B.C. Advanced Education Minister Murray Coell says he is confident the province's colleges and universities will manage recent funding changes without major program disruptions or layoffs.
"They manage very large budgets. I think they will do fine," he said yesterday in response to a barrage of warnings in recent weeks from schools and faculty groups about possible cuts because of less-than-expected funding from the province for the coming academic year.
While some courses may be reduced or eliminated, Mr. Coell said the changes should affect only small programs or those that are not in high demand. "I'm confident they can manage this," he said.
His assurances are in sharp contrast to the dire warnings coming from some schools and faculty groups, which have placed the funding shortfall at as much as $60-million.
Jim Reed, who represents the province's 12 colleges and one institute, says all are facing budget shortfalls of between $1-million and $3-million. That is because they have made multiyear commitments based on an understanding that they would be funded by the province.
"We have to make some very significant changes and tough decisions," he said.
Worries about this year's funding emerged in March after a meeting with college and university administrators.
There, the ministry outlined its plans to scale back from the levels included in a three-year forecast made last year, partly because of lower-than-anticipated enrolment. At the same time, the province said it would shift some money to beef up spending in priority areas such as health care, skills training and graduate studies.
Even though the province has been careful to point out that more money is flowing to the postsecondary system, the fact that the increase is less than expected is still creating problems, campus leaders say.
At the University of British Columbia, for example, deputy provost George Mackie estimates the university will get about $10-million less than planned when the dust settles.
While the university will gain from the province's decision to increase funding for graduate spaces, it is getting less than anticipated for operations and also will not receive as much for expansion at its Okanagan site.
Mr. Mackie said UBC will find ways to offset the funding gap for this September, but will have to reconsider its approach for the following year.