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Campus Bulletin
November 19, 2004
U of G submission to Rae panel available, town hall Nov. 24
The University of Guelph’s submission to former Ontario premier Bob Rae, who is leading a review of post-secondary education in the province, is now available.
President Alastair Summerlee would like to thank members of the University community who submitted suggestions, advice and ideas on how to maintain quality and improve accessibility at U of G and Ontario’s other universities and colleges.
Summerlee will present the recommendations to Rae during a town hall meeting being held at U of G Nov. 24 from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. in Room 104 of Rozanski Hall. People from the University and city are encouraged to attend.
U of G’s submission is also accessible online and hard copies will be available in the President’s Office in the University Centre. In the document, the University strongly urges that Rae recommend a significant reinvestment in higher education, including:
• A complete overhaul of the financial assistance programs for students.
• Increasing operating grants for Ontario's universities to a level that is comparable with the average funding per student in the other nine provinces.
• Funding a plan for doubling graduate enrolment.
• Providing sufficient resources to address critical capital needs and deferred maintenance.
• Enhancing the province’s research capacity through ongoing investments.
Rae and a seven-member advisory panel were appointed in the spring by Mary Anne Chambers, Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities, to develop a strategic, fiscally sustainable long-term plan for post-secondary education. They are expected to address differentiation, tuition, operating grants, student assistance, collaboration and accountability.
Rae held consultations through the summer and fall with institutions, students, parents, faculty, staff, alumni and members of the public. In October, he released a discussion paper, “Higher Expectations for Higher Education,” that was intended to form the basis of a dialogue he plans to have with Ontario residents during 14 scheduled town hall meetings. That paper centred around five themes: accessibility, quality, system design, funding and accountability.
Rae and the advisory panel are expected to provide a report to Premier Dalton McGuinty and Chambers by January 2005. Copies of the discussion paper and further details on the process and town hall meetings are all available on the Rae review’s website.
