LETHBRIDGE- The 2013 Alberta budget is full of bad news, according to student groups in our province.
Colleges and universities are facing a nearly seven per cent cut in operating funds, after last year’s budget promise of a two per cent increase per year over a three year term.
Neither the University of Lethbridge nor Lethbridge College have said where cutbacks might be, but the haircut across the province is roughly $147 million.
“On campus services might be reduced or cut,” suggests Armin Escher, president of the U of L Students Union. “Different programs could be cut at the school.”
Inflation could make the rollback more like 11 per cent.
Institutions aren’t allowed a big tuition hike, but concerns the cost will be passed down through student fees is shared province-wide.
“Fees are part of the education, you have to pay your fees,” said Raphael Jacob from the Council of Alberta University Students. “If fees go up, it’s effectively the same as tuition increasing.”
Lethbridge-West MLA Greg Weadick says students “opt-in” to many fees, but other dollars that schools charge, the government doesn’t agree with.
“Those are fees trying to get around the tuition cap,” Weadick said. “They’re not appropriate, and we’ve told schools we won’t approve them.”
School administrators say their biggest beef is education being forced to take a hit as a result of revenue shortfalls in the energy sector.
“We see universities as part of a solution for diversifying our economy,” said Mike Mahon, University of Lethbridge president. “This budget challenges us to deliver on that as a solution.”
Meanwhile, students feel they’re being treated as part of the problem.
“Post secondary education is an investment, not a cost,” said Escher.
“We need an educated workforce to have a strong economy in Alberta.”
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