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Interim Provost Penny Werthner speaks at the student tuition town hall Dec. 7, 2022

Campus Town Hall

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UCalgary President Ed McCauley speaks at the Oct. 28, 2022, budget priorities town hall

Interim Provost and Vice-President (Academic) Penny Werthner speaks at the Oct 28, 2022, town hall

Budget Priorities town hall summary

President Ed McCauley, Interim Provost and Vice-President (Academic) Penny Werthner, and other members of the ɫ Executive Leadership Team hosted a budgetpriorities townhall on Oct. 28, 2022. The UCalgary campus community was invited to learn about our budget process and share their thoughts and ideas about how we can continue to operate a great teaching, learning and research-intensive university.

Agenda:

  • Share our understanding of the budget environment
  • Provide overview of consolidated and capital budgets
  • Describe the budget review and approval process
  • Comment on challenges expected in 2023-24
  • Invite you to identify budget priorities with survey
  • Answer questions

Highlights

Download the full town hall slide deck here

Slide: Plan to rebalance cost of postsecondary education complete in 22-23

The provincial government’s multi-year “rebalancing” plan to adjust funding for postsecondary institutions is complete in the 22-23 year.

Background: A report prepared for the Government of Alberta by the Blue-Ribbon Panel on Alberta’s Finances in 2019-20 concluded that Alberta’s spending per capita was the highest in Canada. The Panel determined that annual expenditures would be $10.4 billion less if Alberta’s per capita spending matched the average of Canada’s three largest provinces. The report recommended that a strategy be established for the post-secondary system and spending be brought into line with peers over three years.

Slide: Spending plan based on an estimate of income and expenditures

The ɫ’s consolidated budget is balanced at $1.48 billion for 2022-23.

Most of the university’s funding comes from the Government of Alberta. As the impact of the provincial rebalancing exercise takes effect, the amount that students contribute is catching up. Tuition rates remain below the median of U15 peer institutions.The nature of the university is that it is a people-intensive organization; close to 60% of the budget is allocated to staff salaries and benefits.

Slide: How to close the revenue / expense growth gap

The university is looking at opportunities to generate additional revenue to address inflation and fund priorities.

  • Promote investment in the post-secondary sector
  • Advocate for inflationary adjustments to provincial grants
  • Submit proposals to expand programs in high demand areas
  • Recommend inflationary rate adjustments to tuition and fees
  • Adjust revenue sharing models to incent growth and innovation
  • Pursue revenue from non-government sources (community, industry, philanthropy)
  • Explore alternative revenue generating opportunities
Slide: Budget Priorities Survey

ɫ students, staff and faculty were invited to respond to a short survey to identify their budget priorities.

This consultation was to inform where the UCalgary community would want to see potential additional funding invested, should there be extra funds beyond what is expected.

The survey is now closed.