$115 million for post-secondary institutions but not for residences.

Today the Alberta Government announced $115 million dollars to go to upgrades and building maintenance to post-secondary institutions across Alberta. While this is very welcome, UofL will not receive any of this funding as none of our building or infrastructure projects made the high priority list. Double side to every coin right? The news release also gave no mention of any money going towards residences which have historically seen the worst of the negative side of deferred maintenance. As it stands right now, residences do not qualify for Alberta Government funding for building and maintenance as they are ancillary services and are considered to be a university responsibility solely.

CAUS – Council of Alberta University Students- ULSU’s provincial lobby group, responds to the recent infrastructure and maintenance funding announcement from the Alberta Government. For the Alberta Government release, follow this link.

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August 29, 2008

Government makes a start on campus maintenance

Edmonton, AB – Students are welcoming the announcement by the Government of Alberta of $155 million for maintenance at Alberta’s post-secondary institutions, but note there is a great deal of work still to be done.

“Students cannot help but notice the need to invest in on-campus infrastructure, so this is good news,” said Beverly Eastham, Chair of the Council of Alberta University Students (CAUS) and Vice President (External) at the University of Alberta Students’ Union. “The needs go well beyond new coats of paint and deal with the health and safety of our universities. We are glad to see some action, but more work will still need to be done.”

Of the $155 million announced today, $82.5 million is allocated to high priority projects including $41.2 million at the University of Alberta and University of Calgary. The current Government of Alberta Capital Plan identifies $357 million in maintenance funding for post-secondary institutions between 2008 and 2011. Deferred maintenance at Alberta’s universities, colleges and technical institutes is estimated to be over $1 billion.

“This year, addressing on-campus deferred maintenance is a top priority for CAUS and we are going to be pressing the government to do more, especially in our residences,” added Eastham. None of the announced funding is going towards university residences where much of the necessary maintenance is needed, as universities are expected to find the money for such maintenance from other sources. “In addition to this welcome contribution to the academic space at our institutions, we need the government to step in and help with the maintenance in university residences. Maintaining student residences is just as important as maintaining our classrooms.”

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The Council of Alberta University Students (CAUS) represents the interests of students at the University of Alberta, the University of Calgary and the University of Lethbridge.

For more information contact:
Beverly Eastham
CAUS Chair
tel: 780-492-4236
cell: 780-237-1707

Alberta Goverment provides funding to increase spaces for students

More spaces for students?! As I curl up to my computer this morning, in my inbox one of the first things I saw was this little ditty which made my head cold seem slightly more bearable.

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News Release

ALBERTA
Creating Opportunity
August 27, 2008
Campus Alberta system grows to meet the needs of Albertans
Number of new spaces reaches 2,447
Edmonton… By providing $73 million in funding for student spaces, Alberta has added 2,447 new spaces in universities, colleges, and technical institutes across the province. In addition, funding for 1,989 spaces will be provided to Mount Royal College and Grant MacEwan College to convert their existing university transfer and applied degree programs to bachelor’s programs. This brings the total number of added funded spaces in 2008 to 4,436.

“Alberta’s post-secondary system continues to be responsive to the needs of our economy and the priorities of Albertans,” said Advanced Education and Technology Minister Doug Horner. “Building a knowledge-based economy takes educated, innovative and highly-skilled people and our Campus Alberta system is taking a strong leadership role in realizing Alberta’s future.”In order to meet the demand and labour market needs set out in the Health Workforce Action Plan, 40 per cent of the new spaces are in the health care sector, including registered nurses, doctors, licensed practical nurses, x-ray technicians and medical laboratory technologists, to name a few.

This year’s funding also addresses demand and capacity issues across the province, specifically in Calgary and Edmonton. The government was able to work with and fund most of the expansions institutions proposed. Approval of proposals is based on criteria outlined in the Alberta Access Planning Framework, which includes data on labour market demand and student demand.&nbsp Some other factors that are considered are institutional capacity and resources, and the readiness of the program.

The total number of spaces being created in Calgary is 1,824 and in Edmonton 2,135, which includes the new bachelor’s degree programs at Mount Royal College and Grant MacEwan College. As capital projects are completed in the Calgary region in the coming years, they may have an opportunity to receive more post-secondary spaces than the Edmonton region.

“With both the Roles and Mandates Policy Framework and its accompanying Alberta Access Planning Framework we will continually address access issues,” said Horner. “Our focus is on providing all Albertans with a full range learning opportunities and today’s announcement reflects our commitment to our three clients, learners, taxpayers and society,” added Horner.

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Media inquiries may be directed to:
Rachel Bouska
Communications
Alberta Advanced Education and Technology
780-427-5450

To call toll free within Alberta dial 310-0000.

Alberta surplus reaching $8.5 billion dollars

Today, the Alberta Government announced another hike in the projected surplus from their first quarter’s reprot bringing the projected surplus to a whopping $8.5 billion. Despite this government being cast as a spendy one due to their last budget release, oil revenues and overall increases in resource revenues have been bumping up our surplus since the budget was announced.

Money is set to be used to increased Carbon capturing and storage projects, public transportation initiatives, infrastructure and to go to savings. No news yet about any of that money going towards education, post-secondary or otherwise.

Read the full news release here!!!

So, next time we address Mr. Cade…

Oh, that crazy President Bush. Always doing something awesome! Straight from the G8 summit, a video of Bush hailing Harper over with every youths favorite vernacular…Yo, Harper!

Word.

Jenn Prosser, VP Academic

I’m down for the CAUS!

Wooie Edmonton!

Recently Adam and I traveled to  Edmonton to try on being an Oilers fan for a couple days…( HAHA just kidding, I really don’t even follow hockey…). We were there for the annual day long series of meeting with those representatives from The Ministry of Adavanced Education and Technology departments as well as CAUS’s Annual General Meeting.

The meeting’s were very informative and chock full of everything we need to know in order to best work with the Alberta government to serve student’s needs. Basically I left with enough acronyms in my head to develop a new spy code for lobby groups.

The meeting was a round table with rep’s from the ministry as well as CAUS, ACTISEC and the GSA and included the opportunity to talk with Minister Horner about future plans for students across Alberta. There was some great discussion around students housing and deferred maintenance on student residency’s. The issue of affordable and quality student housing is something that CAUS is really focusing on this year and if you have any concerns/ideas/thoughts on this issue please feel free drop me a line at su.academic@uleth.ca.

I will be posting my official travel report for the AGM and AET shortly. So stay tuned for more fun and good political times.

Jenn Prosser, VP Academic

Work is no video game, neither is Dion’s Carbon Tax Plan

On Thursday, Liberal leader Dion released the controversial Carbon Tax Plan to the House of Commons and Canadians. As environmental risk becomes greatly prevalent in our news and in our daily lives, this shift in ‘green thinking’ has led to great speculation how Dion’s plan will be perceived by Canadian voters. The single best thing anyone can do is be educated about the issue, especially one which will directly affect every single Canadian.

Check these links and allow the time to think about both sides of the issue. Eventually everyone will have to choose what is more important, the planet we live on or cheaper gas and added convenience. This Carbon Tax may not be the ideal solution for Canada, or anywhere for that matter, but attack ad’s and bad mouthing isn’t a solution for government either. Canadians have always had an incredible ability to keep cool under the harshest of circumstances. Hopefully our elected representatives will eventually represent that.

Canadian Press- “Harper suggest Liberal carbon tax plan would “screw everybody” in Canada”

CBC.ca – “Carbon tax plan ‘good for wallet,’ Dion pledges”

The Progressive Economics Forum

Conservative party website – “Liberal Caucus on Dion’s tax trick”

Liberal party website – March 2007 enviromental paper

CBC.ca – “Carbon taxes: Cash grab or carbon savior”

CBC.ca – “Liberal carbon plan to offer 15.5B in tax cuts”