January 22, 2009

Canadian Federation of Engineering Students

Students urge governments to maintain funding for science, engineering programs

PATRICIA WILLIAMS

staff writer

An organization representing more than 50,000 engineering students across the country has urged governments and educational institutions alike to avoid cutting funding for science and engineering programs.

“We feel this would be detrimental to the caliber and quality of the professionals that Canada needs to recover (economically) and compete in a global economy,” says the Canadian Federation of Engineering Students.

The federation made the case in a declaration issued following a recent congress in Ottawa.

The statement is to be forwarded to the federal and provincial governments as well as educational institutions across the country.

The federal government provides transfer payments to the provinces to help fund post-secondary educational institutions as well as social assistance programs.

The provinces in turn decide how these Canada Social Transfer funds are to be allocated.

Federation president Kyle Ruttan, a fourth-year student at the University of Western Ontario, said the statement was prompted by speculation that educational funding could be on the provinces’ chopping block.

“Furthermore, many universities are under severe financial strain right now,” Ruttan said.

“Capital projects are being pushed back as endowment funds and other funding vehicles suffer losses from the (stock) market crashes.

“By necessity, if funding to the educational institutions is lowered, it will be up to university administrations to decide what bears the burden. We are urging them to consider the role that a well-trained engineering workforce plays in driving the economy.”

Jeff Morrison, president of the Association of Canadian Engineering Companies, said the students’ declaration hopefully will help spark a discussion on the value of engineering schools to society at large “and in turn have some impact on those who are in a position to decide how budgets are allocated.”

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