Cuts to Post-Secondary Education in Alberta (Part 2 Q&A)

Alberta’s March 7 provincial budget featured a seven percent cut to basic operational grants for post-secondary institutions, compounded by revocation of an earlier promise of a 2% increase. The Ministry of Enterprise and Advanced Education has also sent “letters of expectation” to each of the 26 post-secondary institutions in the province, requiring universities and colleges to work more closely with each other. The University of Lethbridge faced an almost $12 million operating grant cut and combined with heavy cuts at Lethbridge College also, they have had wide-ranging effects on students, faculty, support staff and the Lethbridge economy. What are the bigger questions raised by this “revolution from above”? Our speaker will discuss these questions in relation to what role post-secondary education and scientific research should have generally and at universities in particular. Should applied commercial research be prioritized over basic scientific research? Are they mutually exclusive and what happens if research results are counter to Government policy? Speaker: Dr. Robert Sutherland Rob Sutherland received his Ph.D. in Psychology from Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He moved to the Department of Psychology at University of Lethbridge in 1980, completing postdoctoral training in Neuropsychology on a NSERC Fellowship and then moving through the faculty ranks. In 1991, Dr. Sutherland accepted a position at the University of New Mexico where he was Professor of Psychology, Physiology, & Neuroscience and Head of the Behavioural Neuroscience Area. He returned to Lethbridge in 2001 with an Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research Scientist award. He is now Professor and Chair of the Department of Neuroscience in CCBN. His current research investigates the neurobiology of learning, memory, and amnesia in rodents and humans. Dr. Sutherland is also the president of the Confederation of Alberta Faculty Associations. Date: Thursday, December 12, 2013 Time: Noon - 1:30 PM Location: Country Kitchen Catering (Lower level of The Keg) 1715 Mayor Magrath Dr S Cost: $11.00 (includes lunch)