The Ãâ·Ñ¸£Àû×ÊÔ´ÔÚÏß¿´Æ¬ of Lethbridge will host Public Interest Alberta today at noon as they present "Don't Cut Us Out", an event discussing funding cuts to post-secondary education.
Public Interest Alberta launched "Don't Cut Us Out," as a province-wide campaign. Tuesday's event will feature speakers representing the Students' Union, the Ãâ·Ñ¸£Àû×ÊÔ´ÔÚÏß¿´Æ¬ of Lethbridge Faculty Association, the Graduate Students' Association and the Ãâ·Ñ¸£Àû×ÊÔ´ÔÚÏß¿´Æ¬ of Lethbridge.
They contend that Alberta's future largely depends on post-secondary education; it enriches our economy, makes our society healthier and more vibrant and it helps to solve the problems affecting our environment. Investing in post-secondary education will make Alberta strong and prosperous.
"The Government of Alberta has a great opportunity to boost Alberta's economic and social development through post-secondary education," says Alex Massé, Vice President of the Ãâ·Ñ¸£Àû×ÊÔ´ÔÚÏß¿´Æ¬ of Lethbridge Students' Union. "We are deeply concerned that recent provincial funding decisions will jeopardize that development by forcing our post-secondary institutions to sacrifice either access or quality."
Although the need for post-secondary education is greater than ever, provincial funding for the Ãâ·Ñ¸£Àû×ÊÔ´ÔÚÏß¿´Æ¬ of Lethbridge will see, at best, a zero per cent increase in the years 2010 to 2012. This loss in funding will be felt throughout the institution, and has forced the Ãâ·Ñ¸£Àû×ÊÔ´ÔÚÏß¿´Æ¬ to consider eliminating staff, faculty and services. The Alberta Government has the power to increase post-secondary education funding by prioritizing this grand investment.
For more information on the Tuesday event, contact Alex Massé at 403-329-2222 or e-mail su.academic@uleth.ca.