In its March 7th budget, the Government of Alberta cut $147 million from the budget for postsecondary education in Alberta. This devastating cut — matched only twice in Alberta’s history, during the Great Depression and the 1970s — is leading to program closures and job lay-offs across the province. There is so much bad news it is difficulty for any one person to keep track of it. Here is one place where we can gather together what we know. To help us track the cuts, both known and anticipated, please write in to sale@ualberta.ca or tweet information to artssquared.
NORTHERN LAKES COLLEGE (Slave Lake)
Northern Lakes College has cut 31 positions, 10 of which were vacant. Our Life Skills program will no longer have scheduled offerings, but will be on demand only, cost recovery.
MOUNT ROYAL UNIVERSITY (Calgary)
(source: Metro News, May 27 2013; CBC May 28 2013)
Positions Cut: 72. (Twenty-nine were vacant.) Note: Attrition of academic positions has already been well underway in Alberta with several years of 0% funding increases to postsecondary education.
Diploma Programs “Suspended”: Music Performance. Theatre Arts. Disability Studies.
Certificate Programs “Suspended”: Journalism. Forensic Studies. Aging. Advanced Studies in Perinatal & Neonatal Nursing.
University Transfer Program Cut: Engineering.
Nursing and broadcasting and education will admit fewer students.
Quotation from Metro article: “The university did commit to keeping non-degree programs when it transitioned from a college in 2009; however, officials told faculty members last month the provincial cuts were unforeseen and their top priority now is maintaining the quality of four-year degree offerings.”
Statement from Mount Royal’s President’s Office: “Mount Royal was already forecasting an operating deficit headed into this fiscal year, a situation that was exacerbated when Alberta Enterprise and Advanced Education cut post-secondary funding by 7.3% as part of their 2013 budget. Mount Royal’s base operating grant of $87.6 million has now been reduced by $6.5 million, or 7.3%. The cumulative operating deficit is now projected at $14 million, which is the bottom line hit Mount Royal has to absorb for the 2013/14 budget.” http://www.mtroyal.ca/AboutMountRoyal/OfficesGovernance/OfficePresident/faqs_part1.htm
ATHABASCA UNIVERSITY
Positions Cut: 77
Source: AUPE Press Release, 25 March 2013
Arts Squared 
Metro article on impact of cuts on alberta post-secondary students faith in Alberta institutions: http://metronews.ca/news/edmonton/701907/cuts-have-alberta-university-students-looking-east-and-elsewhere/
When I read about educational institutions bemoaning the cuts they have to deal with, the question which I find has never been raised is, who are these administrators, and professors, and post-secondary support staff voting for? We know a good amount of Albertans vote conservative, and a good amount also do not vote at all; who do professors vote for? My hunch is, and this is admittedly not factually based, that they often vote conservative.
RE: Red Deer College cuts:
AUPE (March 2013): 43 jobs lost; 7.3%, $6 million cut http://www.reddeeradvocate.com/news/Red_Deer_College_cuts_hurt_economy_AUPE_207372981.html
Red Deer Advocate (May): 6 programs cut http://www.reddeeradvocate.com/news/Red_Deer_College_cuts_32_jobs_206799261.html
CBC Calgary (May): 65 people lose jobs http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/provincial-funding-cuts-force-layoffs-at-red-deer-college-1.1405923