The University of Victoria will avoid another round of deep budget cuts and layoffs next year, barring unforeseen problems, president Jamie Cassels has announced.
After a year in which the university trimmed all faculties and departments by four per cent, Cassels promised greater stability in 2014-15 due to strong enrolment and a clearer financial picture.
The university registered 20,813 students as of Nov. 1 — the highest enrolment in the school’s history.
Cassels also noted that a recent arbitrator’s ruling has settled faculty salaries through to June 30, 2014, while the provincial government has spread $50 million in cuts to post-secondary education over three years instead of two.
“Thus, with the advice of my executive colleagues, I am informing you now that unless a significant change in our key assumptions occurs, departments will not be asked to make budget reductions in 2014-15,” Cassels told staff in a message posted on the university’s website.
Cassels said the university still faces a risk of further shortfalls, but has time to plan and align university resources with priorities.
More information will be released by Reeta Tremblay, vice-president academic and provost, and Gayle Gorrill, vice-president finance and operations, at a budget information session Dec. 12.
The university’s unions reacted with guarded optimism to Cassels’ announcement.
“It’s certainly better news than last year,” said Melissa Moroz of the Professional Employees Association. “So I think there will be some signs of relief.
“We still have larger concerns around the erosion of services to students and the impacts of last year’s cuts and how our members and departments are dealing with that.”
The association and Canadian Union of Public Employees’ Local 951 said its members faced dozens of layoffs this year.
“We’re pleased that the new president is making these kinds of efforts to stabilize the workforce,” said Local 951 president Doug Sprenger.
UVic spokesman Bruce Kilpatrick cautioned that the university still faces difficult times ahead and continues to scrutinize decisions to fill vacancies.
“There’s still a need to be very, very careful with all of this,” he said.
