This post is part five of many in my series as I point out some facts and figures from a special financial review that shed light on real problems affecting UNBSJ as well as UNB as a whole. I will compile a few relevant quotations from the financial review, and offer a brief summary to bring it all together.

“UNB is operating with less overall resources than most other national comprehensive universities.” (page 28)

“The dramatic decline in provincial funding over that past two decades has shifted the relative burden of revenue to students. With tuition reaching maximum competitive levels, the ability to continue this revenue shift is not feasible.” (page 18)

“New Brunswick in particular is lagging behind the rest of the country in R&D investment on a per capita basis. For 2003, per capita funding for R&D in New Brunswick was $258 versus the Atlantic province average of $346 and the Canadian average of $758.” (page 14)

“The continued positioning of UNB as a nationally-recognized comprehensive university will require substantial levels of provincial funding beyond what is necessary to fund current operations. Securing that commitment and funding will require alignment of UNB’s strategy with that of the Province of New Brunswick” (page 40)

In the graph, you see where New Brunswick and UNB rank based on the amount of money given to each university as operating grants divided by the number of full-time equivalent students. We’re near the bottom of the bucket, as you can see. In my opinion, we have no excuse for this because PEI and Newfoundland are near the head of the pack, despite being two of the smallest and poorest provinces. We’re not going to get more out of our post-secondary education system until we start putting more into it. Shuffling our institutional models around serves only as a mechanism to distract the population from the real funding problems.

EDIT: That’s all I have for now. Keep checking back as I blog about new things when I have time.

This post is part four of many in my series as I point out some facts and figures from a special financial review that shed light on real problems affecting UNBSJ as well as UNB as a whole. I will compile a few relevant quotations from the financial review, and offer a brief summary to bring it all together.

“UNB must also consider the provincial funding formula in relation to its two campuses. UNB applies the government formula when allocating the provincial grant between the two campuses. Since 75 per cent of the formula is fixed, there has been little change to the level of funding at either campus, despite how each campus has evolved in the last 15 years. The remaining 25 per cent of government funding is variable depending upon enrolment.” (page 13)

“This formula, however, does not provide funding for international students. It also allocates different funding amounts for students based on their study program and their status as an undergraduate versus a graduate student. For example, a university receives funding of approximately $1,089 for an undergraduate student in an arts program versus $8,715 for a graduate student in an engineering program. These parameters result in the Saint John campus receiving less government funding due to the make up of its student body – with its high levels of both undergraduate and international students – rather than as a result of supporting strategic priorities or initiatives between the two campuses. The following charts indicate the impact this has on the operating revenues of each campus.” (page 13)

The red portion of the charts reflects the government’s funding received and then allocated by UNB to each campus. Keeping the majority of this funding formula fixed as UNBSJ has evolved is the ultimate growing pain. One result of this is that UNBSJ students carry a larger burden of supporting their campus’s operating revenue through tuition than their counterparts at UNBF. Is this fair? I think not.

This is one example of a funding issue affecting us where UNB itself is primarily responsible. In my next post, I will take a look at how the provincial government’s funding of post secondary education may be lacking as compared to other provinces.

This post is part three of many in my series as I point out some facts and figures from a special financial review that shed light on real problems affecting UNBSJ as well as UNB as a whole. I will compile a few relevant quotations from the financial review, and offer a brief summary to bring it all together.

“Universities mean more to their communities, their provinces and their region than just about any other single industry.” -”Smarter Together: The Economic Impact of Universities in the Atlantic Provinces” (page 40)

“The report, The Economic Impact of Universities in the Atlantic Provinces (February 2006), issued by the Atlantic Association of Universities (AAU), reinforces the perspective that universities are a powerful strategic partner for governments, economic development agencies, regional advocacy organizations and communities to advance and grow the knowledge economy.” (page 40)

“Students also contribute significantly to the local economy while attending university and continue to do so beyond graduation providing innovation, growth and immigration. The university provides meaningful R&D for the private sector, funded primarily by the federal government’s national granting councils, which fuels innovation and growth in economic and social sectors.” (page 40)

I will admit that before this debate started, I never totally understood the importance of UNBSJ to Saint John and the province. I had little idea how it all worked, and was even cynical about it before. But now that I do understand things a bit better, I can’t begin to comprehend why eliminating or diminishing a university has been on the table. If you need reasons why UNBSJ is actually important, take a look at any newspaper from the past month.

It’s clear that UNBSJ is critical for Saint John’s growth potential, so what is holding it back right now? In my next analysis post, I will take a brief look at how the current formula places the port city campus at a disadvantage within the UNB family compared to its Fredericton counterpart.