Alberta Graduate Provincial Advocacy Council - Organizational Background and Advocacy Priorities 2018/2019 - abGPAC

Alberta Graduate Provincial Advocacy Council

  Organizational Background and Advocacy Priorities

                     2018/2019

Background
The Alberta Graduate Provincial Advocacy Council (ab-GPAC) represents around 21,000 graduate
students conducting advanced research and learning at Athabasca University, the University of Alberta,
the University of Calgary, and the University of Lethbridge. Ab-GPAC is a student-run organization that
advocates to the provincial government and other stakeholders on behalf of the Graduate Students’
Associations (GSAs) of these four institutions.

While the largest portion of graduate students hail from Alberta, a substantial cohort of interprovincial
and international graduate students bring their expertise to Alberta. They choose this province and this
country not only for its outstanding educational opportunities, but also to contribute to the future
success of the province. Including interprovincial and international students in our decision making
enriches our culture and collective thinking.

This document is intended to provide a high-level overview of priorities that are critical to graduate
student success in the province of Alberta.

Advocacy History
Since our incorporation, we made significant progress in our advocacy efforts. Here are some
highlights:

   ●   We have engaged in government consultation on the topics of labour relations, tuition and fees,
       funding models, academic credit transfer, tenant and landlord disputes, and the review of the
       agencies, boards and commissions in Alberta;

   ●   We have served on various advisory groups, including the mental health advisory group which
       led to the decision on behalf of the government to provide three years of funding for campus
       mental health initiatives;

   ●   We had representation at the eight external stakeholders’ advisory sessions on tuition and fees;

   ●   We submit provincial budget recommendations annually advocating for sustainable and
       predictable funding for graduate students, and funding for professional development and
       innovation for entrepreneurial activities; and

   ●   We participated in a nationwide petition to improve immigration policy for international graduate
       students and set a public letter of support to students impacted by the Trump administration’s
       travel ban in early 2017.

As a result of these regular meetings and the strong relationship with various Ministries, especially the
Ministry of Advanced Education, ab-GPAC has been invited to government consultations and has built
a solid foundation to support future advocacy efforts.

Advocacy Areas

Advocacy Priorities

   •   Tuition and Fees: Regulating tuition and fees of graduate programs at post-secondary
       education institutions.
   •   Indigenization: Alleviation of barriers to post-secondary education for Indigenous students.
   •   Post-graduate employment: Increasing graduate student employability through focusing on
       professional skills development, entrepreneurship education, and an accommodating
       immigration policy to attract and retain highly-skilled graduates.

Ongoing Advocacy Efforts

Stable, Sustainable, and Predictable Funding

The Issue
Uncertainty surrounding the size and associated conditions of annual provincial government grants to
Alberta post-secondary institutions results in variable financial impacts to graduate students. This also
affects the institution’s ability to function at optimal levels and plan for the long term; this could
negatively impact the quality of graduate education in each of the four member institutions.

Impacts and Recommendations
Creation of a funding allocation model or framework would provide students with more resources, more
predictable tuition costs, and more program options. Currently, Comprehensive Academic Research
Institutions (CARI) research and contributions do not receive dedicated financial support beyond
funding allocated on the full load equivalent model. This does not differentiate between the needs and
contributions of graduate and undergraduate students.

Recommendations:

   ●   Funding formulas to CARIs should provide additional funding to support the research
       mandate of these institutions.
   ●   Funding packages for graduate students should be included as part of the funding
       allocation models to ensure a reasonable standard of living tied to the regional cost of
       living in each post-secondary institution city.

Current State of the Issue
Participation in a series of eight consultation sessions in 2016/2017 has contributed to the development
of funding allocation models yet to be released.

Funding for Campus Mental Health

The Issue
Mental health concerns, including an alarming number of students who stated that they have
contemplated suicide, highlights the need for continuation and enhancement of funding for on-campus
mental health initiatives, which should include separate funding and consideration for graduate student
specific programs.

Impacts and Recommendations
Mental health, which has long been underfunded, remains one of the federal government’s top health
priorities. A range of campus mental health services for students allows each post-secondary institution
to increase its capacity for support, outreach, and promotion of mental wellness. Dedicated mental
health funding ensures mental health care services and prevents diversion of funding from research
and instruction and alleviates fee increases to students to fund these much needed services.

Recommendation:

   ●   Graduate students work closely with undergraduate students, and as such should
       have school supported access to mental health services off-campus to allow discrete
       care.

Current State of the Issue
The Government of Alberta demonstrated leadership and support for the mental wellness of students
by committing $28.3M in funding for mental health initiatives through 2020. Three of our member
institutions received increases in dedicated mental health funding. We will continue to advocate for
dedicated mental health funding to support graduate support discrete off-campus care for graduate
students.

Funding for Professional Development

The Issue
Employers and graduate students recognize the need for graduate specific, ongoing professional
development programs to better prepare them for the workforce.

Impacts and Recommendations
Providing graduate students with skills   training and professional development programs to augment
their academic knowledge enhances         the graduate student experience. In 2015 the Ministry of
Innovation and Advanced Education         announced an annual $4M contribution to graduate level
professional development programs to      be divided between the universities of Alberta, Calgary, and
Lethbridge.

Recommendations:

   ●   Ab-GPAC supports the continuation of professional development funding to graduate
       students, with an expansion to Athabasca University.
   ●   Given that these professional development programs are developed with Alberta
       taxpayer funds, we support sharing these programs as developed amongst
       institutions, so all graduate students can benefit.

Current State of the Issue
Existing funding for graduate student-specific professional development programs need to be continued
and enhanced. Decision making rules and professional development priorities at the institutional level
need to be transparent and well communicated. Ensuring graduate students are given the opportunity
to innovate and explore the entrepreneurial space is important, and the Government of Alberta funding
should reflect this priority. Professional development courses developed with Advanced Education
funding should be shared amongst GSAs at all institutions.

Development of Social Entrepreneurial & Process Innovation Activities

The Issue
In this dynamic labour market, government needs to support partnerships and initiatives between
graduate students and industry. This will allow graduate students to contribute to innovation and
entrepreneurial activity to the benefit of the provincial economy.

Impacts and Recommendations
In June 2016, the federal Minister of Innovation, Science, and Economic Development put forward an
ambitious vision to build Canada as the global center of innovation. From research on artificial
intelligence to harnessing green energy sources to developing competitive business models, graduate
students in Alberta’s four CARIs are at the forefront of new discoveries that drive innovation.

Recommendations:

   ●   Provincial ministers should continue to advocate to the federal government for funds
       like the $2 billion post-secondary institutions Strategic Investment Fund.
   ●   The Provincial government should support graduate student specific initiatives, and
       earmark graduate student specific funding, not just campus organizations for
       innovation such as the Research and Innovation Centre at the University of Lethbridge
       and the Hunter Hub for Innovation at the University of Calgary.
   ●   The provincial government should support resources for students engaged in scientific
       and social innovation, including process innovation.

Current State of the Issue
On June 26, 2017 ab-GPAC delegates met with the CEO and key staff at Alberta Innovates to discuss
working together to achieve our shared vision for innovation among graduate students. This includes
connecting students with resources from Alberta Innovates and industry leaders, and having Alberta
Innovates showcase insight on the innovations of graduate students both during and after earning their
degrees.

Streamlining the Permanent Residency Process for International Students

The Issue
International graduate students face challenges in addition to the academic ones posed by graduate
education. Once they have completed their studies, these students should be encouraged to acquire
permanent residency status; this will allow them to enable these highly skilled and highly qualified
immigrants to put their skills to work in the labour market and retain this trained and specialized
workforce in Alberta.

Impacts and Recommendations
Immigration is a shared federal and provincial jurisdiction. Governments on both levels should work
together to offer provincially suitable immigration programs. A Post-Graduation Work Permit allows a
foreign national to work after graduation as a first step towards permanent residency, but the process in
Alberta should be streamlined.

Recommendations:

   ●   The Government of Alberta should review the current provincial nomination program
       and make revisions that allow for a seamless transition from International Graduate
       Student to Permanent Resident status, to retain these highly skilled graduates in the
       Alberta labour market.
   ●   The provincial government should consider nomination programs such as the
       “International Master’s Graduate” category being piloted in Ontario or British
       Columbia’s nomination program.

Current State of the Issue
As a result of ab-GPAC advocacy efforts with the Government of Alberta, it has reviewed the Alberta
provincial nomination program and made revisions that allow for a more seamless transition from
International Graduate Student to Permanent Residency status, keeping valued talent in the Alberta
labour market. We need to embrace Canada’s long history of immigration and open doors, and incent
students from across the globe to participate in Alberta’s advanced education system.

Summary

Ab-GPAC directors revisit their constituent priorities on an annual basis. In the 2018-2019 academic
year ab-GPAC commits to the following three priorities: tuition and fees regulation, the indigenization of
graduate education, and the improvement of post-graduate employability of graduate students. We also
remain committed to advocacy priorities from previous years, including stable, sustainable, and
predictable funding for post-secondary institutions, funding for campus mental health, funding for
professional development, development of social, entrepreneurial, and process innovation activities,
and streamlining the permanent residency process for international students. Ab-GPAC directors, in
consultation with their GSAs, commit to finding solutions with partners like Advanced Education and
Alberta Innovates.

For more information contact:

Sasha van der Klein               Marcela Lopes                     Nicole Van Kuppeveld
Chair, ab-GPAC                    Vice Chair, ab-GPAC               Executive Director, ab-GPAC
abgpacchair@gmail.com             abgpacvicechair@gmail.com         abgpac.ed@gmail.com
780.492.2175                      587.429.6303                      780.932.2874