U of S convinces province to provide another $20 million to medical school
The Saskatchewan Party government reversed a budget decision and gave an additional $20 million to the University of Saskatchewan’s cash-strapped medical school after receiving the institution’s annual financial statements, which included a request for more money.
Prior to that decision, the College of Medicine — which is at the end of an expensive restructuring program aimed at securing accreditation and avoiding an “unprecedented” third probation — was expected to fall short by $17 million this year, bringing its deficit to $57 million
In the financial statements — which were published without fanfare earlier this month and do not include the $20 million — university officials strongly suggested the provincial government’s current financial commitment would not be enough to secure the college’s future.
“The success of the College of Medicine will not be fully achieved until sufficient provincial government funding is provided to address the structural deficit,” officials said in the report.
“This is critical to the college’s success in the new accreditation cycle now underway. Ongoing relationships with government and the health region are essential in the long term to ensure that accreditation issues … are addressed and current momentum and progress continues.”
The document also states that the college’s financial stability “must be resolved” next year — a year for which the university has previously forecast a zero per cent base funding increase.
Advanced Education Minister Herb Cox was not available for an interview on Monday but confirmed in a statement that the decision to restore the $20 million was made after government officials reviewed the university’s financial statements.
“This demonstrated their need to address deficiencies and maintain accreditation,” Cox said in the statement, which went on to note that the government will continue to work with the U of S to understand its funding needs.
The dean of the College of Medicine, Preston Smith, was also unavailable for an interview.
He said in a statement that the college continues to “effectively deliver on its education and research mission and to meet the requirements of accreditation.”
Saskatchewan NDP advanced education critic Vicki Mowat said the government needs to establish a “predictable funding model” for the college, so that it’s not hampered by the unknown when planning and making operational decisions. In his statement, Cox said future decisions about the university’s base operating grant will be made during the 2018-19 budget cycle. Decisions about targeted funding will be based on a five-year plan once it is finalized by the college, he added.
According to the report, the provincial government provided the medical school with $81.4 million in targeted funding last year. The university provided another $57.4 million from its operating budget, around 65 per cent of which comes from provincial coffers.
Together, that represents about 70 per cent of the college’s reported revenues of $197 million. The bulk of the remaining funds came from the federal government.