EDMONTON- Post secondary institutions in Alberta are looking ahead to the provincial budget and preparing for what might happen if funding cuts are introduced.
Earlier this week, newly appointed minister of advanced education, Thomas Lukaszuk, said everything is on the table as he examines the future. However, he said it's too early to say whether or not that means streamlining services at post secondary institutions.
"If you're looking at the budgetary restraints, the first thing to do is to find the internal efficiencies," Lukaszuk said on Monday.
It's something universities are keeping a close eye on, as the province faces a $6 billion revenue shortfall.
"You always have to be paying attention to what you're hearing regarding the budget," said Debra Pozega Osburn, Vice-President of University Relations at the University of Alberta.
"There's a lot of uncertainty right now out there, and we're not certain what the budget will hold for us," said Beharry, a spokesperson for MacEwan University. "As an institution we need to be responsible, we need to be prudent and we have to look at the situation."
As a result, MacEwan University has implemented a hiring freeze on academic and non-academic staff, effective immediately.
"All verbal commitments that we have made to individuals, we will honour those commitments. We are putting a hold on all current competitions," said Beharry.
Last spring, the province announced a two per cent increase in operating grants to post secondary institutions for the next three years. Now, universities are looking at what might happen if they don't receive that increase in the spring budget.
"That's the part that's a little unsettling for us because we're not certain what's going to happen. We have budgeted for that increase already, so we are waiting to find out. We'll have to look at it very closely when the budget comes down," said Beharry.
"We speak with the ministry regularly and frequently and they have not given us any definitive answer yet," said Osburn. "You have to plan responsibly. As we've been planning for our budget, of course we've planned for the two per cent, which is what we've been told up until this point we'll be getting."
Osburn says the University of Alberta is looking at several options, including the possibility of streamlining programs or reexamining how many undergraduate students the university accepts.
"There are many, many things an institution as large as ours can consider," Osburn said. "There's lots of concepts and additional administrative efficiencies is another one of the things."
Both institutions are currently working on their own budgets for the upcoming fiscal year. Unsure of how the province will make up for its shortfall, they worry cuts may be inevitable.
"We had budgeted for certain things, but now we have to look at other aspects of it and it's not worrisome, but there is a lot of uncertainty," said Beharry. "Right now, with the uncertainty, the hiring freeze here is to make sure that we are looking at all aspects."
"As an institution, of course, you're always optimistic about the future, but you have to realistic, as well," added Osburn.
Institutions will get a clearer picture when the provincial budget comes down on March 7.
With files from Jenna Bridges.
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