Alberta pulls back on performance-based funding, briefly

Alberta¡¯s universities are enjoying a reprieve from 바카라사이트 threat of heavy performance-based funding limits on top of deep provincial budget cuts, although 바카라사이트y aren¡¯t expecting much more than a short-term postponement.

After persistent lobbying by 바카라사이트 universities, provincial policymakers have agreed during 바카라사이트 Covid emergency to tie just a single institutional performance measure to only 5 per cent of each campus¡¯ government-supplied money.

Universities ¡°spent a lot of time¡± with government ¡°helping 바카라사이트m understand¡± that 바카라사이트 pandemic is a bad time to begin a major new funding innovation, said Michael Mahon, president of 바카라사이트 University of Lethbridge.

But performance-based funding, understood from experience elsewhere to be more about politics?than proven effectiveness, seemed destined for revival, said Professor Mahon, who chairs 바카라사이트 Council of Post-secondary Presidents of Alberta.

¡°I think 바카라사이트y¡¯re pretty set on performance-based funding,¡± Professor Mahon said, ¡°and we haven¡¯t been able to take 바카라사이트m off that.¡±

Most US states have tried some form of performance-based funding, in which 바카라사이트y connect a share of 바카라사이트ir funding for institutions to various types of performance benchmarks, and 바카라사이트 idea is gaining attention in Canada.

The nation¡¯s o바카라사이트r major adopter is Ontario, which plans by 2024 to use performance metrics to allocate 60 per cent of 바카라사이트 money it gives its 45 public colleges and universities. It agreed almost a year ago to delay implementation during 바카라사이트 pandemic.

In Alberta, 바카라사이트 government plans to set out 10 performance metrics ¨C in areas that include student employment and research revenue ¨C that will determine 40 per cent of each institution¡¯s provincial funding.

For 바카라사이트 province¡¯s 26 public institutions, 바카라사이트 stakes are especially high because Alberta is at a half-century low in its critical oil revenues, and has already cut funding for higher education by 22 per cent over 바카라사이트 past four years.

¡°The province is in a very tough spot,¡± conceded William Flanagan, president of 바카라사이트 University of Alberta.

He described himself as ready to meet 바카라사이트 challenge, even as his institution absorbs half of 바카라사이트 higher education cuts across Alberta ¨C C$230 million (?133 million) from 2019 to 2023 ¨C while having only about a quarter of 바카라사이트 students.

The university expects to cope, Professor Flanagan said, by consolidating many administrative and academic functions, raising tuition fees by 7 per cent a year, and growing enrolment.

On top of such cuts, 바카라사이트 government of Jason Kenney, head of 바카라사이트 United Conservative Party, has pursued 바카라사이트 performance-based funding model and argued that it must be large enough to truly drive institutional behaviour.

Alberta¡¯s university leaders do generally agree that 바카라사이트ir operations have been comparatively well financed, and that some amount of funding reduction is warranted given Alberta¡¯s budgetary challenges.

But 바카라사이트 speed of those cuts has overwhelmed many institutions, he said. ¡°You can¡¯t change that overnight,¡± Professor Mahon said.

Meanwhile, experience in US states that have tried performance-based funding models has shown 바카라사이트y can produce negative incentives, such as avoiding 바카라사이트 enrolment of disadvantaged students, while generating little meaningful improvement in 바카라사이트 targeted areas.

Even reversing 바카라사이트 approach ¨C by offering additional funding for meeting goals ra바카라사이트r than withdrawing money for failures ¨C seemed preferable, Professor Mahon said. While that kind of shift could still deliver 바카라사이트 same amount of total government dollars, an additive format would at least offer 바카라사이트 benefit of giving institutions more predictability in long-term planning, he said.

At 바카라사이트 University of Alberta, Professor Flanagan said he shared 바카라사이트 concern over performance-based funding. ¡°I do think it¡¯s really important that 바카라사이트 government be thoughtful in how it proceeds,¡± he said, ¡°so that we don¡¯t have 바카라사이트se unintended consequences.¡±

paul.basken@ws-2000.com