Cuts to Funding for Post-Secondary Education: What is U of L’s New Reality?

Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs (SACPA)

Post-secondary institutions in Alberta have experienced substantial reductions to their Campus Alberta Grants from the Government of Alberta. In the case of the University of Lethbridge, these reductions represent slightly more than 20% of the university’s government operating grant. The reductions have resulted in difficult budget decisions including layoffs, deletion of athletic programs and structural changes. The emergence of COVID 19 has added to the challenges for the U of L. On March 13, 2020 the university moved to virtual academic program delivery and ultimately the university closed down all on-campus services including residences and food services, and moved all student services online. These rapid changes have been unprecedented, but the university has met the challenge. There have also been significant costs associated with COVID 19, which in addition to government grant reductions present serious challenges. The speaker will explain the impact of the budget reductions and COVID 19, mitigation strategies and plans for the fall semester. This will include a discussion on the need for transformational changes at the University of Lethbridge, that are already underway, and will continue to unfold in the coming years. Speaker: Dr. Mike Mahon Dr. Michael J. (Mike) Mahon was installed as the President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lethbridge in 2010 and after serving two consecutive terms has been reappointed for a third term beginning July 1, 2020. During his first term, Dr. Mahon introduced the university’s first Academic and Strategic Research Plan followed closely by Destination 2020, the University of Lethbridge Strategic Plan. Under these plans, Dr. Mahon initiated the “Destination Project”, a big construction project to develop the new Science Commons building and was successful in obtaining a $260 million investment from the Government of Alberta. Fall 2019 concluded Dr. Mahon’s two-year term as Chair of the Board of Directors for Universities Canada. He has been active in several other provincial and national commitments related to post-secondary education including former Canadian University Sport (USports), Alberta Economic Development Authority, the Canadian Olympic Committee, and the Coaching Association of Canada. Dr. Mahon is the recipient of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal and an honorary member of the Kainai Chieftainship of the Blood Tribe in Southern Alberta. He is proud of his Blackfoot name, Iipisowaahsiiyi (Morning Star). Date and time: Monday, June 15, 2020 at 10 am YouTube Live link: https://youtu.be/ncsoz79_x58 In order to ask questions of our speaker in the chat feature of YouTube, you must have a YouTube account and be signed in. Please do so well ahead of the scheduled start time, so you’ll be ready. Go the YouTube Live link provided in this session flyer and on the top right of your browser click the “sign in” button. If you have Google or Gmail accounts, they can be used to sign in. If you don’t, click “Create Account” and follow along. Once you are signed in, you can return to the live stream and use the chat feature to ask your questions of the speaker. Remember you can only participate in the chat feature while we are livestreaming. Link to SACPA’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFUQ5mUHv1gfmMFVr8d9dNA