Universities and students brace for Alberta budget cuts - CBC

Some post-secondary institutions in Alberta are taking drastic measures in advance of potential cuts that will be announced by the provincial government on March 7. A $6 billion shortfall coming from dwindling oil revenues, and a repeated vow from the premier not to raise taxes, means that many sectors that receive funding from the Alberta government are bracing for the impact of the budget announcement. Post-secondary institutions in Alberta were promised an operating grant increase of two per cent, and some now expect that promise might go unfulfilled. David Beharry, with MacEwan University, said the school has taken preemptive action by freezing hires for academic and non-academic staff. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/story/2013/02/10/edmonton-post-secondary-budget.html