Campus Town Hall
Weren't able to attend the December Town Hall meeting?
Budget Priorities town hall summary
President Ed McCauley, Interim Provost and Vice-President (Academic) Penny Werthner, and other members of the University of Calgary Executive Leadership Team hosted a budget priorities town hall 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
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.
The University of Calgary’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.
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
University of Calgary 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.