SASKPOLY LAYS OFF EMPLOYEES DUE TO LACK OF PROVINICAL FUNDING: FACULTY

SASKATOON – Saskatchewan Polytechnic has issued new layoff notices and more could be coming as a result of underfunding by the Sask. Party Government that has blown a $14-15 million hole in the school’s budget, the Saskatchewan NDP has learned from the Saskatchewan Polytechnic Faculty Association (SPFA).

The SPFA has told the Saskatchewan NDP that Saskatchewan Polytechnic is facing a significant budget shortfall due to a massive reduction in international students, which the school had used to compensate for insufficient levels of provincial funding. Much of the school’s full-time workforce is in Saskatoon, Regina, Moose Jaw and Prince Albert.

Saskatchewan Polytechnic was already forced to lay off 27 staff earlier this year.

“Education is key to building a strong economy for the future and giving our kids good opportunities here at home,” said Tajinder Grewal, Saskatchewan NDP Shadow Minister for Advanced Education.

“To be a world leader in mining, business, tech and more, our province needs a strong SaskPoly. Vibrant and thriving post-secondary schools are a major part of how we keep our young people — our future leaders — here at home and build a bright future for Saskatchewan.”

The recent Sask. Party budget cut funding for advanced education by $6 million overall and did not lock in a new, stable four-year funding agreement as many in the post-secondary sector had hoped for. Due to years of underfunding, post-secondary schools have been forced to turn to international student tuition to fill in gaps.

“The Sask. Party should have never starved our post-secondary schools of funding,” Grewal said. “We should never have been in this position in the first place.”

Other post-secondary institutions in the province have been forced to make tough decisions as a result of insufficient provincial funding. The University of Saskatchewan hiked tuition this year by 3.8 per cent and the University of Regina hiked tuition by 4 per cent.

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