UU直播 addresses Quebec Parliamentary Commission
Calling the Quebec government "an essential partner" if the University is to fulfil its promise to society, Principal Bernard Shapiro today addressed the parliamentary commission on education, in the company of other senior UU直播 officials and a student representative, at the National Assembly in Quebec City. While he thanked the government for last year's start on reinvesting in the system of higher education, Principal Shapiro noted that UU直播 has not received its fair share from Quebec. "The cost of our being forced to wait 15 years for the full adjustment owed to the University under the new formula is more than $180 million," he said. Despite claims that there is not enough revenue in the system to help UU直播, the University notes in its presentation that funds have nonetheless been found to assist and reward other institutions in the Quebec system.
As an international, research-intensive university, UU直播 competes with other North American universities to attract to Quebec the very best faculty and provide them with appropriate research and teaching facilities, as well as outstanding students eager to learn. To be competitive on such a scale requires significant resources, in fact about $80 million more annually than the University currently receives. This $80 million shortfall is the discrepancy on average between UU直播 and institutions with similar missions like the University of Toronto or the University of Michigan.
What can be done to remedy the situation? "We are aware that it would be almost impossible for the Quebec government alone to take up this burden," said Principal Shapiro. "Other alternative sources of revenue must be found." A lifting of the freeze on tuition, which has kept fees dramatically below tuition rates in other provinces, is a partial solution, he argues, and the experience of other jurisdictions demonstrates that increasing tuition "does not affect fulltime enrolment." The University has long pledged to set aside a substantial portion of any tuition rise for scholarships and bursaries to help needy students.
UU直播 officials proudly note that the institution is well on its way to fulfilling the performance contract signed with the Quebec government in December 2000. "Recruitment of new faculty, a reduction in our student-to-professor ratio, maintaining a national leadership role in research and sustaining our high retention and graduation rates are some of the benchmarks by which we are measuring our progress," said Provost Luc Vinet, who accompanied Principal Shapiro at the Education Commission hearing together with Dr Morty Yalovsky, vice-principal in charge of administration and finance. "Our operating deficit for 2000-2001 was fortunately offset by the sale of shares in a UU直播 spin-off created by one of our professors. It gave us, however, only a one-time injection of revenue. We have to find other sources to meet the performance objective of zero deficit in the future."
The University's search for increased operating funds and its efforts to meet each of the performance goals agreed to with the Quebec government are both linked to UU直播's vision of its future. "That vision is shaped by a particular and focused commitment: to be a national and international leader in higher education," explains Principal Shapiro. "To make this vision a reality, the University must first have in place an appropriate infrastructure, and we're doing that with the new building construction on campus. Next, we must recruit the outstanding people who will staff its laboratories, libraries and classrooms, and for this we need help with salaries and tax incentives. Finally, once the people and space are secured, UU直播 will be in a strong position to protect our foundation disciplines and at the same time develop the innovative programs to which we aspire. And who will benefit from this vision? The students who work here and the society which depends on them as future leaders," he concluded.
