ATHABASCA — A message in an Athabasca University newsletter from president Peter Scott last week has members of the Athabasca community on edge once again, just two weeks after a spectacle of an announcement from Premier Jason Kenney regarding the university that had many very hopeful for a future that sees the community and university succeed together.
When Kenney and Minister of Advanced Education Demetrios Nicolaides visited Athabasca March 24 they laid out three directives. First, to ensure permanent representation from the community on the AU Board of Governors. The board of governors was also directed to work toward expanding AU’s footprint in Athabasca and Northern Alberta in general by “consolidating executive and senior administration offices in Athabasca at the earliest possible opportunity,” said the premier at the announcement, adding the board will also “develop and implement a comprehensive talent development, attraction and retention strategy, by June 30 of this year, to maintain and grow a broad range of employees in Athabasca, and to develop and implement a reopening strategy for the Athabasca campus to resume most employees working onsite, and to allow public access to services like registries, student support and specialized services.”
The crowd of more than 300 burst into applause.
Now, less than two weeks later, AU president Peter Scott, who started Jan. 4, issued a letter to staff, students, alumni, and other subscribers, seemingly doubling down on the university's near-virtual strategy, which local opponents say will leave millions of dollars of infrastructure in Athabasca empty, and will cost the region many more jobs than it already has.
“At the event, both the premier and minister made some comments and expressed opinions on the operations and strategy of this university,” Scott said. “The comments and opinions expressed by government officials during the town meeting were not indicative of the reciprocal and consultative relationship that AU has had for many years with the Government of Alberta and the Ministry of Advance Education.”
He added the university’s operations, mission, and mandate remain unchanged.
Minister Nicolaides responded to a request on the AU statement with an e-mail the morning of April 8 reaffirming the government's position that AU must follow the new directives.
“I have clearly communicated our directives and expectations of the Government of Alberta to Athabasca University,” he said. “We expect to see a detailed plan on how they will execute these directives by the deadline of June 30 and then we can proceed with future steps forward.”
Athabasca University Faculty Association (AUFA) president David Powell, who lauded all parties during the March announcement, commented April 7 that AU is defying the Alberta government at its own peril.
“We believe the minister and premier were unequivocal in what they plan to do and the university defying it is puzzling to us,” he said, adding it is within the government purview to fire the entire board of governors and replace them with people who will follow their directions, which could include firing the newly installed president.
“This is again, a level of potential interference in universities they (the government) don't want but they gave them an order,” said Powell. "Peter Scott moved from Australia to Canmore, not Athabasca. I think he moved on the expectation he wouldn't have to live in Athabasca. This is probably something they will go down swinging on.”
In the newsletter Scott also reiterated AU has ended its office leases in Calgary and Edmonton “reaffirming our primary physical location is in Athabasca” but appeared to separate the university from the economic growth and development of the Athabasca region of which he insisted they wanted to be a part.
“We are excited to hear more about the Athabasca community’s plans for economic growth and development,” he said. “However, to ensure AU’s future success, long-term sustainability, and the success of our learners, the university will continue to prioritize the needs of our more than 43,000 learners worldwide by ensuring we continue to hire and retain the best and brightest talent.”
Powell questioned AU's claim to be a research and study university while it is trying to remove research and study as a benefit during ongoing bargaining with AUFA.
“A key thing is that the research and study (benefit) the university is trying to remove is a key benefit that can attract people to the Town of Athabasca if advertised because it is a very good benefit,” he said. “Cutting benefits ... during this campaign to add more jobs to the area seems counterintuitive.”
The Keep Athabasca in Athabasca University (KAAU) advocacy group also expressed concern over the message from Scott, with a posting on Facebook titled: "AU President Scott Gives the Premier the Finger."
“In a defiant letter to employees, Athabasca University (AU) president Peter Scott outlined the university’s intention to ignore the directives given by Premier Jason Kenney and Advanced Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides at a town hall meeting in Athabasca on March 24. Scott’s letter seems to be a last-ditch attempt by the current AU executive to continue their near-virtual experiment, with most employees working from homes anywhere in Canada,” the post said.
“The Keep Athabasca in Athabasca University committee has contacted the premier’s office and the office of Advanced Education Minister Nicolaides about president Scott’s letter and awaits their response.”
On March 23, the day before the public announcement, an order in council to appoint John Daniel, a former vice-president for the institution in the late 1970s, before Athabasca became its official home was approved. Also appointed that day was Elena Gould, who was raised in Athabasca, went to school here and retains close ties, but is now settled in Fort McMurray.
On April 6, another order in council appointed Jacqueline Hobal, a former president of the Athabasca Rotary Club, who now lives in Edmonton, but remains well-known in the community. Roger Morrill, the long-time local dentist and former Town of Athabasca mayor, was also appointed that day.
