What’s New
October 25, 2021 – Advanced Education’s Misleading Communications Around COVID-19 Protocols
October 05, 2021 – Parkland Institute: A Dangerous Road for Alberta Post-Secondary Institutions New Report shows impact of provincial government’s changes and cuts
September 13, 2021 – Announcement CAFA Distinguished Academic Awards, 2021
August 31, 2021 – CAFA Calls for an Accommodation Process in all Alberta Universities and Colleges
Edmonton, August 31, 2021 — The Confederation of Alberta Faculty Associations is pleased that the three largest research-intensive universities—Alberta, Calgary, and Lethbridge—have altered their return to campus plans to reflect the scientific consensus on how to keep our communities safe: we are particularly pleased that these institutions have introduced a masking mandate across campuses, will promote and facilitate local vaccine uptake, stipulated regular testing for the unvaccinated, and have instituted an isolation policy for COVID positive individuals.
“CAFA hopes that all Alberta universities and colleges look to the example set by these three institutions in efforts to keep Alberta post-secondary students, staff and faculty safe,” notes Dr. Kevin Kane, President of CAFA and Professor of Medical Microbiology & Immunology at the University of Alberta.
August 17, 2021 – Alberta’s Faculty Call for Safe, Scientifically Based, Return to Campus Plans
Edmonton, AB, August 17, 2021 – The Confederation of Alberta Faculty Associations is calling on university presidents and the Minister of Advanced Education, Hon. Nicolaides, to provide scientifically based return to campus plans for our institutions. More specifically, CAFA would like to see:
- A return to using our joint health and safety committees to make decisions on the reopening of campuses and the procedures to keep all students, staff and faculty safe,
- A return of asymptomatic testing on our campuses to provide the real time data needed to make the best health decisions, and
- A commitment to share the data of campus outbreaks and campus vaccination rates with the joint health and safety committees and our student representatives.
If the university administrations or provincial government cannot commit to these modest requests,
CAFA is calling for our universities to institute
a) mandatory masking mandate until autumn COVID waves are controlled and suppressed, and
b) a vaccine passport system, similar to what the Calgary Chambers of Commerce is calling for.
June 18, 2021 – Calgary Sun Opinion: Cuts at post-secondary level will hurt Alberta LEE EASTON
June 4, 2021 – Solidarity Statement in Support of Call for Action in the Wake of Discovery of Lost Children in Tk’emlups
As we mourn the loss of the lives of 215 children whose remains were recently located at the former Kamloops Residential School in Tk’emlups, we have come face-to-face with the real legacy of Canada’s genocide of Indigenous peoples. In response to this discovery, we commit to seeking truth and reconciliation through solidarity action with First Nations, Inuit, and Metis across Alberta and Canada.
Our coalition of civil society and labour organizations stands with the Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations and other first nations and communities in Treaty 7 and Treaty 8 to echo the call for the provincial and federal government to immediately implement an action plan with all First Nations, Metis and Inuit communities to locate the graves of the thousands of missing Indigenous children so that proper cultural protocols can be observed.
May 4, 2021 – Faculty respond to Alberta 2030: Building Skills for Jobs Report
Edmonton, AB, May 4, 2021 – The “Building Skills for Jobs” report underscores the fundamental lack of understanding by the current Alberta government of a university education. It is not to impart skills of the moment, for a job today, that by some metric is purported to meet current market/industry needs, which is gone tomorrow. A university education develops and nurtures curiosity, critical thinking, higher order problem solving, and a quest to discover. These qualities and more, provide university graduates with durable, transferable, and versatile skills, allowing them to adapt and thrive in any environment. Furthermore, university education benefits society well beyond industry and labour markets, facilitating an informed citizenry to make important societal decisions. It is unfortunate that the report reflects this lack of understanding.
Alberta 2030 Government Documents
Alberta 2030: building skills for jobs 10-year strategy for post-secondary education
Alberta 2030: building skills for jobs What We Heard – engagement summary
Alberta 2030: analysis and stakeholder input
March 8, 2021 – UCP Government picking the losers in the PSE sector
March 2, 2021 – Students and Faculty Respond to Provincial Budget
January 2021 – Working Conditions are Learning Conditions Campaign Launch
Invest in Alberta’s future. Stop the cuts to post-secondary education.
This campaign is an effort of a coalition of organizations representing over 154,000 undergraduate and graduate students, over 11,000 faculty and instructors, and over 13,000 support staff in Alberta’s post-secondary education system. We exist to advocate for a strong post-secondary education sector so that Alberta can thrive. www.stoppsecuts.ca
