No Funding Promises From Advanced Education Minister

By 250 News

Prince George, B.C. - The budget crisis being faced by the College of New Caledonia isn't getting much sympathy from the Minister of Advanced Education.

Yesterday, the College announced there would be 25 fewer people on the payroll in an effort to trim $1.1 million dollars from the budget.  President John Bowman says part of the funding problem lies with the real costs of trades programs and the lab technology program.  Bowman says while there are funds targeted for those programs, the amount does not include the costs of maintaining the facilities or heating the facilities. Bowman says those costs are over a million dollars.  He called on the Province to revise its funding formula saying the situation in the north is not the same as that faced by colleges in the lower mainland, for instance northern satellite campuses are in much smaller communities and there is a much higher concentration of First Nations students, who, in many cases need extra support.

Advanced Education Minister Murray Coell isn't budging.  He e-mailed the following comments to Opinion250:

"Decisions about what programs are offered rest with the College of New Caledonia and not with government.  Under legislation, CNC (and all public post-secondary institutions) is responsible for decisions around management of their budget and programs they feel best meet the needs of their community.

It is also important to note that budget allocations for 08/09 have yet to be finalized for post secondary institutions.

The Ministry of Advanced Education has received the largest increase of any ministry in government since 2001 – almost 36%.

Operating grants to CNC have increased every year since 2001.  For fiscal 2007/08, provincial grants to CNC were $31 million, including over $4 million in annual capital allowance funding.

In addition, the Province provided over $3 million last year for trades training, development of a new medical lab technology program, and negotiated salary increases.

The Province also recently announced over $900,000 for new equipment that will update and enhance trades training programs. "

There is nothing in those comments that would suggest the Minister believes there has been a funding disparity, or that he would be willing to  examine and possibly revise the funding formula.

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