President holds town hall to update community on budget cuts
Cancellation of awards and number of programs offered both in the cards
Chelsea Kennedy

On Jan. 13, the University community was invited by president Alastair Summerlee to come out and hear the details about the school's financial situation. His main focus was to clear the air on budget woes by stating the three major financial challenges the University faces currently faces; pensions, endowments and structural deficit.

Summerlee said that while Guelph prides itself on offering numerous scholarships and awards, some of these might start disappearing as the current economic downturn takes a toll on the donations the school receives. Summerlee stated that right now 85 per cent of all endowments that come into the University go towards students in some way.

To predict what the financial situation will be in a few years is almost impossible, and as Summerlee stated, he can’t simply bring out his crystal ball. He asserted that the university is trying to maintain as many as they can, but some awards may be canceled.

As for the question of cutting programs, Summerlee answered by discussing the distribution of students in some of Guelph’s many majors and minors.

“Eighty percent of students are in 20 per cent of our offerings,” Summerlee repeated twice.

He then said the University would start putting a focus, and more of their dollars, into that 20 per cent of the programs and classes. In short, there will be some major changes in the way courses are organized, how they are weighted and how many are offered at the school.

Summerlee acknowledged the reality that rumours and concerns regarding these changes would “raise blood pressure” and that the changes themselves would “raise blood pressure,” but that he encourages students and faculty to be an active part of this process.

Summerlee said decisions will not be made without the University community being notified and that he is open to suggestions via email.

 

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