Alberta Enterprise and Advanced Education Minister Thomas Lukaszuk announced last Wednesday the Alberta government is allocating an extra $50 million to Campus Alberta institutions, which means Athabasca University is on the list.
Athabasca University will receive an additional $970,718.
Even with the additional funding, AU’s Campus Alberta grant is down approximately $2.7 million from last year’s funding.
AU president Frits Pannekoek announced the funding officially at the AU community breakfast last Friday at the Athabasca Regional Multiplex.
According to AU board of governors chair Barry Walker, the money will go towards student services.
“That money is targeted specifically to assist Athabasca University with student growth in the student services area and, in our case, information technology enhancements that we need to do,” Walker said.
When asked if the money would help ease the pressure to lay off staff, Walker said the university would have to review that.
“We still have those challenges before us, but I think the important thing is that the minister’s office is providing these funds to deal with student growth and the area of student services,” he explained. “Whether or not we are able to alleviate some of the layoff situations we have — that will have to be reviewed.”
AU laid off 44 employees (24 in Athabasca) in the spring, while 35 employees took a voluntary buyout package. The institution announced in the fall that more layoffs — both temporary and permanent — were forthcoming.
As of press time, AU was unable to provide an updated tally of total layoffs.
Walker stated the university hasn’t had a chance to discuss the money as the announcement was still fresh.
“We do have some real pressures in our student services and student growth,” he said. “We have to make sure those get looked after.”
Walker stated enrollments were up more than 10 per cent.
As for the effect on AU in the future, Walker said the board would like to know about next year’s funding.
“We are starting to look at next year’s budget, but we have no indication from the government what is going to happen to our base budget for that year,” he said. “Costs continue to increase even if they are nominal at one or two per cent a year. If there is not an offsetting improvement in grants, it will present more challenges for us.”
