Upload
hoangmien
View
213
Download
0
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
2
Table of Contents
Acknowledgement .................................................................................................................... 3
Executive Summary ................................................................................................................... 4
Observations ............................................................................................................................. 5
Process ...................................................................................................................................... 8
Operating Context ..................................................................................................................... 9
Trends ..................................................................................................................................... 13
1. Students ............................................................................................................................ 14 2. Innovation ......................................................................................................................... 25 3. Faculty and Staff ............................................................................................................... 30 4. Resources .......................................................................................................................... 33 5. Facilities ............................................................................................................................ 38 6. Environment ..................................................................................................................... 41 7. Accountability ................................................................................................................... 45
3
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
December 1, 2008 Consultation is an essential part of the University of Calgary’s planning process and it is vital to setting and achieving goals and objectives. Because of its importance, we invited faculty, staff, students and community partners to participate in the development of this 2008 Environmental Scan that will inform our 2009‐2013 business planning process. It is obvious from the response we received that members of our community are passionate about the role the University of Calgary will continue to play in shaping post‐secondary education in Calgary and Alberta. This was apparent from the number of faculties, units and individuals who shared so graciously their knowledge of the institution’s operating environment. On behalf of the senior administrative group, I would like to thank all of those individuals who participated in this process. I encourage you to read this document, discuss and debate the trends, opportunities and challenges identified as you develop your multi‐year plans, and continue your commitment to the future of the University of Calgary. Alan Harrison Provost and Vice‐President (Academic)
4
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Every year, students, faculty, staff and other community members are invited to contribute their knowledge of the trends, opportunities and challenges related to the social, economic, political, cultural, technological and educational environments that the University of Calgary will exist in over the next four years. This knowledge informs the annual business planning process, which begins with the setting of priorities, goes on to the development of strategies to address internal, external and market trends, sets targets and ends with the allocation of resources.
CONTEXT
The U of C’s role within the provincial post‐secondary system will be increasingly determined on the basis of provincial need as outlined under the emerging Campus Alberta framework. Government priorities will increasingly influence funding of programs. Preserving the autonomy of the institution will require the U of C to continually re‐evaluate its structures and processes and how resources are allocated.
TRENDS
The U of C operates in an environment characterized by considerable economic, political, social and environmental change. The current global financial crisis will have a profound and lasting impact on the institution’s ability to deliver on its core teaching, research and service mandate over the planning period. Although the U of C will suffer less than other universities, it had to write off some of its working capital backed by Asset Backed Commercial Paper. This fact, combined with a substantial decrease in endowment value in 2008, means that the U of C will have less money to operate. Revenue through fundraising is also expected to decline, investment returns will remain lower than normal, and government grant and tuition revenue will continue to grow at rates less than the inflationary cost of salary increases. A number of factors suggest that the U of C is better positioned than many other universities to buffer this financial downturn:
The decentralized budget model introduced several years ago provides greater capacity to those most informed about the U of C’s academic programs to assign resources;
The U of C has a higher student to faculty ratio and a higher funding per student ratio; The U of C offers a more comprehensive range of desirable programs than some peers; and The Government of Alberta will continue to fund expansions in high demand program
areas, as well as fund new facilities, which will provide much needed teaching, research and administrative space.
Although there will be challenges over the 2009‐2013 planning period, the U of C will continue to enhance its position as one of Canada’s leading comprehensive academic and research institutions. This is a result of its unique and disciplined approach to student success, high quality research and scholarship and return to community.
5
OBSERVATIONS
Operating Context
1. The University of Calgary will continue to enhance its position as one of Canada’s leading comprehensive research institutions.
2. New academic and research plans will guide activities over the planning period. 3. Much of the U of C’s strength will come from its location within the City of Calgary and
Province of Alberta. 4. The U of C’s role within the post‐secondary system will be increasingly determined by its
role within the Campus Alberta Framework. 5. The Alberta Access Planning Framework will require the U of C to collaborate much more
in the delivery of programs. 6. The review of the arts and social sciences‐related faculties may result in a re‐organization
early in the planning period. 7. The lack of a clear governance structure for interdisciplinary graduate programs will make
program continuity more challenging.
Trends
Students
1. Enrolment will continue to grow driven, in part, by population growth and improvements in post‐secondary participation rates.
2. Local labour market shortages will drive program growth in specific discipline areas. 3. Alberta’s level of educational attainment is expected to increase over the next decade as
more people participate in post‐secondary education. 4. Alberta’s post‐secondary enrolment will increase by 23,000 FLEs over the next decade. 5. The Province of Alberta will introduce a new Post‐secondary Application System. 6. The majority of students applying will continue to come from Calgary and Alberta. 7. Competition will increase for the most qualified students. 8. The European “Bologna Process” will increase competition for the best students. 9. Minor tuition fee differences will not significantly influence student application decisions. 10. Scholarship, grant and award levels will influence student decisions about attending. 11. The U of C will continue to expand access to high demand programs. 12. Initiatives launched by the U of C in 2008 will improve student retention, progression and
completion outcomes.
Innovation
1. Research income growth will be influenced by recent changes in the global economy. 2. The Alberta research and innovation landscape will change dramatically in 2009. 3. Provincial universities will need to collaborate for Alberta research grants. 4. Canadian universities will need to partner for federal research grants.
6
5. Governments will continue to demand successful research commercialization and knowledge transfer returns for their investment.
6. Boundaries will continue to blur between disciplines as the U of C is increasingly called upon to address societal problems.
7. Competition will intensify for the most qualified graduate students and faculty members. 8. The federal government will do more to create a globally competitive research and
innovation environment.
Faculty and Staff
1. The U of C will find itself increasingly competing with the knowledge economy and other countries for graduates.
2. The number of degrees awarded to Canadian students, particularly at the graduate level, will not keep pace with university labour market needs.
Resources
1. Changes in the global economy will have an impact on future salary settlements. 2. The global economic crisis will have a lasting impact on the U of C’s operating
environment. 3. The U of C’s current financial position will influence the rate and manner in which it
adapts to the global economic crisis. 4. The U of C can expect lower investment returns. 5. Changes in the market value of the university’s pension plans will have a material effect
on the U of C’s financial position. 6. Fundraising performance over the planning period will be significantly influenced by
recent changes in the global economy. 7. Provincial operating grant growth will slow to much closer to the annual rate of inflation. 8. Funding for new program growth will be more directly linked to the achievement of
enrolment targets. 9. The U of C is in a better position than many other universities to buffer this downturn. 10. The achievement of revenue targets will be much more important in the future. 11. Inflation and currency fluctuations will have an impact on the university’s buying power
particularly the library collections budget.
Facilities
1. The focus of the U of C’s capital program will shift from the construction of new facilities to re‐purposing existing space.
2. The global financial crisis will have an impact on the timing and cost of the university’s capital program.
3. A new master plan will guide design of the university campus for the next twenty‐years. 4. Development of the West Campus will provide the U of C with considerable opportunity
to advance its academic mission. 5. The U of C will establish a presence in downtown Calgary. 6. The economy will have an impact on maintenance and renewal funds available.
7
7. The dramatic slowdown in housing / non‐residential projects should ease pressure across the construction industry late in the planning period.
Environment
1. Being a leader in environmental management will serve to attract excellent students. 2. Demands for expertise in sustainability will increase. 3. Workplace demands for interdisciplinary expertise will increase demand for U of C
programming that addresses social, economic, and environmental sustainability. 4. The U of C operates within a community dedicated to sustainability. 5. Greenhouse Gas Emissions Legislative Trends will influence U of C priorities. 6. Green building practices will grow in recognition of the urgency of reducing greenhouse
gas emissions.
Accountability
1. Demands for greater accountability will increase from various audiences interested in the measurement of university performance.
2. Common University Data Canada student feedback will be used more strategically to improve the quality of the learning environment.
3. Provincial initiatives aimed at developing common datasets will shift toward national initiatives.
PROCESS
On May 30, 2008, the 2009‐2010 budget and four‐year business planning cycle (2009‐2013) was launched with a request for the University of Calgary community to contribute to Phase 1, the environmental scan. The intent was to have students, faculty, staff and other community members identify trends, opportunities and challenges related to the social, economic, political, cultural, technological, and educational environments in which the university would exist over the next four years. The first step in Phase 1 consisted of gathering relevant information from four main sources:
Internal Assessment The internal assessment identified internal structures, processes and operations to pinpoint strengths and weaknesses. The assessment included a review of statistical information about students, faculty, staff, campus facilities, equipment, technology, finances, management practices, programs, services, market position and other factors. Internal
AssessmentExternal
AssessmentExternal Assessment The external assessment identified and assessed changes in the operating environment that could have an impact on the U of C over the planning period. These included political, economic, technological, social, lifestyle, demographic, regulatory changes and trends.
National TrendsConsultation
Consultation Key decision‐makers helped to contextualize the information gathered about changing needs, perceptions and emerging concerns.
National Trends The review of best practices or national trends from across the country helped to place the planning exercise in a larger context. The intent was to learn from institutions that had successfully addressed challenges similar to those identified for the U of C.
8
9
OPERATING CONTEXT
VISION
The University of Calgary is a passionate community of scholars dedicated to high‐level teaching and research created and shared with students to the benefit of society.
MISSION
The University of Calgary is a place of education and scholarly inquiry. Its mission is to seek truth and disseminate knowledge. The university’s aim is to pursue this mission with integrity for the benefit of the people of Alberta, Canada and the world.
MANDATE
The University of Calgary is a board‐governed, comprehensive research university, offering degree programs at the baccalaureate, master’s and doctoral levels in education, engineering, fine arts, health sciences, humanities, law, management, physical and social sciences to students from Calgary, Alberta, Canada and the world. Within Alberta, it offers unique undergraduate and graduate programs in communication studies, social work, surveying engineering and graduate programs in environmental design. Its faculty and students engage in research within and across the major disciplines comprising the program areas, and provide research expertise and services to the community and to national and international organizations. The university is a partner in the social and cultural development of the province. It delivers a wide range of credit and non‐credit courses and professional development programs to individuals and organizations directly, through the technologies of distance education, and, increasingly, through co‐operative education programs.1
ACADEMIC AND RESEARCH PLANS
In the fall of 2008, consultations began to refresh the academic plan and the strategic research plan of the university. These plans will articulate the core principles and priorities that will guide the academic direction and influence the strategic allocation of resources. Currently, the institution’s strengths are in the areas of:
Leading Innovation in Energy and the Environment Understanding Human Behaviour, Institutions and Cultures Creating Technologies and Managing Information for the Knowledge Society Advancing Health and Wellness.
1 Approved March 24, 1994 by the Minister of Advanced Education and Technology, Government of Alberta: currently under review. Found at: http://www.advancededucation.gov.ab.ca/college/Mandates/
10
ABOUT THE U OF C
The University of Calgary derives much of its strength from the over 100 academic programs it offers through its 17 faculties and 53 teaching departments. Over the planning period, the U of C will expand and broaden the range of programs of study offered at the baccalaureate and post‐baccalaureate (master’s and doctoral) levels. It will also continue to develop credit and non‐credit diplomas, certificates and executive development programs that provide access to high‐quality learning opportunities for Albertans. The U of C is one of four universities in Alberta. Over the past several years, it has taken its place among Canada’s major research institutions, as evident from its ranking on a number of national and international measures related to program quality, size and research productivity. A major strength is the institution’s location within the City of Calgary and Province of Alberta. Alberta is home to approximately 3.6 million highly educated people who have a relatively high standard of living. Although the province’s wealth comes primarily from natural resources (agriculture, energy and forestry), it has a dynamic and diverse economy. Calgary is the energy capital of Canada; it is one of the top five fastest growing cities in Canada and has a population in excess of 1 million people. Over the last 10 years, Calgary has grown from having less than half the head offices of Toronto to being almost on par with that city. Approximately 31% of all corporate profits in Canada flow through Calgary, whereas 40% flow through companies in Toronto.
ARTS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES ADMINISTRATIVE STRUCTURE
In October 2008, discussions began with the U of C community about whether the profile, prominence and capacity of the arts and social sciences at the U of C are impeded by their current administrative structure. For several years, these faculties have experienced a number of difficulties that may stem from their current fragmented structure:
It has been difficult to attract sufficient students to meet first‐year targets; applicants have trouble understanding the structure of the arts and social sciences at U of C relative to the more coherent face provided by competitor universities;
There is a significant loss of students between first and second year; Students experience non‐trivial difficulties navigating the bureaucracy and rules associated
with four faculties which contribute to student dissatisfaction; and Smaller units have difficulty in this financial environment.
The U of C has subdivided its arts and social sciences disciplines into more administrative units than any other of its comparator universities. By the end of the 2008‐2009 academic year the University Planning Committee will advise the General Faculties Council and the Board of Governors about whether the current structure of the arts and social sciences disciplines should change.
INTERDISCIPLINARY PROGRAMS
The U of C has successfully developed a number of interdisciplinary programs, but has not developed any clear structure or mechanism for their governance. Issues arising from the lack of governance include:
Unclear financial support for students; Source of operating income for programs; Availability of faculty to teach and supervise students; and Reporting relationship of coordinators.
Currently, the success and continuity of these programs relies on the good will of existing departments and faculties. To address the above issues, the U of C is undertaking a review of governance models at other universities. Recommendations from this review will likely result in the creation of an interdisciplinary structure (i.e., school, institute) and/or programs may be assigned to an existing structure (i.e., faculty, school).
CAMPUS ALBERTA
Campus Alberta is the framework developed by the Government of Alberta, Ministry of Advanced Education and Technology (AET) to support the access of Albertans to the provincial post‐secondary system. The U of C is described within the six‐sector framework as a Comprehensive Academic and Research Institution (CARI).
1. Comprehensive Academic and
Research Institutions
•Baccalaureate and graduate degrees and comprehensive research activity
2. Baccalaureate and Applied Studies Institutions
•Baccalaureate degrees in specified areas, and certificate, diploma, and applied degree programs
3. Polytechnical Institutions
•Apprenticeship, certificate, and diploma programs geared predominantly to technical careers, and some applied and baccalaureate degrees in specified areas
4. Comprehensive Community Institutions
•Broad programming, including apprenticeship where demand warrants, certificate, diploma, foundational learning, and upgrading
5. Independent Academic Institutions
•Primarily liberal arts, science, and education baccalaureate programs
6. Specialized Arts and Culture Institutions
•Concentration on fine arts, cultural programming, and professional development
The government expects that institutions will more closely align their mandates and program offerings over the planning period with their role in the six‐sector framework. Therefore, the U of C’s role within the Campus Alberta system will be increasingly determined on the basis of provincial need and priorities, taking into consideration:
The relative operating and capital costs (e.g., whether there are other institutions that can provide the program at a lower cost while not reducing quality);
Whether the particular program needs to be integrated with other fields or within a CARI; Existing utilization and available capacity; Integrated and collaborative approaches to delivery; Program synergies, including the existence of Areas of Instructional Excellence; Research synergies, including the presence of Provincial Centres of Excellence; and Whether there are geographic considerations that would allow for better outcomes.
11
12
Based on the provincial framework, some program growth at the undergraduate level, particularly in the arts, may shift from CARI to Baccalaureate and Applied Research Institutions. Program growth at CARIs will focus primarily on professional and graduate programs. Given the Government of Alberta’s commitment to the Campus Alberta framework, it may be more challenging for a CARI to continue to offer the breadth and range of undergraduate programming currently offered. While institutional differentiation among the various sectors is based on credentials offered and type of research activity, differentiation within the Campus Alberta sectors arise from program or field of study specializations based on institutional strength, strategic priority, client group served (e.g., Aboriginal), delivery modes utilized, and whether there are opportunities to enhance Alberta’s strategic advantage.
PROVINCIAL CENTRES OF EXCELLENCE
The priority for development of Alberta’s research capacity will rest with the CARIs. The framework allows for the identification of provincial centres of excellence based on research and instructional areas of excellence, and on institutional strength or areas of strategic importance. The provincial centres of excellence do not necessarily have to be institutional based, and may include collaborative arrangements among a broad array of institutions with common areas of strength in support of provincial priorities. The model will ensure the expansion of the number of graduate programs and students to support research and discovery of new knowledge that continues to build Alberta’s innovation capacity.
ALBERTA ACCESS PLANNING FRAMEWORK
AET identified the following Alberta Access Planning Framework priorities for the Alberta Access Plan that will guide Institutional Access Plan approvals over the next several years:
Graduate students in science‐related programs; Enhanced collaboration among institutions, including program changes that maximize
credential laddering opportunities, transfer programs, and other learner pathways; Increased access for under‐represented groups; Proactive strategies for dealing with immigrant education, bridging, and training needs, and
innovative strategies to better articulate the role of international students in Alberta’s advanced education system;
Mechanisms to address retention; and Environment health, safety and sustainability.
TRENDS
The University of Calgary is a dynamic organization operating in an environment characterized by considerable economic, political and social change. Increasing competition, significant population growth, economic uncertainty, student recruitment, retention and engagement, affordable housing, inflation, and calls for greater public accountability are some of the factors reshaping the institution’s operating environment. While these factors offer new opportunities, they also present challenges. Trends expected to shape the U of C’s direction over the period 2009‐2013 are grouped under the following categories:
1. Students
•Enrolment will continue to grow in areas of strategic priority, driven in part by labour market demand
2. Innovation
•Changes in the provincial research and innovation funding environment will have a significant impact on research priorities
3. Faculty and Staff
•Despite a slowing economy, faculty
renewal will remain a significant challenge for Canadian universities
4. Resources
•The current economic crisis will have a dramatic and lasting impact on the operating environment
5. Facilities
•The focus will shift from construction of new to re‐
purposing of existing teaching and research
space
6. Environment
•Leadership the area of environmental
management will attract excellent students and
faculty
7. Accountability
•Demands for comparable information will increase from various audiences interested in university performance assessment
13
1. STUDENTS
POPULATION GROWTH
The population of the Calgary region increased from 1,108,288 in 2003 to 1,230,685 in 2007, an average annual increase of 3%. In 2007, the Calgary region had an 18‐34 year old population of 328,948, a 3.0% increase during the same period. This represented 37% of Alberta’s 18‐34 year old population at that time. By 2017, Statistics Canada projects that the total population of the Calgary Region will reach 1,469,838, a 19% increase from 2007. An increase of 8% is also projected for the region’s 18‐34 year old population from 2007‐2017. This is slightly above the 7% projected for the province during the same period.
PARTICIPATION RATE
University enrolment patterns in the past have been heavily influenced by the participation rate (i.e., the proportion of students in full time post‐secondary study compared to the size of the 18‐24 year old population). Although Alberta has the most significant population growth in the country, the post‐secondary participation rate lags behind other provinces, a position that has not changed over the last decade.
18.6% 19.6%23.6% 24.6% 24.7%
29.0% 29.1% 29.9%
39.6%
25.3%
BC AB PE QC MB NB ON NL NS CANADA
Alberta's participation rate is 2nd lowest in Canada
ALBERTA’S OCCUPATIONAL SUPPLY OUTLOOK MODEL
Based on Alberta’s Occupational Supply Outlook Model (2007‐2017) the fastest growing occupations over the last decade required the highest levels of education; for example, 30‐70% of the employees in these occupations have university degrees. These occupations account for one‐third of all jobs and 55% of all job growth. As well, the trades and health fields are expected to be in need of labour over the coming decade. Alberta Occupations with the Fastest Growing Shortages 2007 2017
1 Nurse supervisors and registered nurses (861) (5,184)
2 Physicians, dentists and veterinarians (81) (3,402)
3 Technical occupations in architecture, drafting, and surveying 29 (2,133)
4 Facility operations and maintenance managers (61) (1,338)
14
15
5 Life science professionals (74) (1,235)
6 Other elemental service occupations 132 (1,121)
7 Pharmacists, dietitians, nutritionists (89) (978)
8 Technical occupations in physical sciences 194 (950)
9 Managers in art, culture, recreation and sport (12) (320)
10 Tour and recreational guides and casino occupations 36 (223)
Occupations with the lowest educational requirements account for about 41% of the labour force (down from 46%), but only accounted for 11% of job growth between 1990 and 2002. The province is projecting labour market surpluses over the period 2007‐2017 in a number of occupational areas that may have some impact on university program demand. Alberta Occupations with the Fastest Growing Surpluses 2007 2017
1 Contractors, operators and supervisors in agriculture / horticulture 328 4,437
2 Secretaries, recorders and transcriptionists 1,939 3,318
3 Supervisors (logging and forestry) 11 30
4 Printing machine operators and related occupations (18) 193
5 Legislators and senior management 15 668
6 Managers in other services (69) 150
7 Managers in financial and business services 57 348
8 Agriculture and horticultural workers 476 671
9 Other assembly and related occupations 365 322
10 Logging and machinery operators 69 46
The model also predicts that:
More people will graduate at the university level from the fields of education, humanities, social sciences, engineering, and mathematical and computer sciences than from college and trade institutions;
More Albertans will graduate with fine arts, commerce, applied sciences and health professions qualifications at the college and trade level than the university level;
The overall level of educational attainment in Alberta is expected to increase from 48.8% in 2007 to 52.5% by 2017, as more people enrol in post‐secondary institutions;
At the college and trade level a higher percentage of males than females will have qualifications in the applied science technologies and trades field. Females will have higher percentages of qualifications in education, commerce, arts, social sciences and health;
Post‐secondary enrolment rates for females will increase more over the forecast period than for males, resulting in a higher proportion of females having obtained a post‐secondary education (55.8% female compared to 49.3% male by 2017); and
Females are more likely to study in the education and health fields. Males are more likely to have engineering and mathematical and computer sciences qualifications.
FLE ENROLMENT
Assuming constant participation rates, Alberta can expect enrolment increases of approximately 23,000 Full Load Equivalents (FLEs), or full‐time equivalents, over the next decade. Enrolment increases are projected for all geographic service regions.
17,439
7,157
5,312
0 5000 10000 15000 20000
Technical
College
University
Universities accounted for 58.3% of growth
Source: Advanced Education and Technology
Despite projected enrolment increases, the number of graduates from Alberta’s post‐secondary system will be insufficient to meet demand for skilled workers. Alberta’s post‐secondary system capacity will need to increase in order to meet this demand. Given Albertans’ low participation rates, post‐secondary expansion will need to be in targeted areas where there is a known supply of students. The majority of regions show FLE growth below existing capacity and approved expansion. Further dialogue between post‐secondary institutions and the Ministry of Advanced Education and Technology is necessary in order to address demand and capacity imbalances and to ensure the most effective use of available resources. With constant participation rates, the Calgary region is projected to grow by approximately 9,100 FLEs from 2007‐2017, bringing the region’s total enrolment to approximately 60,300 FLEs in 2017. Approximately 30% of Alberta’s FLEs come from the Calgary region (are individuals who cited a Calgary region postal code at the time of their post‐secondary application). Languages, Social Sciences, Arts and Humanities have the highest share of FLEs from the Calgary Region (11,693), followed by Physical, Natural & Applied Sciences (8,712) and Business (7,234).
The Calgary region has the highest percentage of the provincial system FLE total in Business programs at 36%. Most FLEs from the Calgary Region were enrolled in a bachelor’s or applied degree programs in 2006‐07 (20,419 FLEs). This was followed by diploma programs (7,011 FLEs) and no credential/not applicable (6,128 FLEs). The fewest number of FLEs from the Calgary Region were enrolled in doctoral degrees (557) and master’s degrees (1,730). The majority of FLEs coming from the Calgary Region were enrolled in Comprehensive Research & Academic in 2006‐2007 (21,311). This was followed by Polytechnic (9,123 FLEs) and Baccalaureate & Applied Institutions (6,108 FLEs). In the Calgary region, a total of 2,816 Alberta qualified applicants were turned‐away from post‐secondary programs in 2007‐2008. This represents approximately 68% of Alberta’s turn‐aways. Turn‐aways were concentrated in the Health Sciences program bands. At the provincial level,
16
Alberta also demonstrated the highest numbers of turn‐aways in the Health Sciences (1,317) and Trades & Technology (932). Within Alberta, students overwhelmingly come from within the Calgary region (16,176 FLEs). This is followed by the Edmonton (640 FLEs) and Central (622 FLEs) regions. The majority of students coming from Alberta (36%) are enrolled in the Physical, Natural & Applied Sciences program band (6,594 FLEs). This is followed by Languages, Social Sciences, Arts & Humanities (32%) and Business (12%). The majority of FLEs (82%) coming from Alberta enrolled at the U of C in 2006‐2007 were enrolled in bachelors programs (14,999). This was followed by master’s degree programs (9% or 1,682 FLEs). The majority of FLEs (52%) coming from outside Alberta enrolled in University of Calgary in 2006‐07 were enrolled in bachelors degree programs (3,006 FLEs). This was followed by master’s degree programs (24% or 1,388 FLEs) and doctoral degree programs (14% or 778 FLEs).
ALBERTA POST-SECONDARY APPLICATION SYSTEM
In 2009, the Government of Alberta will launch its Alberta Post‐secondary Application System (APAS) in an effort to more closely match learner demand with post‐secondary supply. While it is too early to evaluate the U of C’s participation in the 2008 APAS pilot, it seems clear that there will be some administrative / communication challenges as students and administrators transition to the new APAS application system.
FIRST YEAR STUDENTS
The single largest group of applicants seeking entry to the U of C will continue to be the group applying for admission after high school study with no intervening post‐secondary education. This is the largest group at all Canadian universities. In 2006, 67.5% of the incoming class came from Calgary high schools. Over the past 10 years, the number of students from high schools located outside of Alberta almost doubled (330 students in 1997; 630 in 2006). The six‐year high school transition rate is the percentage of high school students who transition to post‐secondary studies within six years of entering Grade 10. In 2005‐2006, the Calgary region had a high school six‐year transition rate of 63%, which was 1% higher than the Alberta figure.
22,879 23,952 23,760 22,794 22,445 22,556 22,076
4,066 4,467 4,875 5,134 5,362 5,640 5,527
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
Graduate
Undergraduate
Source: OIA
17
Faced with an enrolment already over capacity, the U of C implemented a restricted admission policy in 2004 limiting the number of new students to available new funded spaces and teaching resources. This drove the undergraduate admission grade average up to 83.1% in 2007‐2008, with minimum admission averages ranging from the mid‐70% to as high as 85%. Over the past 10 years, the high school average of full‐time frosh is up from 80.0 percent to 83.1 percent. In their first year of study, 78.7% of the 1997 class achieved a 2.0 GPA or greater, whereas 83.8% of the 2006 class achieved 2.0 GPA or greater.
80.0% 80.0% 80.3% 80.8% 81.3%82.2%
83.6% 83.0%84.0%
83.1%
1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
Source: OIA
The university is admitting students who are among the most academically prepared in Canada. This, combined with the shortage of space in high‐demand faculties, makes it more difficult for students to find post‐secondary university places in Calgary. In Medicine and Law, the applicant to admissions ratio is 12 to 1; in Nursing 5 to 1; in Biomedical Sciences 4 to 1; in the Haskayne School of Business 3 to 1; and in the Schulich School of Engineering, the applicant to admissions ratio is 2 to 1. All are areas where graduates are in high demand in Alberta’s economy.
TRANSFER STUDENTS
Transfer students are the second largest group of students admitted to the U of C each year, entering the university in various faculties and different years of program. Of the 1,019 students who transferred to the U of C in 2005‐2006, approximately 20% entered first year. Of these students, 68% achieved at least a 2.5 GPA in their first year of study as a transfer student, compared to 66% for first‐year U of C students. The largest intakes of transfer students are from Mount Royal College, Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, Red Deer College, Medicine Hat College, St. Mary’s College and Grant MacEwan Community College.
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
Approximately 7.5% of Canada’s visa students are studying in Alberta. Ontario (37%), Quebec (25%), and British Columbia (15%) have more visa students than Alberta. Of the 24,000 FLE students enrolled at the U of C in 2007‐2008, approximately 7% were from outside Canada. The majority were enrolled in Physical, Natural & Applied Sciences (51%).
18
19
Of the 988 undergraduate visa students, close to one‐third are from China (309 students). Of the 858 graduate visa students, the largest number are from Iran (148 students) followed by China (124 students) and the United States (68 students). In 2007, the number of visa students from most geographic regions increased. The largest increases between 2006 and 2007 were students from Europe (+24), Asia (+20), and Africa (+19). Increases were largely offset by a large decline in the number of students from the Middle East, and Iran specifically (‐156 students). Social and Behavioural Science tuition fees for visa students stood at $16,140 in 2007‐2008. Despite achieving its 20% graduate student target, the U of C is only half way (4.7%) to its 10% international undergraduate target. Over the last five years, visa student numbers have increased by 407 students with 61% of this increase occurring at the graduate level. The majority of undergraduate visa students are enrolled in the Haskayne School of Business, Medicine, Open Studies, the Schulich School of Engineering, Science or Social Sciences. At the graduate level, 68% of visa students are enrolled in the Schulich School of Engineering or the Faculty of Science. Close to one‐half of undergraduate and one‐third of graduate visa students are female. About 7% of U of C graduating students has participated in an international educational experience as part of their studies. The U of C has established ambitious targets for international students and students learning overseas that will need to be supported by a comprehensive recruitment strategy.
NON-CREDIT STUDENTS
Non‐credit program demand is influenced by economic and demographic conditions in the Calgary area, which currently include high rates of employment and labour market participation, high rates of formal educational attainment, labour shortages in certain areas, and an aging population. In 2007‐2008, the Continuing Education unit had 21,149 enrolees in 1,223 non‐degree‐credit courses. This represents year‐over‐year growth of 5.2% in the number of students, despite no change in the number of courses delivered. Non‐degree‐credit students tend to be predominantly female, between the ages of 25 and 50, with post‐secondary credentials and higher than average household incomes. Over 80% of students are between 25 and 49. Less than 11% are aged 50 or more, and less than 8% are younger than 25. Over half of the students taking non‐degree‐credit Continuing Education courses already possess at least a bachelor’s degree. The majority of U of C degree‐credit students are enrolled full‐time. In 2003, research indicated that the average annual household income of continuing education students was over $75,000, greater than the city average. About two‐thirds of these students are employed on a full‐time basis, with significant proportions working in education and training, oil and gas, or health and social services.
20
UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS
Competition for highly‐qualified undergraduate students will become more pronounced over the next decade. New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland, British Columbia and Saskatchewan expect to face ongoing declines in the 18‐21 year old cohort. Universities in these provinces will need to attract more out‐of‐province students to maintain or increase their enrolment. UBC opened an Okanagan campus and is recruiting heavily in markets that have, up to this point, been U of C strongholds. Eastern universities have also targeted Alberta and Calgary, in particular, for aggressive recruitment of academic high achievers.
GRADUATE STUDENTS Canadian universities will increasingly compete for the best graduate students. The U of C is in danger of falling behind on the amount of funding offered and the number of seats available, due, in part, to the relatively small number of provincial awards and the value of those awards lags behind that of competitors. Of the 14,791 graduate students in Alberta, only 2.5% receive the provincially funded Queen Elizabeth II Graduate Scholarship or fellowship award. In comparison, 6.25% of Ontario graduate students receive equivalent scholarships which provide a higher level of funding ($15,000). As a result, the U of C has not been making competitive offers to prospective graduate students. Although research support and external awards are contributing better than average amounts to students, the U of C is not able to demonstrate its commitment to graduate education either through increased funding for teaching assistance or additional scholarship support.
PHD STUDENTS
Recruitment of PhD students will be competitive over the planning period, because, in part, of Canada’s critical need to produce many more graduates at the doctoral level. In 2000, AUCC noted that by 2010, universities and colleges will need to recruit more than 30,000 faculty members to replace those retiring, and to meet the increased demands for post‐secondary education. Currently less than 4,000 students graduate each year from Canadian universities with doctorates, and only about 35%‐40% of those take positions in the university sector. About 2,500 doctoral degree holders immigrate to Canada each year, but most do not take academic jobs. This trend is associated with the increasing need for post‐baccalaureate degree credentials for career entry and career advancement, and with existing or anticipated specific shortages, particularly at the doctoral level.
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
The Bologna Process, a European initiative, will increase the number of three‐year European degrees which will present challenges to graduate admission decisions at Canadian institutions. When fully implemented in 2010, the Bologna Process will:
Remove the obstacles to student mobility across Europe;
Enhance the attractiveness of European higher education worldwide; and Establish a common structure of higher education systems across Europe.
According to the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC), “as Bologna countries seek to make Europe a more attractive study destination through its degree harmonization and support for increased academic mobility, they are likely to increase their international student market share at the expense of other leading host countries, including Canada.”
TUITION
A comparison of tuition costs across Canada reveals that students paid an average of $4,524 in 2007‐2008. In general, the cost of full‐time undergraduate arts tuition is lower at the U of C ($4,740) than the averages paid in Nova Scotia ($5,878), Ontario ($5,381), Saskatchewan ($4,774) and British Columbia ($4,855). It is comparable to the University of Alberta ($4,686). Students at Alberta universities had a tuition freeze at 2004‐2005 levels for the 2005‐2006 and 2006‐2007 academic years.
$2,167 $2,632$3,276
$4,530 $5,015 $5,040 $5,361 $5,590 $5,643 $5,932$4,724
QC NL MB PEI SK BC AB NB ON NS CANADA
Average Tuition Fees for Full‐time Undergraduate Students2008‐2009
Source: OIA
As undergraduate tuition costs vary little across the country, and because fee increases at the U of C are now capped at the year‐over‐year Alberta inflation rate, it is expected that the U of C’s tuition fees will remain competitive relative to other institutions. However, the cost of an undergraduate education for international students at the U of C, generally 30‐40% higher than in Central or Atlantic Canada, may influence their decisions about applying to the university. As a result of the Tuition Fee Policy implemented by the Government of Alberta in fall 2007, tuition fee levels were calculated based on the annual increase of the Alberta consumer price index. University students in Alberta now pay $3,800 less in tuition than if the tuition had increased at the rate collected under the old regulations. While the average tuition increase at Alberta’s institutions is capped at 4.1% for 2009, increases could have averaged anywhere from 6‐11% ($295 per student) under the previous Tuition Fee Policy.
SCHOLARSHIPS
Admission scholarship values are one measure of competitiveness in recruiting highly qualified students. Many competitors have made their scholarships renewable as a way to encourage the best students to remain at their institutions into their second, third and fourth years.
21
Since 1997, expenditures on scholarships, grants and awards at the U of C have tripled, increasing from $12 million to $37 million in 2006. In 2007‐2008, these expenditures accounted for approximately 4.8% of operating expenditures. The national average was 4.3% in 2006‐2007.
According to the Canadian Association of University Business Officials, university expenditures on scholarships, bursaries and prizes range from 1.5% of all university expenditures in Manitoba to 5.6% in Ontario. The allocation in Ontario is a result of provincial funding for endowed scholarships and the requirement to set aside a portion of tuition rate increases for scholarships. Despite improvements over the past decade, the value of U of C awards lags considerably behind that of peer institutions, particularly for students with entering grades in excess of 90%.
$15,781 $16,891 $14,492$18,127 $19,401 $18,219
$22,945
$33,640$37,578
$41,969
1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
University of Calgary Scholarships. Grants and Awards($,000)
FLE STUDENT EXPANSIONS
The Government of Alberta wants to increase student numbers across the province and have approved additional seats in medicine, nursing, social work, veterinary medicine, law, business, and engineering. The following table provides proposed FLE student expansions over the next four years by broad program bands. Academic Year 2008‐09 2009‐10 2010‐11 2011‐12 Business 2,899.8 2,981.8 3,031.8 3,081.8 Education 1,386.6 1,416.6 1,446.6 1,476.6 Preparatory & Basic Upgrading 0 0 0 0 Recreation 526.1 526.1 526.1 526.1 Physical Natural & Applied Sciences 8,767.7 9,000.7 9,059.7 9,106.7 Health Sciences 3,446.0 3,685.0 3,867.0 4,013.0 Legal & Security 426.0 426.0 426.0 426.0 Trades & Technologists 22.7 22.7 22.7 22.7 Languages Social Sciences Arts & Humanities 7,244.9 7,351.9 7,374.9 7,395.9 Total 24,719.8 25,410.8 25,754.8 26,048.8
New programs under development include:
Policy Studies (master’s and doctoral); Greek and Roman Studies (doctoral); Northern Studies; Computational Media Design (master’s and doctoral); Urban Planning (undergraduate);
22
Various Science and Engineering programs; Interdisciplinary Health; and Fuel Cell Development program (master’s and doctoral).
RETENTION AND PROGRESSION
Students drop out at various points on their pathway to a degree with the first major loss in full‐time first year numbers from September to December of the same year. The next major stage is from fall of their first year to fall of their second year. The retention rate is a leading indicator of eventual graduation rates. Student retention and progression continue to be issues in Alberta, in particular at the U of C where the number of undergraduate students who do not register in the fall of their second year was 16.9% (2006 cohort), down from 17.8% (2005).
81.8% 82.1% 82.8% 83.5% 84.2% 84.5%82.2% 83.1% 83.4% 83.6% 84.1% 84.6%
85.6%86.6%
87.6%
1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
University of Calgary 1st to 2nd Year Retention Rate
Source: OIA
The U of C ranked ninth among its peers in its first to second year undergraduate retention rate in 2005‐2006. A high attrition rate is a negative indicator for:
The effectiveness with which the university recruits and admits students; How students perceive their entry experience to the university; The quality of their first year experience; The need for subsequent recruitment activity; and The impact it has on university revenue.
TIME TO COMPLETION
The U of C routinely tracks the rate at which students graduate and the time it takes them to complete their education.
5.2
5.4
5.6
55%
60%
65%
70%
1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997
Average # years to
gradu
ation
% Gradu
ating
University of Calgary Graduation Rates
% graduating Average # years to graduation
Source: OIA
23
24
Of the cohort entering the U of C in 1986, only 58.6% had graduated ten years later. The ten‐year rate improved slightly to 64.3% for the class entering in 1996. The six‐year undergraduate graduation rate of 61% for the class of 2000 places the U of C in thirteenth place compared to its Canadian peers (average of 74.8%). Since its undergraduate students take on average 5.4 years to graduate, it will be essential for the U of C to develop strategies to improve graduation and time‐to‐degree results through enhanced student engagement in the learning process.
FOUR-YEAR GRADUATION GUARANTEE
The U of C launched a Four‐year Graduation Guarantee in fall 2008 to improve student outcomes (retention, progression, time‐to‐degree and graduation rates). The university guarantees that students will graduate in four years or the U of C will pay the bill for any extra courses or time needed to finish, as long as the students honour their commitments in their agreements with the university.
NSSE TEAM
The university established a National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) team to review and monitor initiatives related to NSSE results. The team consists of academic and student affairs leadership, and has dedicated resources from student affairs to support the work of the team. This initiative is in line with the university’s commitment to a three‐year plan to improve student success and student engagement.
CO-CURRICULAR RECORD
In 2008, the U of C became the first university in Canada to offer an official academic transcript with a co‐curricular record listing volunteer, community work and experiential learning opportunities. This record is a complete description of the education experiences and accomplishments of students who graduate from the U of C.
2. INNOVATION
Over the past five years, the U of C has grown its sponsored research income by an average of 8.5% annually, with much of this growth taking place in 2004 (44%) and 2005 (15%). Growth levelled off in 2006 and 2007 to an annual growth rate of ‐4.7%. According to Re$earch Infosource, overall university research income in Canada grew by 3.5% in 2007‐08, with federal funding growing by 2.7%.
$0
$100,000
$200,000
$300,000
$400,000
1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
University of Calgary Sponsored Research Revenue($,000)
Scenario 1 (5% Annual Growth) Scenario 1 (‐2% Annual Growth)
It will be much more challenging to predict future research income growth
Source: OIA
Although accurately projecting research growth is complicated because of the myriad of funding sources, indications are that future growth will be significantly impacted by changes in the global market place. Despite a decline in growth early in this planning period, it is expected that the demand for university research will remain strong as governments turn to innovation as a driver of social and economic development. Intense international competition will also help focus investment in the area of university research.
STRATEGY FOR TECHNOLOGY COMMERCIALIZATION AND ECONOMIC DIVERSIFICATION
In 2007, AET was directed to develop a Strategy for Technology Commercialization and Economic Diversification. The focus will be on:
Exploring ways to encourage growth and productivity in value added sectors; Encouraging investment and research in knowledge‐based industries; Exploring ways to encourage the growth of venture capital in Alberta; Developing Centres of Excellence in Commercialization; and Working with industry to develop new markets for value‐added products.
RESEARCH AND INNOVATION FUNDING SOURCES
In 2008, AET determined that Alberta’s research and innovation funding sources need integrating and streamlining so that they can continue to deliver on Government of Alberta priorities. AET intends to change the system in 2009, so that entities understand where they fit in the system and to ensure the system is more transparent and accessible, as follows:
25
26
Alberta’s research and innovation funding agencies processes will be streamlined and aligned more closely with the mandates of the Government of Alberta ministries;
A more focused approach to will be used to support base research and innovation capacity building, and to attract, retain and develop highly‐qualified and skilled personnel; and
Connector and linkage services (a form of “concierge” service) will be established to improve access to and information about funding, research and innovation activities and commercialization support services.
The provincial government will take a leadership role in the realigned system to enable those industries that will diversify the economy, produce greater value‐added opportunities and sustain long‐term prosperity. The Government of Alberta is proposing to create three board‐governed funding organizations in the areas of Health, Bioindustries, and Energy and Environment. This may result in the elimination or amalgamation of Alberta Ingenuity and Alberta Heritage, and the Alberta Science and Research Authority could potentially form the overall funding body.
COLLABORATION FOR RESEARCH GRANTS
Currently, the Government of Alberta is undertaking an inventory of the types of research taking place in Alberta so that the province can determine areas of strength, gaps, overlap and the potential for collaboration. The impact of this government focus on collaboration will be profound since the U of C generates a significant amount of its research income from the province. Over the period 2003‐2008, it received between 23‐28% of its research income from the Government of Alberta. Over the past few years, federal funding agencies have encouraged and promoted a new model for research. They recommended that research programs be interdisciplinary in nature and that they involve not only multiple faculties within one university, but multiple educational and research institutions. Often, industrial partners are a requirement for that funding. The Canada Foundation for Innovation introduced this concept of partnership funding to the Canadian research funding landscape.
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT INNOVATION STRATEGY
The federal government has launched its innovation strategy and issued the challenge for Canada to be among the top five innovating countries by 2010. As part of its agenda, the government is encouraging all sectors, including universities, to contribute to the national innovation goal. The private sector, which in many ways has the largest role to play, has acknowledged the need to work more closely with industry to meet this goal. Universities will contribute by producing knowledge, innovation and highly‐skilled graduates to meet the demands of a knowledge‐based economy. They also transfer that knowledge to society through commercialization, consulting, policy advice and other activities.
ENERGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
An opportunity exists for the U of C to continue to develop new technologies to meet growing energy requirements in an environmentally responsible way. But meeting the growing challenges (declining conventional supplies; supplies are deeper/more remote/more difficult to produce;
27
growing water, emissions and carbon constraints, etc.), and converting even a small fraction of the huge potential into sustainable prosperity (including environmental sustainability), will require a major expansion in research, innovation and highly qualified Energy & Environment (E&E) professionals. Total E&E expenditures in Canada are only about one‐third (in real terms) of what they were 25 years ago. There is increasing evidence that governments recognize the need to ramp‐up research and development spending significantly. Most of the oil and gas companies closed their Canadian research facilities and abandoned or dramatically reduced their research spending after the mid‐1980s. However, rather than trying to rebuild their own research and training capacity, they now see consolidation and expansion of research and education at selected universities as a better approach. The pan‐Alberta memorandum of understanding puts the U of C in a favourable position to see continued growth in research, education and innovation capacity in sustainable energy, environment and economy. In general, the U of C leadership areas (e.g., in‐situ energy, unconventional gas, carbon and water management and alternative energy, including the policy/regulatory components of each of these) are expected to be among the fastest growing areas, and the most likely to require advanced research and education inputs.
BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING
Canada lags behind the developed world in the development of the Biomedical Engineering industry and Biomedical Engineering training. Through its Science and Technology Strategy, the federal government is targeting health and related life sciences and technologies as one of its four science and technology priorities. Similarly, the Province of Alberta intends to create a biomedical engineering industry that will generate $55 billion in revenue and 70,000 new high‐tech and value‐added jobs. In response to these needs, the U of C continues to grow one of the strongest and comprehensive biomedical engineering programs in Canada. Currently, the university has 102 researchers involved in biomedical engineering, an increase of 11.5% since 1997 and the largest identified in a Canadian institution. Biomedical engineering involves researchers from six faculties (Medicine, Engineering, Kinesiology, Veterinary Medicine, Nursing and Science) and many disciplines. The U of C also houses a strong graduate program and undergraduate specialization in biomedical engineering to meet increasing student demand. The U of C has extensive experience and success in commercialization with eight spin‐off companies launching numerous patents. These partnerships in biomedical engineering commercialization provide a foundation upon which to build an enhanced partnership between the Province of Alberta, the U of C and its community, and the federal government to support the accelerated growth of high technology industries.
PUBLIC POLICY
Canada lags behind the U.S. and U.K. in the quality of analysis and public discourse on public policy issues related to law and the economy because the business, government and legal communities do
28
not have the centres of expertise to draw upon. As well, at both the federal and provincial levels, there is a concern about making the civil service a career opportunity. The U of C is the only university in Canada today in a position to develop a school with the potential for international recognition. Critical areas where the institution could make a contribution in Canada are federal‐provincial relations and governance in general, foreign policy and national defence, and fiscal and tax policy. However, the U of C may face a challenge to convince the Government of Alberta to expand its accessibility priorities to include program growth in policy studies.
NANOTECHNOLOGY
On May 2, 2007, the Province of Alberta launched its Nanotechnology Strategy to further diversify its economy by capturing a $20 billion share of the world’s nanotechnology market by the year 2020. The main aspects of the strategy are:
Growing and developing a new generation of businesses and entrepreneurs to commercialize nanotechnology solutions;
Attracting and retaining world‐class talent to foster a globally competitive nanotechnology community in Alberta; and
Taking advantage of and continuing to enhance Alberta’s superior technology infrastructure to develop nanotechnology products and applications in the province.
The strategy involves $90 million from government and $40 million from the Alberta Ingenuity Fund to expand research capacity and develop new commercial applications. Of the $130 million investment over five years, $5.5 million will establish NanoAlberta and $15 million will be used for graduate student scholarships in nanotechnology.
PUBLIC HEALTH
Many threats to the health and security in the world today can only be managed through globally‐coordinated public health measures. However, there is not a school of public health in Canada, and there is only one accredited master’s program, offered by the University of Montreal. By contrast, currently there are 35 accredited public health schools in the United States and at least five more on the way. Recognizing that a gap exists in public health education and research in Canada, the Public Health Agency of Canada, Health Canada, and various public health professional associations want to increase the size, strength and capacity of the Canadian public health workforce. At the provincial level, Alberta Health and Wellness is working with its federal partners to develop Canada’s capacity to promote health and security. At the U of C, the cornerstone of the new Veterinary Medicine program will be the integration of animal health and human medicine. The synergy between animal health education and biomedical human research will enable the university and its graduates to get ahead of diseases, such as BSE, West Nile and SARS and advise governments on preventative measures.
29
COMPETITION FOR STUDENTS AND FACULTY
Competition for the most qualified students and faculty members is extreme and some of the traditional sources of imported talent (e.g., India and China) now have economies that support their top graduates finding work at home rather than moving to North America and Europe. Increasingly, the top researchers who have recently been attracted to the U of C are demanding enhanced levels of support at a time when the university’s investment in research infrastructure support has not kept pace with research growth. Colleges are also entering the research funding landscape, thereby increasing the number of competitors for already scarce research funding.
COMPETITION FOR FUNDING
Universities across Canada are increasing resources to support the development of high‐quality research proposals, resulting in increases in competition rates for both traditional and non‐traditional funding sources. This competition is occurring while funds available via traditional funding pools are levelling off. A Competition Policy Review Panel was created by the federal government in 2007 to review Canada's competition and foreign investment policies. In its final report, the panel made the following recommendations related to higher education that align well with directions articulated by the U of C:
Postsecondary institutions should pursue global excellence through greater specialization, focusing on strategies to cultivate and attract top international talent, especially in the fields of math, science and business;
Governments should use all the mechanisms at their disposal to encourage postsecondary education institutions to collaborate more closely with the business community;
Federal and provincial governments should encourage the creation of additional postsecondary education co‐op programs and internship opportunities in appropriate fields;
Government should provide incentives and undertake measures to both attract more international students to Canada's postsecondary institutions and send more Canadian students on international study exchanges;
Government should strive to increase Canada's global share of foreign students, and set a goal of doubling Canada's number of international students within a decade;
Governments, postsecondary education institutions and national postsecondary education associations should undertake regular evaluations, measure progress and report publicly on improvements; and
Canada's postsecondary education institutions should expedite the transfer of intellectual property rights and the commercialization of university‐generated intellectual property.
3. FACULTY AND STAFF
According to the AUCC, faculty renewal will be a significant challenge for Canadian universities over the next ten years. The average age of the faculty cohort is climbing and an increasing number will retire over the coming years. According to Statistics Canada, one‐third of Canadian faculty members are now over the age of 55 and almost all of those will face retirement by the end of the decade. Less than 60% of the newly hired faculty members are under the age of 40, another 30% are in their forties when hired and about 10% are 50 or older. Many graduates take jobs outside academe because master’s and doctoral degrees are in great demand in the knowledge economy. Approximately 37% of PhD graduates remained in academia in 1986, but by 2001 that dropped to 32%.
37%40%37% 32%
SSH NSE Health Total
University Share of the PhD Market
1986 1991 1996 2001
Source: AUCC Canada has become increasingly reliant on immigration to meet the labour market demand. From 1994 to 2005, the number of immigrants with master’s degrees grew over 400% and those with PhDs more than doubled. Notwithstanding this growth, overall PhD enrolment has grown little since 1994 and doctoral degree production has remained constant since 1997. The next several years will be especially challenging for Canadian universities which increasingly find themselves in competition with universities from other countries, primarily the U.S., for a limited pool of qualified individuals.
DEMAND FOR ADVANCED DEGREE-HOLDERS
The demand for advanced degree‐holders with research and analytical skills is escalating, according to the AUCC. Between 1990 and 2005, the Canadian economy generated 500,000 new jobs (a 90% increase) for master’s and PhD graduates. Full‐time graduate enrolment has grown by more than 50% over the last decade because of:
Students responding to signals from an increasingly knowledge‐based economy; Employment growth driven by those with postsecondary qualifications; and The Canadian labour market generating a growing demand for graduate degrees.
Factors driving future demand include:
More undergraduate students with prerequisite qualifications;
30
Initiatives to enhance completion rates and reduce time to completion; New job growth and replacement demand; University hiring needs; Investment in research and development; and Scholarships.
Despite growing demand, the number of degrees awarded to Canadian students, particularly at the graduate level has not and will not keep pace with job growth locally, nationally or internationally.
GRADUATE DEGREES AWARDED
Out of 20 leading nations, Canada is in seventeenth place in terms of graduate degree awarded. Canadian universities currently award about 4,000 doctoral degrees a year, with roughly one‐quarter of these going to foreign students. Relative to the size of the population, there are twice as many master’s degrees and one‐third more PhD’s awarded annually in the U.S. than in Canada. In 2003, American universities awarded 19 times more master’s degrees and 12 times more doctoral degrees than Canadian universities, despite having only eight times more people in the 25‐39 year‐old cohort. The number of advanced degrees awarded annually in Canada per 100,000 people ranges from a high of 168 in Quebec to a low of 18 in PEI; Alberta ranks fifth at 93 per 10,000. Ontario budgeted an additional $170 million to provide an extra 12,000 graduate spaces for 2008. Similarly, British Columbia is adding $102 million by 2010 to increase the number of its graduate students by 2,500. At the U of C, doctoral enrolment almost doubled in the last decade with a 47% increase since 2002. There has not been a commensurate increase in doctoral‐stream master’s programs, which grew 32% since 2002. The university’s goal is for 20% of the student population to be enrolled in graduate programs, consistent with that of other top research institutions. Graduate students are
now close to 19%. The target may need to be adjusted upwards as Alberta’s research universities rise to the level of leading international institutions.
210
116168 164
108 99 93 81 74 67 5018
USA Canada QB NS ON BC AB ND SK NB MB PEI
Graduate Degrees per 100,000 Population
31
9.8%11.6%
13.1% 14.1% 14.0% 14.3% 14.4% 15.1% 15.7%17.0%
18.4% 19.3% 20.0% 20.0%
1980 1990 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007
Percentage Graduate StudentsUniversity of Calgary, Fall 1998 ‐ 2007
Source: OIA
SALARY INCREASES
From May to June 2008, average weekly earnings in Alberta increased by 1.6%, considerably above the national average. According to Statistics Canada, labour costs increases by over 11% in 2005, close to 8% in 2006, and 11.5% in 2007. These trends are not expected to continue over the planning period. Given changes in the global economy since mid‐2008, salary increases are expected to more closely reflect changes in the global economy.
32
4. RESOURCES
At the provincial level, the Alberta Heritage Savings Trust Fund valued at $15.8 billion as of September 30, 2008, declined in value by $1.2 billion from 2007‐2008 by year end due to the global economic crisis and sharp decline in world equity markets. While the full impact of this crisis is unknown, it is likely to have an effect on revenues from government. Given that the U of C receives over 60% of its revenue base from government grants, it will need to develop plans and priorities with an economic downturn in mind.
$26,400,000
$7,100,000
‐$10,300,000‐$13,400,000
2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
Unrestricted Net Assets (March 31st)
Source: U of C Financial Statements
UNRESTRICTED NET ASSET BALANCE
The unrestricted net asset balance is one index of a university's fiscal well‐being. As a general guideline, many universities in the U.S. work to establish unrestricted net asset balances ranging from 5‐15% of their operating expenses to offset any future excesses over revenues. Between March 31, 2000 and March 31, 2008, the U of C’s unrestricted net asset balance went from a $25 million surplus to a deficit of $13.4 million. The negative balance will impact its ability to fund future strategic opportunities or accommodate unforeseen expenses. Sustainability will depend on the of the university’s ability to live within its means. As of September 30, 2008, the U of C is projecting a deficit of $6 million in 2008‐2009.
INVESTMENT RETURNS
At March 31, 2008, the university held Canadian third‐party Asset Backed Commercial Paper (ABCP) issued by a number of trusts with an original cost of $67.5 million, or 16.7% of the university's $405 million working capital. On that date, the university recorded a reduction in fair value of $16.8 million. A significant portion of this write‐down relates to the anticipated lost future income which resulted from the widening spreads between corporate and Government of Canada debt during this credit crisis. Nonetheless, the liquidity crisis in the Canadian market for ABCP has had no significant impact on the university’s liquidity or cash needs.
ENDOWMENT BALANCE
Over the period 2001 to 2007, the U of C endowment balance grew from $256 million to $418 million. For the year ending December 31, 2006, the university excelled in the management of its endowment fund, earning a 15.7% rate of return. This placed the U of C first in Canada for the second year in a row when compared to the 10 largest university endowments. Other Canadian
33
universities in the top 10 had rates of return ranging from 11.2% to 15.1%. This trend of record earnings is not expected to continue as investment returns have slowed considerably.
$418,667$315,000
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
University of Calgary EndowmentMarket Value to Decemeber 31st ($,000)
Target Revised Forecast
Source: U of C Financial Statements
The market value of the university’s endowments declined to $315 million during the 6‐month period March 31 to October 31, 2008. The university may have to draw less from endowment income and/or reduce the level of spending to close the gap between total contributions and the market value of endowments. The university currently directs 5% ($20 million) of the endowment income annually to support quality education, research and teaching.
UNIVERSITIES ACADEMIC PENSION PLAN
Economic changes have also had a negative impact on the value of the Universities Academic Pension Plan (UAPP). Additional contributions will be required from member organizations to address this loss. In response, the U of C will have to raise its benefit overhead planning parameter when developing its budget and forecasts. The above loss is in addition to the unfunded liability in this plan. The actuarial deficiency reported by the UAPP at December 31, 2007 related to all participants is $535.8 million (2006 ‐ $409,128) consisting of a pre‐1992 deficiency ($501,300) and a post 1991‐deficiency ($34,543). Current contributions are set such that the pre‐1992 liability would be eliminated by December 31, 2043. This represents a significant financial risk to the university, including a potential risk in recruitment and retention. Changes are being contemplated for the UAPP which would substantially alter the underlying assumptions used to estimate the plan’s actuarial deficiency or surplus. Given significant measurement uncertainty in the methodology and assumptions used, the university’s estimated share of the unfunded UAPP deficiency is about $130 million. The outcome of more recent changes in the global market place on the UAPP is unknown at this time.
FUNDRAISING
Fundraising at the U of C has grown from an average of $18.6 million in 2002‐2003 to over $100 million in 2006‐2007, an increase of 443% in just over five years. The U of C is among the top three post‐secondary institutions in Canada for annual fundraising.
34
$13 $19 $22 $38 $54 $78 $85 $95 $95 $96 $97 $98
$0
$50
$100
$150
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Millions
University of Calgary Fundraising
Target Revised Forecast
Source: U of C Financial Statements
Federal government changes to income trust taxation, the Province of Alberta changes to oil and gas royalties, continued low natural gas prices and the global economic crisis are expected to have a significant negative impact on philanthropy for some time. However, there will still be a significant intergenerational transfer of wealth over the next 20‐30 years, estimated to be in the range of $1 trillion in Canada. Charitable and not‐for‐profit organizations are expected to be significant beneficiaries of this transfer.
GOVERNMENT GRANTS
AET funding is expected to account for 48% of total revenue for the current year, and the U of C expects that this funding will continue to grow. Government grants will decrease as an overall percentage of total revenue as the institution focuses on growth from fundraising, sponsored research, and diversifying its revenue base. Government grants for 2008‐2009 include $9.8 million of additional funding for enrolment growth from the 2005, 2006 and 2007 Provincial Enrolment Planning Envelope and $4 million for the new Veterinary Medicine program. From 2006 to 2009, the Government of Alberta built a 6% inflationary increase into its business plans to provide a planning assumption for provincial post‐secondary institutions. In recent months, government officials have signalled that future government grant increases will be nearer the annual rate of inflation, which is currently about 3%. The challenge early on in the planning period will be to fund salary cost increases that exceed this amount.
$61,087 $91,422 $126,888 $138,968
$146,475 $158,569$218,655
$338,621
1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008
University of Calgary Operating and Tuition Revenue
Tuition (Thousands of Dollars) Operating
Source: U of C Financial Statements
35
ENROLMENT PLANNING ENVELOP
In 2008, AET established a Funding and Accountability Working Group to develop a mechanism to articulate new per‐student program funding rates, enrolment corridors, and funding incentives that encourage collaboration. Recommendations from this group will form the basis of a post‐secondary funding model to be introduced in 2010‐2011. Although the mechanism is not yet complete, AET anticipates that funding would continue to be provided through the base operating grant and conditional funding will be provided through the Enrolment Planning Envelop (EPE). Enrolment corridors will be established around the enrolment target to allow for normal fluctuations. Institutions that have demonstrated over a three‐year period that they are above their enrolment corridor will be permitted to submit EPE proposals to expand enrolment, particularly in program areas where they are significantly above their target enrolments. Institutions below their enrolment corridor would not be eligible for EPE funding until their enrolment is within the corridor. The challenge for the U of C will be to close the gap between what it and the province believes the funded level to be; there is currently a gap of approximately 1,000 FLE students between U of C and government estimates.
The university has a lower FTE student to full‐time faculty ratio compared to its Canadian peers. Additionally, the U of C is relatively well funded compared to its G13 peers in terms of operating revenue per FTE. These relative advantages will allow the U of C to absorb some additional growth and/or reduce cost with less impact on students than peer institutions.
26.423.9 23.8 23.7 21.8 21.1 20.4 20.1 18.8 17.0 15.7 14.9 12.9
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Calgary 13
FTE student/FT Faculty (including Med/Dent)
$23,311$21,865 $21,561 $20,971 $20,780 $20,691 $20,117 $19,783
$18,990 $18,304 $17,662 $17,638
$15,082
1 2 Calgary 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
Operating Revenue Including Restricted and Trust/FTE student
36
37
TUITION FEE PROJECTIONS
As a result of the “A Learning Alberta” review process, provincial changes to the Tuition Fee Policy set the maximum tuition fee increases possible at the level of the year‐over‐year (June to June) increase in the Alberta Consumer Price Index (CPI). For June 2007 to June 2008, this increase was 4.1%. Consequently, the U of C projects an increase of 4.1% in tuition fees for 2009‐2010. For future years, the university is forecasting CPI increases at 4.0%. According to recent projections by Calgary Economic Development, Calgary’s inflation rate for 2009 is forecast for 3.2‐3.5%.
RESIDENCE FEE PROJECTIONS
The U of C approved a rate increase for 2008‐2009 of 9.6% for single student housing and 14.6% for family housing. The increases were necessary to ensure the effective operation and maintenance of residence facilities. This included a 4.6% increase to address the inflationary cost of supporting current operations, and the establishment of a capital reserve fund from residence fee increases (5% from single student housing and 10% from family housing). To support the capital reserve fund, the university has committed to return the 5.5% administrative levy from its operating budget beginning in 2008‐2009.
LIBRARY COSTS
In recent years, inflation and currency fluctuations have driven library costs 8‐15% per year. This is a particular concern since close to 75% of the library collections budget is spent on publications outside Canada. For 2008‐2009, the U of C acted to mitigate the impact of the falling Canadian dollar on collections budget commitments. However, continuation of this trend is expected to continue over the planning period, which will impact on collections quality in the coming years.
5. FACILITIES
778,338834,338 846,338 877,568
939,56856,000 12,000
31,23062,000
94,000
2006‐07 2007‐08 2008‐09 2009‐10 2010‐11
University of Calgary Facility Growth (GSM)
Total GSM Incremental GSM
The addition of new facilities over the planning period and associated renovations to existing buildings as part of the U of C’s four‐year $2.0 billion capital program will address long‐standing teaching, research and administrative space issues. Ongoing projects such as the Dr. Fok Ying Tung International House student residence (opening in 2009), the Taylor Family Digital Library (2010) and the Energy, Environment and Experiential Learning building (2011) will add valuable space to a campus crowded as a result of significant expansions over the past decade. Capital funds for ongoing projects are secure and these projects are proceeding on schedule. However, some capital projects not yet started or that are in the planning stage may have to be delayed. A significant challenge for the U of C over the planning period will be to internally fund improvements to the quality of the learning environment.
MASTER PLAN
In 2007, the university developed a plan for the West Campus that connected planning initiatives on the West Campus, University Innovation Park, the Foothills Hospital and the Downtown Campus. Since completion of the that plan, the university is moving forward with a master plan for the Main Campus that will have a comprehensive vision, define relationships with the surrounding urban setting and other university sites, and build on these earlier planning initiatives. It will prioritize development strategies, articulate phasing approaches, identify specific target projects for implementation, include conceptual cost projections for capital projects and support fund‐raising efforts.
WEST CAMPUS
In 1995, the Province of Alberta gave the U of C an 80 hectare tract of land west of the Main Campus. More than half of this land, the West Campus, has yet to be developed. Five years ago a portion of the West Campus was leased for the new Alberta Children’s Hospital and a new Ronald McDonald House. Since then, land adjacent to the West Campus was used for the Child Development Centre, a centre for world‐class research, training, services and policy on child development. The centre is also home to the university’s second child care centre. Revenue‐
38
39
generating opportunities such as these enhance the university’s endowment fund, the quality of life for students, faculty and staff, and support the U of C’s sustainability objective.
DOWNTOWN CAMPUS
In 2008, the province announced that it would invest nearly $425 million to create 5,400 additional post‐secondary spaces at institutions in Calgary. As part of the expansion, the U of C will be provided with up to $5 million annually to lease space (approximately 100,000 square feet) for about 400 students in downtown Calgary. This increased capacity will provide space for high priority programs such as professional development and business. By investing in leased space rather than waiting several years to approve and construct a new capital project, the U of C will meet the demand for increased student access as early as 2010. Although Calgary’s downtown is the third tightest market next to Vancouver and Ottawa with about a 3% vacancy rate, the U of C is entering the lease market at a time when vacancy rates have more than doubled from 1.8% at the start of 2007 to 4% in the same period in 2008 as a result of new supply coming on stream. Average lease rates over the same period declined slightly to an average of $37 per square foot.
PROVINCIAL SURPLUS ALLOCATION POLICY
Based on its 2008‐2009 Second Quarter Fiscal outlook, the Alberta government intends to meet its capital spending commitments through 2008 despite declining oil prices and the impact of the global economic crisis. However, it is signalling that with revenues being down $6.7 billion and the surplus down $6.5 billion from its First Quarter this may change in 2009‐2010. The loss of provincial revenue will affect the U of C as the government has a policy of allocating in‐year surpluses to capital with capital maintenance and renewal. Capital maintenance includes infrastructure maintenance programs for schools, post‐secondary institutions and health facilities. In January 2008, the government used these funds to invest an additional $97.1 million to support new and existing capital projects at the U of C, including the Taylor Family Digital Library, the Taylor Student Quadrangle, as well as several mechanical and infrastructure upgrades on campus. The remaining funds went to build a High Density Library as part of an integrated campus library system, upgrade the Health Sciences Centre’s mechanical and ventilation systems, and implement the university’s roof replacement program.
DEFERRED MAINTENANCE LIABILITY
The university’s 97 buildings have an average age of 32 years and a deferred maintenance liability of approximately $400 million, an amount equal to approximately 25% of the $1.6 billion replacement value of its asset pool. Industry standard suggests that to provide for ongoing maintenance, repairs and capital upgrades, between 3‐5% of the value of the asset pool be set aside annually. To achieve this standard, the U of C would need to increase its maintenance budget to between $50 and $65 million annually to keep up with needed repairs, in addition to the amount required to retire the deferred maintenance liability. Addressing this liability will continue to have significant
40
implications as the university makes difficult choices between delivering on its academic mandate and funding much needed facility repairs.
CONSTRUCTION
Over the past several years, the U of C was competing in a building market influenced by a number of city mega‐projects that are expected to be completed by the end of the planning period. Additionally, there was strain on the supply of building materials across the North American market. Consulting offices within southern Alberta have been pressed to meet the needs of the overheated construction market. One positive consequence of the global economic crisis has been the mitigation in the expected cost of construction. With the slowdown of housing starts forecast for 2009 in Calgary and the limited number of new non‐residential mega‐projects going through the permit process, the value of building permits will drop in 2009 compared to 2007 and 2008. This should ease pressure across the construction industry by late in the planning period.
41
6. ENVIRONMENT
INTERDISCIPLINARY INQUIRY
The U of C can expect that the political, economic, environmental, technological and socio‐cultural aspects of complex global challenges will contribute to an increased demand for research that reflects interdisciplinary inquiry, systems thinking, and sustainability. The trend toward interdisciplinary education will likely create a need to enhance opportunities at the university for interdisciplinary inquiry including:
Adjustments to degree requirements to allow more credits from non‐major courses; Support for faculty members wishing to co‐create new course work; and Possibilities for new degree titles that reflect interdisciplinary studies.
ENGAGING POST-SECONDARY STUDENTS
The university’s strength and leadership in the area of environmental management and sustainability will likely have a positive impact on the recruitment and retention of students. As educators of tomorrow’s citizens and leaders, universities have a critical responsibility to equip their graduates with the abilities, tools and knowledge necessary to face today’s challenges. Many Canadian institutions are rising to this duty and engaging students in sustainability inside and outside the classroom, in both learning and in action, and they are doing so in a collaborative and interdisciplinary way. The recent Office of the Student Experience report, Portrait of a Student (2007), emphasized the critical importance of fostering a sense of community for the U of C student experience. Across Canada, the Sierra Youth Coalition reports that engaging post‐secondary students in sustainability leads to greater student capacity and leadership, a strong sense of community, and student empowerment.
ADVANCEMENT OF SUSTAINABILITY IN HIGHER EDUCATION
In 2007, member institutions of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education collectively reported 26 new academic programs and 15 new research centres directly related to sustainability. These programs have proven to be a draw for the top researchers and scientists in the country with high‐profile partnerships including:
$1 million Climate Change Policy partnership between Duke University and ConocoPhillips; $10 million gift from Dow Chemical Co. to establish a new program for sustainable products
and solutions at the University of California Berkeley; $8.5 million grant to Carnegie Mellon for teaching and research in green chemistry and
sustainability; and University of California Berkeley and the University of Illinois selected by global energy firm
BP to lead a $500 million research effort to reduce the impact of energy consumption on the environment.
42
DECADE OF EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
The United Nations’ (UN) Decade of Education for Sustainable Development expresses a core goal of developing skills for dealing with current and future environmental and development issues. The UN’s main goal is to integrate principles, values and practices of sustainable development with all aspects of education and teaching. It demands the re‐examination of educational policy, from kindergarten up to university and lifelong learning, so that it is focussed on acquiring knowledge, competences, perspectives and values that are related to sustainability. This is an international commitment that the University of Calgary may consider formally endorsing.
RESPONSES TO CLIMATE CHANGE
According to the Sustainable Governance Forum on Climate Risk collaboration of Yale University, Ceres, and Marsh, the widespread ramifications of unchecked climate change require that more leaders in our society understand the implications. Alberta Human Resources and Employment recently reported that climate change, the quality of water and air, and waste management are important environmental issues that Alberta businesses and citizens will face in the next decade. Furthermore, deregulation and legislative requirements related to the environment will influence the way industry does business. Around the world, innovative responses to climate change and other environmental problems are affecting more than $100 billion in annual capital flows as pioneering entrepreneurs, organizations, and governments take steps to create the Earth’s first sustainable global economy. Carbon trading is growing, reaching an estimated $30 billion in 2006, nearly triple the amount traded in 2005.
LOCAL SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVES
Cities, municipalities and communities across Southern Alberta, including the City of Calgary, are building on their planning initiatives and are now moving into action toward a shared vision of sustainability. The framework for action in Calgary is based on three strategic goals:
Citizen success, Water quality and availability, and Climate change.
Over the past year, significant momentum and action has evolved in various coalitions including:
Calgary Regional Partnership This coalition of 18 municipalities and one first nation in the Calgary area are working together to define more sustainable regional planning through an inter‐municipal planning initiative.
imagineCALGARY This is the blueprint which will help Calgarians create a sustainable future and exceptional quality of life for generations to come. More than 18,000 Calgarians developed the Plan for Long Range Urban sustainability. A set of 30 year targets and goals have been defined and approximately 50 current partners are committed to acting on these targets and goals.
43
Plan It Calgary The City of Calgary is developing an integrated land use and mobility plan project for sustainable land use and transportation in Calgary. Three different urban forms have been developed and are currently being reviewed by the public. The city is acting upon the imagineCALGARY goals within the Plan It initiative.
Urban Alliance The Urban Alliance is a research partnership between the City of Calgary and the U of C that provides researchers with opportunities to develop innovative and sustainable solutions to real‐world problems. Priority areas include social fabric and security, living spaces, natural environment, consumption and disposal, mobility, physical infrastructure, management and industry, workplace, and governance. A number of projects have emerged, such as the Calgary Biocell Project, International Avenue Design Initiative and the Pine Creek Research Centre for Sustainable Water Resources.
Eco‐Footprint Project Calgary City Council has made it a priority to reduce Calgary’s ecological footprint to protect our quality of life, and ensure the health and well being of current and future generations. A multi‐dimensional tool has been provided to city residents to guide and measure efforts toward a more sustainable city.
Alberta Land‐Use Framework The Government of Alberta has recognized the necessity of managing land, and all of the activity on and below it, in a responsible way. Following an 18‐month comprehensive consultation process involving thousands of Albertans, a Draft Land‐Use Framework was developed to address the growth pressures facing the province. As a prominent community member, the U of C will need to assume a larger role coordinating sustainability efforts within the community at large. The university will be challenged to articulate its own long range land planning and mobility priorities if it desires meaningful participation in the context of rapidly developing regional planning momentum.
U of C Environment, Health, Safety & Sustainability Committee In April 2005, the Board of Governors of the U of C created the Environment, Health, Safety & Sustainability Committee to build on areas of strength, which include leading in the areas of compliance, sustainability, education, stewardship, and resource conservation, with respect to university policy and strategic direction.
U of C Sustainability Stewardship Working Group In 2007, the university established a Sustainability Stewardship Working Group responsible for researching, identifying, implementing and reporting on specific initiatives that directly address the following thirteen portfolio areas related to campus sustainability.
GREENHOUSE GAS REGULATIONS
A recent ruling by the United States Supreme Court concluded that greenhouse gases are pollutants that can be regulated under existing federal law and that litigants can demonstrate sufficient harm and causation to raise challenges regarding climate change in federal court. Additionally,
44
mandatory, economy‐wide greenhouse‐gas‐cap‐and‐trade regulation in the US has been endorsed by major companies. This trend is further rounded out by the introduction of more than 150 climate‐related bills in the U.S. Congress. In October 2006, the federal government introduced the proposed plan for short‐term regulations for green house gas and air pollution emissions in the industrial sector through Canada’s Clean Air Act and the Notice of Intent to Develop and Implement Regulations and Other Measures to Reduce Air Emissions. These have long‐term national emissions target of 45% to 65% (from 2003 levels) by 2050. In 2007, the Turning the Corner policy statement called for an absolute reduction of 20% (from 2006 levels) in industrial greenhouse gases by 2020 and a 50% reduction in industrial air pollution by 2015. There have been climate change action plans released by British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Quebec, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, and the Northwest Territories. Commencing 2011, British Columbia will tax post‐secondary institutes $25 per tonne of CO2‐equivalent for scope 1 and scope 2 emissions and it will rise by $5 per tonne each year and they intend to be carbon neutral by 2020. Under the new Alberta Offset System, high emitters (scope 1) now pay penalties of $15 per tonne CO2‐equivalent. With greenhouse gas emission reporting now appearing in both the public and private sectors all over the world, the question of mandatory emission reporting for the U of C is no longer “if” but “when.” Preparation for these reporting requirements and the possibility of emissions penalties goes beyond regulatory compliance; it presents an opportunity to demonstrate leadership in energy, environment and the economy. The U of C will need to prioritize considerations of international policy development and supporting technical research regarding greenhouse gas inventory reporting, pricing of emissions, cap‐and‐trade systems, and technology to reduce emissions. With some of Alberta’s high emitters paying an estimated $1‐200 million in annual penalties, the university has a potential opportunity to leverage the penalty system to assist in financing the development of low carbon energy infrastructure on both the Main Campus and West Campus.
GREEN BUILDING POLICIES
The growing number of institutions, governments, and corporations adopting green building policies is evidence of the growing momentum in green buildings and the mounting recognition of the urgency of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. While Canadian post‐secondary institutions have been cautious in adopting formal green building performance polices, there is growing uptake in the use of a green building performance assessment tool across Canada. Formal green building policies are rapidly emerging within American post secondary institutions and Canadian public and government sectors. With the City of Calgary and Alberta Infrastructure both supporting a green building policy, and an increasing number of Canadian post secondary institutions with a policy under development, the U of C will likely be faced with a decision to define targets for high‐performance operations in both new and existing facilities. With significant applied research and experiential learning opportunities in the project development and post‐occupancy study of building operations, the U of C will have the opportunity to take part in the trend of increasing connectivity between operations, teaching, research and technology transfer.
45
7. ACCOUNTABILITY
Government ministries, the public and private sector, and higher education institutions are responding to calls to standardize the measurement of university performance for accountability and transparency, and to make improvements to the Canadian university system. In 2006, Ontario introduced a set of government‐mandated performance measures known as the Common University Data Ontario initiative. British Columbia followed in 2007 with its own set of performance measures and Quebec is nearing completion in 2008 of a provincially‐mandated university performance measure initiative. To ensure a more coordinated approach, a number of institutions from across Canada have come together to explore the possibility of leveraging work on these provincial initiatives to create a single, national set of university performance measures, informally referred to as Common University Data Canada (CUDC) initiative. Research will be undertaken to describe and better understand the current state of performance measurement in use by provinces and universities. Additionally, efforts will be undertaken to create a national set of performance measures that will allow comparability across institutions as a way to share and benchmark university performance. Once operational, the intent is to have CUDC address the specific information needs of a number of audiences (students, the public, scholars, government, agencies and institutions) who have a vested interest in comparable postsecondary information. The U of C’s overall strategy to improve accountability involves the use of reliable, accurate information from a variety of sources (students, institutional information, peers, etc.) in the development of priorities, strategies and targets to enhance student success, high‐quality research and scholarship, and return to community.