After months of scrapping with the United Conservative Party government over the role Athabasca University should play in economic development for the Town of Athabasca, university president Peter Scott has been fired. Athabasca University’s main building in the Town of Athabasca (Photo: Heather Stocking). In a statement emailed to AU
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Alberta Politics: Minister’s demand substantially unchanged on move of Athabasca University executives, many staff, to town 145 kilometres north of Edmonton
Advanced Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides indicated yesterday he hasn’t changed his mind about requiring Athabasca University’s nine top executives to move to the town of Athabasca. The Town of Athabasca, as seen from the north side of the Athabasca River (Photo: David J. Climenhaga). He told a virtual meeting of
Continue readingAlberta Politics: One culture war, two cities, three statues, and two levels of government: a tale of two solitudes, perhaps
Throughout history public art has been controversial, and no form of art is more public than sculpture. Edmonton’s iconic Walterdale Bridge seen from the south, where artist Ken Lum’s sculptures will not be displayed as once planned (Photo: Jeff Wallace – WherezJeff/Creative Commons). Naturally, publicly displayed sculpture in Alberta was
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Advanced education minister drops demand that 500 Athabasca University employees must move to town of Athabasca
Alberta Advanced Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides seems to have dropped his threat to cut off some or all of Athabasca University’s $41.2 million annual operating funds if the distance-learning institution fails to come up with a plan by the end of September to move 500 employees to the town of
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Full stop to full on in eight months – why’s the UCP on fire to move 500 to 1,000 people into Athabasca almost overnight?
Why is Advanced Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides suddenly in such a rush to relocate 500 Athabasca University employees now scattered across Canada to the institution’s namesake town in the aspen forest 145 kilometres north of Edmonton? Advanced Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides (Photo: Twitter/Demetrios Nicolaides). Just eight months ago, not long
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Athabasca University president rips UCP for ‘1980s thinking’ that puts institution on ‘path to ruin’
In a video message posted yesterday morning, Athabasca University President Peter Scott ripped the United Conservative Party Government’s plan to force the institution to dramatically increase its presence in its namesake town 145 kilometres north of Edmonton as “1980s thinking” that will put AU on “the path to ruin.” Advanced
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Funding threatened by advanced education minister, battle over Athabasca University’s future continues
What’s up with Athabasca University, where Advanced Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides has threatened to cut off much of the 52-year-old Alberta institution’s funding if it won’t drop plans to move most of its operations into cyberspace from the rural town that serves as its nominal home base? Alberta Advanced Education
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Advanced Education Minister pushes back at Athabasca University president’s plans – how will they square this circle?
Happy Easter! Alberta Advanced Education Minister Demetrios Nicolaides (Photo: Alberta Newsroom/Flickr). On Monday we asked if Athabasca University’s administration had gone rogue and was defying the Kenney Government with plans to let faculty, administration and staff live where they pleased, or if the premier and members of his cabinet were
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Despite Jason Kenney’s assurances, Athabasca University’s fate in the Town of Athabasca remains unsettled
Is the Kenney Government committed to keeping Athabasca University in the Town of Athabasca as it says? Athabasca University President Peter Scott (Photo: Athabasca University). Are the university’s board and administration ignoring the government’s orders to stay put? Signals that citizens of the community of 3,000 people 145 kilometres north
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Big changes at Athabasca U: President departs for B.C. Interior; health dean returns to faculty ranks
Neil Fassina is about to leave his job as president of Athabasca University to lead a small public college in Kelowna, B.C. Two weeks ago, Okanagan College announced in a press release that Dr. Fassina would be taking over as president of the 8,500-student institution on April 1, 2021. The
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Athabasca U: The redheaded stepchild of Alberta universities faces a Cinderella moment
Is Athabasca University, long the redheaded stepchild of Alberta’s universities, about to have its Cinderella moment? After years of financial insecurity and deep angst about a mission seemingly made redundant by the Internet that sometimes gave the impression of an existential crisis about to go critical, there are signs the
Continue readingAlberta Politics: ‘Blue-Ribbon Panel’ report sets stage for full-blown austerity, private health care, soaring tuition and much more
The recommendations of the Kenney Government’s “blue-ribbon panel” on Alberta’s finances yesterday went further over the top than you’d even have expected from a report ginned up by a couple of Fraser Institute ringers, a former bank president, and a few additional followers of the government’s low-tax, market-fundamentalist ideology. As
Continue readingAlberta Politics: UCP math: 1.5 = 1 – and you’re lucky to get that!
One hour is the same as one and a half hours! Who knew? It’s always an education to listen to the way Jason Kenney and his UCP team explain things. Yesterday, the leader of Alberta’s United Conservative party was testily engaged in an epic effort to persuade Albertans that his
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Athabasca University and its faculty approach an impasse in bargaining; the province drops a hint of what might be next
Is Alberta’s NDP Government getting ready to bring some serious pressure to bear if that’s what it takes to get a contract agreement between Athabasca University’s administration and its faculty association? If I’m right about the meaning of changes to the Athabasca University Regulation ordered by the provincial cabinet last
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Good new/bad news: Things are looking up for Athabasca University, so why is there no progress on a contract with faculty?
If readers will forgive me for turning away for a moment from the fascinating and highly entertaining topic of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s bizarre attempt to mud-wrestle Canada into submission, we need to look at a topic a little closer to home, to wit: Athabasca University. Readers will recall
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Today’s Day of Mourning pieties aside, Alberta workplace injuries are vastly underreported
Today is the International Day of Mourning. Who we mourn are the untold, uncounted numbers of women, men and children who have been killed, injured, disabled or sickened while doing their work. The occasion is mostly marked with modestly unobtrusive ceremonies where organized working people gather – union halls, lunchrooms,
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Recommendations of independent review of Athabasca University seem unlikely to survive Alberta political reality
PHOTOS: University of Saskatchewan Professor Ken Coates, author of the independent review of Athabasca University released last week. Below: Athabasca U President Neil Fassina, AU Board Chair Vivian Manasc, and Alberta Advanced Education Minister Marlin Schmidt. Recent news reports about the continuing woes of Athabasca University and in particular coverage
Continue readingAlberta Politics: New board chairs appointed at Athabasca University and Northern Alberta Institute of Technology
PHOTOS: Ray Martin at the side of NDP Leader Rachel Notley, back in the days before she was premier. He once sat in the Legislature with Premier Notley’s father, Grant Notley. Mr. Martin has been appointed chair of the board of the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology. Below, Edmonton architect
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Something for the NDP to think about: How about bringing Alberta’s labour laws into the 20th Century? (Never mind the 21st)
PHOTOS: Alberta Labour Minister Christina Gray. Below: Gil McGowan, president of the Alberta Federation of Labour, Athabasca University Labour Studies Professor Bob Barnetson and Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne. The CBC says the province’s businesses are “spooked.” The Chamber of Commerce is deeply worried by the prospect of “sweeping reforms.” Naturally,
Continue readingAlberta Politics: Athabasca U’s future seems brighter as Saskatchewan prof named to conduct sustainability review
PHOTOS: The participants in this morning’s Athabasca University news conference in Edmonton. From left to right: Saskatchewan Professor Ken Coates, Athabasca University Board Chair Margaret Mrazek, Advanced Education Minister Marlin Schmidt and AU President Neil Fassina. Below: A closer look at Mr. Schmidt’s new beard; newly appointed Municipal Affairs Minister
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