Red Deer College president Joel Ward is waiting until after the college board retreat to announce any cuts.
Ward said the tough decisions ahead and the impact on the community keep him up at night.
Operating grants to all post-secondary institution in the province were reduced by 7.3 per cent as part of the March provincial government budget. For RDC, that translated to a $4.5 million reduction on an estimated $92-million budget.
RDC will officially announce budgetary decisions and begin implementing the changes following a board retreat in early May.
The cost-savings plan will likely include program cuts and job losses.
Ward did not give specifics but indicated the college is looking at all aspects of operations, including administration, support and programming. Ward said the college is slowly and carefully considering its options.
“We still have work to do,” said Ward. “But we will have all our decisions made by early May.”
Ward said RDC’s approach will be much different than Mount Royal University because RDC is a smaller institution in a smaller community.
Officials with Calgary’s Mount Royal say they are looking at suspending three diploma programs, four certificate programs and an engineering transfer program with the University of Calgary. As well, student intake for the nursing program may also be slashed by a third.
Ward said RDC must consider the impact on the community and the cultural health and growth of the community.
Ward said the college has a detailed program and services review policy that guides them to make the best decisions. That policy consider dollars, demand, employability, impact to students and impact to the community.
While other post-secondary institutions are not accepting applications, RDC is still taking applications for the next semester.
In the chance some programs will be realigned, Ward said, the college will speak directly to prospective students. Ward said they will try to offer alternative education options or incentives to look at other college programs.
“We will not disadvantage any student,” he said. “We will provide them with another option if necessary or direct them to another institution or online learning ... I am very hopeful that that number will be very small.”
Since the provincial budget came down on March 7, Ward has taken a new approach to stay connected with staff and faculty. Each week he has uploaded a two-or-three-minute video on the Centre for Learning and Teaching website. In recent videos, Ward has informed staff about meetings with Advanced Education and budget updates.
“I want people to know as soon as I know it,” said Ward. “We are very much aware the impact our decisions will have on people and families and children in our community. It’s the only thing that keeps me up at night worrying about the tough decisions and the impact it will have on families.”
crhyno@www.reddeeradvocate.com