Created 1 April 2022 16:04

(For immediate release – Port Moody, BC, April 1, 2022) – The Confederation of University Faculty Associations of British Columbia (CUFA BC) welcomes the post-secondary funding review announced by the Honourable Anne Kang, Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Training. The Ministry is taking a prudent approach toward establishing a funding model that fairly and sufficiently distributes provincial funding across the public post-secondary sector.

“Research universities play a critical role in the economic, social, and cultural development of British Columbians,” says President Dr. Daniel Laitsch. “This is a welcome opportunity reassess and reaffirm the commitment to a sustainable publicly funded post-secondary system, and to advance meaningful reconciliation.”

“We welcome a funding model that will provide stable and predictable funding to support research, academic programming, and institutional needs, while being adaptable to the local needs of the community,” says Executive Director Annabree Fairweather. “Ensuring access to affordable, high-quality education in BC will be a founding principle for the model.”

CUFA BC looks forward to being an active partner in developing a post-secondary funding model over the next year. The expert consultants, Dr. Don Wright and Dan Perrin, bring a great deal of knowledge and experience to this project. With the proper supports in place, faculty at BC’s research universities can better focus on finding solutions to the many challenges facing British Columbians.

For further information or comment, please contact CUFA BC Executive Director Annabree Fairweather at 604-367-5856 or [email protected].

DOWNLOAD CUFA BC Statement on AEST Funding Review

CUFA BC represents over 5,500 faculty members, professional librarians, lecturers, instructors, and other academics at the five research-intensive universities in British Columbia, which include University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University, University of Victoria, Royal Roads University and University of Northern British Columbia.

CUFA BC celebrates fifty years of working closely with the member Faculty Associations at each institution. Our purposes are to support high-quality post-secondary education and research in British Columbia and to advocate for the interests of our members.