EDMONTON — Alberta’s opposition NDP says a leaked internal email shows the University of Alberta is eyeing deep budget cuts in the wake of reduced provincial funding.
NDP critic Rachel Notley says an email from the university’s dean of education says faculty heads have been told that starting in 2014, the university plans major reductions.
The email says each dean has been directed to submit a plan to cut their budget by 20 per cent and come up with ideas to raise money to claw back half of that amount.
Notley says this is the consequence of the province cutting almost seven per cent of the operating grants to the 26 post-secondary institutions in last week’s budget.
She says it’s foolish given that Premier Alison Redford has said building up the education system is a cornerstone of diversifying the economy.
The government has directed the schools to find savings by working together to streamline clerical services and reduce duplication of programs.