FNUC students to finish academic year at University of Regina
The federal government announced Wednesday financial help to allow students of a beleaguered aboriginal university in Saskatchewan to finish their academic year, but future funding for the institution will depend on its ability to reform.
The federal government has earmarked $3 million for about 800 students of the First Nations University of Canada (FNUC) to finish their academic year ending Aug. 31.
“There is lots of work to do, but this money will get them through to the end of August,” said Chuck Strahl, Indian affairs minister.
Shane Keepnes, an FNUC student, is worried about the university's future and said the money promised is not enough.
"I really want to continue on and I really have high hopes for this institution, but $3 million just isn't going to cut it," he said. What about enrolment in the fall? Students that want to come to this great institution might not have that opportunity, so the funding really needs to be extended".
Strahl said future funding for the school hinges on its ability to complete necessary reforms.
“What is not clear to us is, and is not completely evident, is whether all of the planned reforms that are being talked about are going to happen,” said Strahl. “They’ve got other issues that so far have not been addressed, including things like severance packages, outstanding debt, money that has gone missing and a bunch of other academic problems”.
The money, provided from the Indian Studies Support Program, won't flow directly to FNUC, said Strahl.
“[Saskatchewan] has already said the province is not going to fund any money to the FNU over the next four years. I anticipate the same sort of reaction federally," said Strahl. "There will be no money for FNU directly".
“FNU is an institution in a lot of trouble and it has to run their programming and their financing and their accountability through the University of Regina," said Strahl. "And so the money that we will make available will have to flow through the University of Regina”.
Sources said the money is for student programming and not intended to repay the aboriginal school's debt or to cover operational costs.
FNUC is still trying to negotiate a deal with the federal government that would see its $7 million a year in funding reinstated.
The university has about 800 students at its main campus in Regina and satellite campuses in Prince Albert and Saskatoon.
"Three million dollars is a slap in the face to the students," said Diane Adams, president of FNUC’s students’ association. "It's purely a tactic to slow the death of the [school].
"It does not offer any kind of support to the students. It does not protect the students and the students here are tired of the federal government telling them what is good for them".
Funding suspended
Both the federal and provincial governments suspended FNUC's funding earlier this year as the university struggled with various issues.
In recent years, there have been numerous dismissals and departures of top administrators, allegations of misuse of funds, repeated deficits and declining enrolment.
Ottawa and the province both said they cut funding because FNUC wasn't fixing the problems fast enough.
However, a week ago, provincial officials signed a memorandum of understanding with the University of Regina and the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations under which provincial funding would support FNUC again.
Under the first year of a proposed four-year agreement, the province would contribute $5.2 million as FNUC restructures. University of Regina officials would administrate FNUC's spending and manage the school.
CBC News
