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gateway March 28th, 2012
Issue No. 27
Volume 102
THE
TH E O F F IC IA L STUDE NT NE WS PA P E R AT TH E UN I V ER S I T Y OF A LBERTA
funding relief
Engineering Faculty gets $3 million from gov’t April Hudson
staff reporter @april_hudson In the midst of tight financial times, the Faculty of Engineering has been offered some breathing space, with $3 million in funding from the provincial government. A few years ago, the government eliminated funding for the faculty’s four-year enrolment expansion program, due to fiscal concerns, leaving it overburdened with students and an increasing demand for higher enrolment rates without the necessary resources. “The Faculty of Engineering had implemented the first two years of (the) four-year expansion, so the funding for the last two years was eliminated — but we already had the students,” said Provost Carl Amrhein. “At that time, we presented to the government what it would cost to stabilize the engineering enrolment at a new level, without eliminating any of the first-year positions.”
“The Faculty of Engineering had implemented the first two years of (the) four-year expansion, so the funding for the last two years was eliminated — but we already had the students.” selena phillips-boyle
provost
theatre preview
Theatre, a local production company known for its heightened visual imagery and distinctive theatre style. Working with artistic director Jonathan Christenson and designer Bretta Gerecke, the BFA actors moved past the typical re-creation of a famous play to this new production and acting experience, putting their own secrets into a public production. “With this production, there’s the performance challenges that every actor will have in any role,” Dicey’s fellow actor Sereana Malani says. “But then there are all these additional layers because you want to honour the stories, and to honour yourself and the audience, and finally to remember why it’s important that we’re sharing these stories.”
This year, the government restored $3 million in funding, allowing Engineering to maintain its expanded enrolment and offering the faculty a measure of stability. The government gave the faculty notice of the funding shortly after October, with the funding itself following soon after. “The Faculty of Engineering has been under incredible enrolment demand for its programs,” said dean David Lynch. “Last year, the university included that information about the extreme demand in the university’s Comprehensive Institutional Plan (CIP).” From there, Lynch said, the university made the government aware of Engineering’s need for enrolment funding. After the government approved the funding, the faculty received 85 per cent of the $3 million they were promised, and kept around $450,000 for institutional administration fees and other general costs.
PLEASE SEE whisper PAGE 17
PLEASE SEE enrolment PAGE 7
Whisper turns silent secrets into stories Paige Gorsak
her castmate, “and then she’s the mouthpiece and says it to the audience.”
A simple yet deeply personal in-class workshop has grown into the international premier of a new concept theatre production, revealing the truth behind human feelings and struggles. In conjunction with Catalyst Theatre, the U of A Studio Theatre unveils whisper, a show where the actors whisper their own personal secrets and stories to their castmates, who in turn reveal the stories to the audience. “We all found it really fascinating because these stories were so intimate,” says Alyson Dicey, a member of the cast. “And you’re kind of protected because you’re whispering, and because we’re all best friends. So I can whisper it to Sereana,” she continues, gesturing towards
“We all found it really fascinating because these stories were so intimate ... you’re kind of protected because you’re whispering, and because we’re all best friends.”
arts & culture staff @paigegorsak
carl amrhein
alyson dicey
performer, whisper
The cast turned the unconventional approach into a full production with the help and vision of the creative crew from Catalyst