Thesis on "Effects of Budget Cuts to Colleges in Canada Ontario"

Thesis 4 pages (1577 words) Sources: 4 Style: APA

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Budget Cuts for Colleges in Ontario, Canada

The Canadian federal government has kept colleges and universities from becoming increasingly competitive due to significant funding cuts.

These financial restraints have not only affected the salaries that BC universities are able to offer in hiring new faculty and senior administrators, but they have also meant that BC universities have not been able to offer as many scholarly opportunities to new faculty as universities elsewhere in Canada and in the United States. (the Laurier Institute, 2000, p.4)

As university students across the province headed back to their classes in 2008, many found significantly different institutions than those they left before the summer.

The classes were larger, courses canceled, threats of programs being discontinued and reduced levels of support in a range of student services from writing tutors to athletics.

On the face of it, this doesn't make sense. The provincial government had been touting a "40-per-cent increase" in college and university funding since 2001. The government has also been keen to emphasize that colleges and universities will receive $68 million more in funding this year.

This message is one the government has needed to repeat often as the aftershocks of its sudden decision last March to reduce public college and university funding by about $50 million from planned levels continued to be felt around the province. (Bowles, 2008, para. 1-4)

In considering potential budget cuts for the FY2009-2010, many universities proposed significant cuts in many aread of their budgets.

Wilfred Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario is among them. An example of the potential budget cut impact on this one university forced the University president to issue the following statement recently:

The situation currently facing Wilfrid Laurier University is severe. The university is certainly not alone - other Ontario and Canadian institutions are facing similar challenges, as is the private sector and other members of the public sector."

The university is considering the following actions regarding proposed budget cuts for the upcoming fiscal year:

No hiring occurring without the approval of President's Group. When hirings are approved, conditions (such as a two-month delay in the hire) may be applied.

Members of President's Group will forego merit increases effective immediately and until the financial situation improves.

Benefit cost containment

Unpaid university shutdown for a one-week period

Salary freezes and/or rollbacks

Wilfred Laurier University, 2009, n.p.)

Also considered by many Canadian colleges and universities is a proposal for revitalizing the cash-strapped Canadian post-secondary education system with shared contributions from governments and students, the latter facilitated by the proposed changes to the student loan system. (Finnie, 2002, n.p.)

Further, using Laurier University only as an example of the many post-secondary institutions who are going through the same struggle, their goal is to reduce overall operating expenses by 6.4% for 2009-2010 and 7.7% for 2010-2011. Given that some areas of the budget could not be reduced, budget reduction targets for individual areas were higher than the 6.4% and 7.7% global figures noted above. (Wilfred Laurier University, 2009)

Job and program cuts also appear inevitable at Laurentian University in Toronto as it prepares to slash costs to deal with multi-million dollar budget deficits for at least three years. Laurentian is facing a $5.3-million deficit in the current school year and its annual budget shortfall could reach $14 million in three years if drastic steps are not taken.

All the easy targets are gone," said acting university president, Robert Bourgeois. "The cuts will be difficult and the choices at times painful. The university faces a dire financial situation."

Pierre, 2009, para.1,2)

Budget cuts and construction delays at the University of Western Ontario, triggered by the sputtering economy, will have a spinoff effect the entire city will feel.

Western announced its shelving construction projects, some departments are freezing hiring and employees may face layoffs. Construction jobs that would have been created to update the physics and astronomy building are on hold, among other projects. (Dubinski, 2009, para. 1,2,5)

On March 12, 2008, the provincial government of British Columbia informed public post-secondary institutions that their projected 2008-09 operating grants would be reduced by 2.6% across the board and that there would be a reallocation of some new student seats.

The BC government announced the following impacts of the budget cuts:

Royal Roads University - cut eleven positions to cover costs not funded by the government.

Simon Fraser University- eliminating free tuition program for seniors, add on-campus parking tax, increase revenue-generating programs, additional layoffs, and a hiring freeze.

University of British Columbia - no specified cuts yet, but a $15 million shortfall but potential layoffs and infrastructure repair delays. There are many more schools on the list. (Cupe.com, 2008, pp. 5,6)

The Canada Union of Public Employees (CUPE) of British Columbia has called for changes and made recommendations regarding the significant cutback in funding to post-secondary education as well as other public programs:

1. The province must provide bridge financing to take the pressure off postsecondary institutions that are unable to meet their enrolment targets at least until 2010-11 when enrolment is expected to pick up again.

2. Invest significantly in student finance initiatives to make post-secondary education accessible for more BC students. These include providing more bursaries and low cost loans to students in all higher education programs.

3. Provide special funding to address the infrastructure deficit -- at least $100 million is needed to begin the process in 2008-09. (Cupe.com, 2008, p.7)

It is this breadth of solution that other provinces are considering as well, among many others.

The Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT), which is the group representing university and college educators in Canada says the 2009 federal budget is filled with half-hearted measures that will not adequately stimulate the Canadian economy, will do little for the most vulnerable, and will fail to meet the needs of Canada's vital post-secondary education sector.

The budget failed to address the three most important needs: transfers to provinces for core operating funding for universities and colleges, more funding for academic research, and funding for student financial assistance.

Annotated Bibliography

Bowles, P. (2008, August 20). Universities are learning when more actually means less - peer- reviewed. Retrieved February 27, 2009, from CUFA:

http://www.cufa.bc.ca/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=158&Itemid=35

Paul Bowles is president of the Confederation of University Faculty Associations of B.C.

He points out that, though the Canadian federal government is proposing what looks like an increase in the budget for post-secondary, it is not what it looks like. He says that, due to price increases, inflation, and the fact that colleges must buy expensive equipment for a broader and broader student base, the actual dollars per student has decreased.

Cupe.com. (2008, March). The BC government's 2008-2009 post-secondary budget cuts:

preliminary impact on universities. Retrieved February 27, 2009, from Cupe 3338:

http://3338.cupe.ca/Backgrounder.pdf

The Canadian Union of Public Employees utilize their overall perspective on the federal budget cuts to point out the shortfalls the 2009 budget is causing post-secondary schools and makes recommendations to support the shortages in funds.

Dubinski, K. (2009, January 17). UWO cuts will have local impact. Retrieved February 27, 2009 from London free press:

http://www.lfpress.ca/cgi-bin/publish.cgi?p=255384&s=hottopics

Kate Dubinski is an education Free Press reporter. Her viewpoint is that the budget cuts at the University of Western Ontario will delay or half infrastructure projects at the university. This will have the rebound effect of taking jobs and revenue away from the city.

Finnie, R. (2002). Student loans, student financial aid and post-secondary education in Canada.

Journal of higher education policy and management - peer reviewed, 155-170.

The Journal of Higher Education Policy and Management is a well-respected, peer-reviewed, journal proposes shared contributions from governments and students to stabilize the shortfalls and revitalize post-secondary education in Canada

Johnson, D.R., & Rahman, F.T. (2005). The role of economic factors, including the level of tuition, in individual university… READ MORE

How to Reference "Effects of Budget Cuts to Colleges in Canada Ontario" Thesis in a Bibliography

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