As Canada emerged from recession, many vote-conscious governments at first tried to shelter education funding from the worst of spending cuts as they manoeuvred to cut deficits. But several provinces are now signalling universities are fair game too, and anxiety is spreading around campuses.
On Thursday, Alberta slashed university operating grants 6.8 per cent just one year after promising more money. It was a $40-million blow to the University of Alberta, an outcome far worse than even university president Indira Samarasekera had foreseen. Dr. Samarasekera had first warned the $12-million deficit her school faces next year would grow without new government funds. Then she had conceded it would be “a victory” if the province only froze the school’s operating grant, and didn’t cut it.