Province Cuts Funding To First Nations University
Wednesday, February 03, 2010 at 21:10
The provincial government has announced that it will soon withdraw $5.2 million worth of funding from the First Nations University of Canada.
Advanced Education Minister Rob Norris says the government has lost confidence in the governance and management of the institution.
The government says it will begin working immediately with post-secondary partner institutions to determine the best way to support students.
However, the cuts won’t take place until April 1st to allow current students to finish their studies.
The school came under controversy last month when allegations of financial irregularities came to light.
The chair of FNUC’s board of governors has lambasted the province’s advanced education minister for his decision to pull the funding.
Clarence Bellegarde says Norris was trying to phone him yesterday during the FSIN’s legislative assembly at the Whitecap Dakota First Nation.
He calls that inappropriate, and says Norris hasn’t handled the situation well.
A contingent of FNUC students travelled from Regina to the assembly and made a presentation to the chiefs in attendance.
They were asking the chiefs to dissolve the current board of governors, which they did not get.
A spokesman for FNUC’s students’ association says the students knew all along that Norris wasn’t “bluffing” when he talked about the possibility of pulling funding from the school.
Cadmus Delorme heard the news during the in-camera meeting with the chiefs, which lasted more than six hours.
Delorme says the news of funding cuts hindered the students’ case.
FSIN Chief Guy Lonechild campaigned last fall on governance reform for FNUC and maintains that politics needs to be removed from the situation.
Lonechild believes the board needs to be smaller and filled with professionals and experts.
The chiefs passed a resolution to review a governance report and auditor’s report at a special assembly March 1st.
Meanwile, a call is going out to protect the instructors still teaching at the First Nations University.
Last night, a letter was sent to the provincial government from the Canadian Association of University Teachers.
The association censured the FNUC several months ago and has warned teachers to keep clear of the institution.
However, CAUT president James Turk says it would be immoral for the teachers to be simply tossed aside.
Turk says the province must take decisive action to support the faculty and staff whose future is being threatened.