantanddeserve.Thecuts
alsorundirectlycountertothePremiersstatedintentionofmakingpost-secondaryeducationoneofhergovernmen
priorities.
Dr.Sutherland,whoisaProfessorandChairoftheDepartmentofNeuroscienceattheUniversityofLethbridge,also
expressedCAFAsconcernatthegovernmentsplanstore-purposeandre-structuretheAlbertapost-secondary
educationsystembyforcingeachinstitutiontoconformtothetermsofaministerialLetterofExpectation.This
attempttodictateasolutiontowhatMinisterLukaszukclaimsistheduplicationofacademicprogramsandshortag
oftransferopportunitiesinthesystemconstitutesablatantviolationoftheautonomyofourinstitutions,whichhas
servedthepublicinterestwellovertheyears,Sutherlandsaid.
Clearly,fiscalpressuresareshapingthegovernmentsagendawithrespecttoadvancededucation.Suchahastyand
considereddownsizingexercise,withtheMinisterattemptingtointerfereinsettingtheacademicandresearch
prioritiesofourinstitutions,andtodetermineoutcomesforus,canonlyendangerthegainsoursectorhasmadeint
lastdecadethroughsustainedpublicinvestmentacrossthesystem.Noonequestionstheneedtofindefficienciesand
seizeopportunitiesforcollaborationwithinthepost-secondarysystem;butthemodelofCampusAlbertathatthe
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7/28/2019 CAFA Press Release April 2
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CAFA Confederation ofAlberta FacultyAssociations
11043-90 AvenueUniversity of AlbertaEdmonton, Alberta T6G 2E1(780) 492-5630 (780) 436-0516 (f
governmentisproposing,withthefocusonitsownagenda,constitutesafull-onattackontheindependenceand
integrityofourinstitutions.Freedomfromthiskindofinterferenceisnotsimplyatheoreticalquestion,itis
fundamentaltotheworkoftheuniversities,whichincludesthecreationofnewknowledgeandtheeducationoffuture
generationsofcriticalthinkers.
SutherlandalsoraiseddoubtsabouttheRedfordgovernmentsplansforanewumbrellaorganizationorinstitute,
throughwhichitintendstostrategicallyfocusitsresearchagendaandfinancialresources,bytyingthepost-seconda
educationsystemmorecloselytothegovernmentsresearch,innovation,andtechnologycommercializationagenda.
DiversifyingandstrengtheningtheeconomyisundoubtedlyanurgentpriorityforAlberta,andtheresearch
universitiesaremakingasignificantcontributioninthisregard,buttheprovincialgovernmentsongoingattemptto
remaketheuniversitiesinitsownimage,andmoretightlycontroltheresearchthatwedo,isbasedonafundamental
misunderstandingofwhattheuniversitiesarefor,andwhattheycanachieve,notedSutherland.
Researchinouruniversitiesisnot,andshouldnotbe,solelyaboutproducingimmediatebenefittotheAlberta
economy;ouruniversitieswerenotsetupforthispurpose,andtoinsistthattheyalignthemselvesmorecloselywith
thegovernmentsshort-termeconomicagendaissimplymisguided.Thecurrentemphasisoncommercializationandappliedresearchinafewareaswiththeprospectofanimmediateeconomicreturn,totheexclusionofbasicresearch
acrossthewidestrangeofdisciplines,riskskillingthegoldengoose.ThebenefitstoAlbertansofabalancedresearch
portfolioinourpost-secondaryinstitutionsarelong-termandcompounding.Weneedtobesupportingbothapplied
researchandbasic,curiosity-drivenresearch,fromwhichAlbertanswillbenefitinyearstocome.
MediaContact:
RobertSutherland,Ph.D.
President,ConfederationofAlbertaFacultyAssociations(CAFA)
AlbertaHeritageMedicalScientist
Professor&Chair,DepartmentofNeuroscienceUniversityofLethbridge
Telephone:403-394-3987
E-mail:[email protected]
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AssociationofAcademicStaffUniversityofAlberta,
DonnaWilson,President
AthabascaUniversityFacultyAssociation,
MarkMcCutcheon,President
TheFacultyAssociationoftheUniversityofCalgary,
PaulRogers,President
UniversityofLethbridgeFacultyAssociation,
JohnUsher,President