Post secondary funding in alberta

[chris29]

Post secondary students in alberta pay the highest among all canadian students for school, are schools qualities have been decreasing and the only thing to blame is the pc government here in alberta.

-funding has increased by the maximum allowable for the last 7 years and alberta has been through the highest average increase among all provinces in canada (189%)

-funding per student has dropped significantly in alberta, in 1991 students received $8.67 for every student dollar, we now receive $1.79

- on nov.18 post secondary students around alberta took time out of their school day to get together to rally for post secondary election issues, this was called the "day of action" ( myself being a proud organizer of this event!), in calgary post secondary students gathered at SAIT to form the words I VOTE, this was the largest political rally in the history of calgary, afterwards students were encouraged to talk to the various political party members there, not surprisingly the pc's didn't show up

- when I askedat a community forum why it is that these candidates thought post secondary tuition was so high the pc candidate blamed the institutions for increasing their operating costs, not only was this a lie but it also showed the complete ignorance this party has shown towards this issue

[Cartman]

No bites yet?

I question two aspects of your post. First, it is my understanding that the UofC has suffered consistent deficits for some time now, whereas Athabasca, Alberta, and Lethbridge have not. This suggests to me that the UofC has unique spending problems. I would also question your assertion that educational costs are higher in Alberta than anywhere else. I was under the impression that they are higher in Nova Scotia and I would assume that wages there are lower than in oil rich Alberta. The PC's, of course, are to take responsibility for education, good and bad, as they have held power for some 33 years or so.

I like the fact that you are not apathetic and work to induce positive change in Alberta, but students also need to look at what individual institutions are doing as well. They have been very successful at deflecting blame for problems they have created. Weingarten should get off his fat ass and stop funding stupid ventures. I blame him and his predecessor more than I do Klein.

Remember, universities are in the unique position of making noble demands for tax $$ on behalf of students, but spending it pretty much as they please. Sadly, the provinces can keep dumping $$ into universities, and tuition will keep rising as long as they try to become mega-complexes. These are decadent kingdoms that need more fiscal restraint. If you knew how much some of the bureaucrats make in universities, you would get ill.

IMO, students have every right to be angry with educational costs and large class sizes, but they should blame the Presidents, the BOG's and, to a lesser extent, professors that are bought off by wage increases in exchange for larger class sizes.

[fellowtraveller]

Much of the info in the first post is incorrect. Alberta remains in the middle of the provincial pack in tuition costs.source

Alberta also spends more than any other province, per capita, on elementary and secondary education. Not coincidentally., Alberta also leads the nation in student achievement testing and is among the owrld leaders in some subjects.

You can blame Klein for that too.

[Big Blue Machine]

Totally, you can blame Klien and Alberta for having the smartest kids in Canada. Alberta has proved its worth by not being gobbled up by the health care machine in budgets. Now the money in education is proving its weight in gold.

[August1991]

BBM, I gather you want to go to university and are hoping the rest of us will pay for your education. I suspect your teachers are in on the deal and probably have told you how "public-financed education" is good for a society.

BBM, apply some "critical thinking" or the "scientific method" to the question at hand. Or, simply be an "intelligent sceptic". (That's my personal favourite result of a good education.)

Then, get back to us.

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Hint: Can you go to Harvard or Yale or the LSE? Looks great on a CV.