U of A head preaches quiet diplomacy

Working behind the scenes with the provincial government is more effective than public advocacy to make the case for better university funding, University of Alberta president Indira Samarasekera says.

A group of professors in the arts and science faculties who last month publicly protested cuts to staff and faculty in the coming year are free to do so, but such ”negative advocacy” is not effective and could send the wrong message about the quality of education at the university, Samarasekera told a meeting Monday of the general faculties council.

“It has been our strategic choice to have these conversations with government directly, not through the media, and the government is listening,” Samarasekera said.

Despite belt-tightening due to two years of no increases in provincial grants, Alberta universities still get higher per-student operating grants than other universities, she said, adding there are more professors than in 2004-05 when she arrived.

The provincial budget is to be unveiled Feb 12.

Deans of the 19 faculties at the university are preparing for a third year of no increases, which will mean eliminating seven academic positions from the arts faculty, for instance.

The university needs a four-percent increase to cover rising operating costs and hopes to get three-year funding commitment to allow for long-term planning, Samarasekera said.

English professor Carolyn Sale, one of the academics who raised public concerns about the funding cuts, attended Monday’s council meeting, defending the group’s decision to launch a petition to rally support for Alberta’s “flagship” institution.

The petition calls for stable, longterm funding, as well as a freeze on tuition.