Edmonton, AB — The Graduate Students’ Association (GSA) at University of Alberta (UofA) expresses concerns over the province’s 2025 Budget and its failure to address the systemic underfunding of post-secondary institutions (PSIs). Despite Alberta’s surplus in 2024, the budget includes no increase to the operating grants for public PSIs, reduces financial aid for students, and redirects public funds toward private, for-profit institutions through Bill 38—a troubling direction that could potentially effect Alberta’s economic and academic future.
The University of Alberta now faces a $1.2 billion deferred maintenance backlog—a glaring symbol of institutional decay. Simultaneously, campus food bank usage has surged by 800%, reflecting the acute financial desperation of students. “When the province slashes financial aid by $210 million, forces PSIs to cover 58% of their operations through self-generated revenue—a move that will inevitably hike tuition—while consolidating their budget and ignoring the infrastructure crisis, it sends a troubling message: Alberta’s students are not a top priority,” said Haseeb Arshad, GSA President.
The financial strain has taken a severe toll on mental health. A recent GSA survey revealed that 40% of graduate students developed mental health challenges after beginning their degrees, with most linking these struggles directly to financial stress and its impact on their academic performance. “How can we expect students to excel in their research or contribute to Alberta’s innovation economy when they are forced to choose between feeding themselves and finishing their degrees?” Arshad asked.
Despite these challenges, the University of Alberta remains a cornerstone of Alberta’s prosperity. A 2023 alumni impact report found that U of A graduates contribute $136.6 billion annually to the provincial economy—equivalent to 20% of Alberta’s GDP. The return on investment (ROI) for public funding of the University of Alberta exceeds 47%, outperforming the combined ROI of 41% from Alberta’s energy, agriculture, and construction sectors. “The math is clear: investing in the University of Alberta is investing in Alberta’s future,” Arshad emphasized. “Yet the province’s $4.46 billion surplus in 2024 saw no meaningful reinvestment in public post-secondary education. Instead, we are seeing new fundings to for-profit institutions which, to many of our constituents, is an unjustified use of public money. As their official representative, I echo their concerns and would also reiterate that post-secondary education should be a right, not a privilege reserved for those who can pay.”
While the province announced targeted enrollment growth funding, expanding admissions without addressing existing underfunding will deepen the crisis. Graduate students, who teach, conduct research, and drive the university’s mission, are already stretched thin. “Growing enrollment while ignoring deferred maintenance and affordability is like building a house on a cracked foundation,” Arshad warned. “It risks systemic collapse.”
Despite these troubling signs, the GSA acknowledges and appreciates the Minister of Advanced Education Rajan Sawhney’s effort to clarify Mandatory Non-Instructional Fees (MNIFs) guidelines and definitions, our key November advocacy priority. “We appreciate the Minister’s attention to bring much-needed transparency to an area often shrouded in confusion for students.” Arshad noted. “We now urge the province and Dr. Jack Mintz, chair of the provincial review panel, to heed our joint letter advocating for equitable and sustainable PSI funding.”
“Alberta cannot afford to weaken its greatest engine of innovation,” Arshad concluded. “Graduate students drive groundbreaking research, teach undergraduates, and fuel Alberta’s workforce. They deserve support—not systemic neglect. With rising tuition, soaring debt, and stagnant provincial investment, our message is clear: Alberta must stop ‘cutting class.’”
The GSA remains committed to advocating for all learners and fostering dialogue with the university and province to secure a thriving, accessible post-secondary system.
For media inquiries, please contact: Grace Kinley Administrative Support Specialist | gsaca@ualberta.ca
