President releases recommendations

Posted November 22, 1996


EMBARGOED -- NOVEMBER 21, 1996 3:00 PM
96-11-05-OTHER

President releases recommendations

Saskatoon, SK, November 21, 1996 -- President George Ivany today released his recommendations for the University of Saskatchewan's plan to address a cut in operating funding from the provincial government.

The plan revolves around the idea of change. We have a considerable challenge before us -- to define what we will be, and maybe more importantly, what we will not continue to be as we enter the next century. We must focus. We must preserve areas of strength through the differentiation of resources and commitments for the future, said President Ivany.

To accomplish this reshaping, he suggests a combination of program changes, tuition increases, elimination of 70 -100 positions, increased administrative savings, and maximized revenue opportunities. His plan also provides for increased expenditure in some key areas including student services and libraries.

Dr. Ivany is recommending that the Board of Governors aim for a targeted $7.5 million in increased tuition revenue. That figure will be made up of an across the board increase as well as differential tuition increases for programs with a high cost of delivery.

The suggested program changes will affect the College of Dentistry, the College of Education, and the Division of Extension.

President Ivany recommends marketing 15 of the 25 seats in the College of Dentistry at full cost recovery to students out of province and abroad.

The closure of this College would be a severe loss to the people of Saskatchewan, said President Ivany. We must exhaust all possibilities for saving its resources before naming an irrevocable solution such as complete closure.

Also included in the plan is his vision for a College of Education that focuses on secondary school education while leaving the more primary school focused program to the University of Regina. I expect this direction will eventually lead to an emphasis on an enhanced graduate program with a strengthened commitment to scholarship, he said.

He recommends investigating the price of distance education courses offered internationally and exploring a variety of options for delivery of courses during summer session and inter-session to maximize the revenue potential of the Extension Division.

His recommendations are not restricted to cutbacks. He is also suggesting some new initiatives for investment in the future:

  • $1 million from the increased tuition revenue will be dedicated to a variety of mechanisms for student support.
  • $1.2 million of undesignated money from the First & Best National Campaign will be set aside for student scholarships.
  • The library will receive an addition of 5 per cent per year for the next two years for its acquisitions budget.
  • An allocation of 2 per cent to non-salary departmental budgets.

President Ivany emphasized that his recommendations are based on critical assumptions relating to salary settlements and tuition increases. If any assumption changes, there will be ramifications for the other components of his plan.

For more information, please contact:

Cindy Paquette
Public Relations
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-6204