CELEBRATING 20 1 0
1910
YEARS
volume CI number 46
inside
the official student newspaper at the university of alberta
News Writer
The pundits in the Gateway Sports staff make their decisions on the most outstanding varsity moments in this years Sports Awards. Sports, Page 20
Canadian pop princess Fefe Dobson taps into her split personality for a new sound on her latest album Joy. A&E, Page 17
Speck of Orange The Gateway follow this year’s federal race in the only riding in Alberta not currently held by a Conservative: EdmontonStrathcona. feature, Page 10
thursday, april 7, 2011
U of A unveils longterm expansion plan April Hudson
The winner is...
www.thegatewayonline.ca
The University of Alberta’s new Comprehensive Institutional Plan (CIP) calls for a flood of extra government funding in order to attract more students and professors. In accordance with the Dare to Deliver Academic Plan, this new fiveyear plan examines the need for more funding in order for the university to maintain a competitive standing as an educational institution, translating the university’s long-term goals of academic excellence into practical short-term goals. In light of recent budget cuts, progress towards the CIP’s goals are off to a rocky start. However, Provost and Vice President (Academic) Carl Amrhein is optimistic the goals outlined in the plan can be accomplished in the near future. “The Academic Plan and the CIP is a forward-looking document, so hopefully over the next five or six years, when the province returns to strong fiscal health, we’ll be able to convince the government to move in this direction,” said Amrhein. “The government has sent us every signal that postsecondary education is still vitally important.” The CIP discusses the creation of new, innovative programs, and states that the funding will come from re-allocated resources from existing programs. The government has already agreed to re-allocate unused resources from the Faculty of Native Studies towards a new Native Studies graduate program. “It’s not using more money,” said Amrhein. “It’s taking existing money and within the framework that is Campus Alberta, re-allocating those funds so that Campus Alberta has all of what they need, recognizing that some of the newer institutions are doing things that they weren’t doing ten years ago.” Aside from the money allocated to the recruitment and engagement of international and aboriginal students, the CIP also calls for an estimated investment of approximately $370 million in order to cover the costs of 500 new professors, and to fund 2,000 new graduate students. “The Master’s and PhD people are critical for making sure that all of the sophisticated, complicated parts of
the economy work,” said Amrhein. “Now that Mount Royal and Grant MacEwan are offering bachelor degrees, the government has told the U of A, the U of C, and the U of L that they want us to expand graduate activity.” The planned increase in graduates and professors will allow the university to meet proposed ratios of 1:3 graduate to undergraduate students, 1:4 professor to graduate students, and 1:16 professor to general student population, putting the U of A on par with other universities. Amrhein said that although these figures would not be possible this year, they would almost certainly be achieved once the economy improves and the government can increase funding. “We have the space, we have the need, [and] we have the jobs waiting for the graduates,” said Amrhein. “All we need is the funding to bring the students in.” The CIP aims for a target goal of 15 per cent international undergraduate students and 30 per cent international graduate students, and also proposes funding for an increase in aboriginal students. “We are not displacing Canadian students by bringing in international students,” said Amrhein. “We’re adding additional students.”
“The government has sent us every signal that postsecondary education is still vitally important.” Carl Amrhein provost/Vice President (AcademIC)
Amrhein said that although the university would not require additional funding for international students, an increase in aboriginal students would likely result in a need for more funds. “We think it’s important that we become a more welcoming, receptive institution for the particular learning needs of Aboriginal students,” said Amrhein. “The demand is there, and we’re asking the government for more funding to accommodate students.”
Aaron Yeo
Alcohol policy changes to affect events, pub crawls Aaron Yeo News Staff
The University of Alberta administration aims to provide better information, communication, and resources for students and faculty with a revision of the current policy on the way alcohol is handled. Current regulations call for risk assessment procedures, including adequate Server Intervention Training (SIPS), alcohol awareness training, and the issuing of waivers. Because student groups are affiliated with the university and represent the U of A in any events they hold, the policy affects both on- and off-campus events. “[The] current policy and procedure that we have is fairly simple and quite straightforward,” said Philip Stack, associate vice president of Risk Management Services. “However, its primary focus is how to get a permit to hold a function on campus that involves the consumption of alcohol.” A town hall was held for U of A students and student groups on Monday, where Stack was open to ideas and suggestions on how to improve the
current policy. Their main focus was how to strike a balance between making sure events are run as safe as possible and within the lines of the university’s insurance policies, while not making the process too arduous. Stack said that the administration will study how other postsecondary institutions manage alcohol events as well. “It’s clear that our policy is quite out of step with what other universities have in place,” he said. Students raised concerns regarding the availability of resources for getting the correct permits from the university, and many said the difficulty of obtaining permission discouraged them from allowing alcohol to be served. “I’m worried that it’s hurting our student life because it’s become too hard to actually hold student group events at bars,” said Claire Smith, president of the Engineering Students Society. Stack said the university wants to differentiate between events that benefit students where alcohol is featured, and events whose main purpose is the consumption of alcohol. Please see Alcohol Page 4