For starters, what is your role with Athabasca University, and the course?
I’m a professor of sociocultural anthropology and teach undergraduate and graduate courses. I’ve been at AU since 2000, and have written several anthropology courses or made major revisions over that time. This course is Anth 335, a brand new course in Ecological Anthropology. I am the course author, and am excited to see this course added to our program. I am also the tutor.

When was ANTH 335 created?
The course just opened in March 2016. It was written over the previous several years, interrupted at times by my research leave and writing projects.

What does the course cover? Could you summarize some of the major ideas or topics discussed?
The course deals broadly with human societies and cultures and their relationships to the environment. It takes an ecological approach to looking at the environmental relationships of people, place and ways of making a living. It is concerned with the diverse ways that human groups live in and make a living in their home lands. It is also concerned with global connection and environmental change. The end of the course queries aspects of sustainability in the face of many kinds of global change: changing climates, changing demographics, flows of materials and people as unprecedented numbers of people are moving in response to conflict or to environmental stresses.

What can students expect, in terms of course structure? Can you talk briefly about the assignments and exam?
The course is comprised of 10 modules which are topical. Assignments include: keyword definitions; a case study report; a midterm exam (combining multiple choice, short answer and essay questions covering the first half of the course); a short research paper; and a final exam, of similar format to the midterm, combining multiple choice, short answer and essay questions, and largely focused on the second half of the course, with some integrative questions that pertain to the whole course.

What about course materials? Are there hardcopy books, etexts, online readings, or a combination?
The course materials include an extensive on-line study guide (hopefully readable!) with illustrations largely from my own image collection; a couple of hard copy texts; some print reprints and some on-line articles. There are also some video links embedded in the course (particularly dealing with food sovereignty and the Via Campesina).

About how many students take this course, on average? Is there anything about this course that students tend to find particularly challenging?
As this is a brand new course, I can’t really answer these questions yet! I hope the content and assignments are accessible and do-able.

Why do you feel that this course is valuable for students? Are there parts they find particularly challenging? Why should they choose to enrol?
I think that anyone who wants to understand the relations of humans and the environment across diverse cultures will find this course exciting and eye-opening. Questions of the sustainability of our environments and ways of life are implicit in the course. Of course, besides offering insights into some of the great challenges of our times, I also think that the material is fascinating!

The reading is of variable level; some students may find some articles a bit dense, while other material is very approachable. There are some writing assignments, but they are not too lengthy or too challenging.

Students who take this class will come out with a grounding in ecology as well as cultural anthropology, and be well positioned to make informed judgements about environmental, cultural and economic choices that we face in society as we look for human and sustainable ways of life.

Is there anything students need to know if they’re thinking of taking this course?
Students should have Anthropology 275 (cultural anthropology) or equivalent to take the course, or will need to get professor approval if they do not have that formal background. At present this course is not open for challenge. The course is second or third year level.

Bethany Tynes completed her MA in Integrated Studies through AU, and is a Canadian politics junkie.

First of all, what is your role with Athabasca University, and the course?
I have been a professor at AU since October 1, 1981. I wrote the course about 15 years ago when it was becoming obvious that the Internet and digital media were disrupting traditional political practices and activities which normally occurred within a state and its territory. The course was also very much linked to my research on online politics.

When was the course last updated or revised?
The last significant revision was in 2012 but? the course is another person’s hands [now, so] other small changes may have been made since then.

What does the course cover? Could you summarize some of the major ideas or topics discussed?
At the heart of the course is a core concern. Will these digital technologies serve as technologies of freedom and emancipation strengthening democratic processes? Or will they serve as instruments of control, by corporations (?Little Brothers?) or governments (?Big Brothers?? through, for example, mechanisms of surveillance? Does the latter mean that privacy has ended?

The first part of the course examines the capacity of digital technologies and social media to make it possible for anyone with Internet access to be a producer of knowledge and communicate across borders. This is, in effect, part of an information-technology revolution that is providing challenges to existing power structures. The new power that is arising is a form of networked power. The course discusses the rise of a globally networked information economy, an economy that many perceive as working for a few, concentrating economic wealth and creating economic crises (such the 2008 financial crisis which almost resulted in a depression.)

At the same time, the creation of a global informational economy has met with globally networked resistance by those who have been hurt by it. In sum, a theme of the course is the dialectic between domination and resistance.

The course also explores the effect of informational technologies on the democratic processes of the state, its political institutions, its administration, and civil society. In particular, it looks at web tools, including Web 2.0 and its components, such as political blogs, and their effects on the political process. Examined as well is the dark side of the Internet both in terms of surveillance and terrorism.

The course syllabus notes that there are four assignments and one exam in this course. What can students expect, in terms of course structure? Can you talk briefly about the assignments and exam?
Assignment one asks students to write a short essay based on course materials analyzing contradictory aspects (eg. control versus promoting freedom) of digital technologies and the internet.

Assignment two is a research essay proposal whereby the student identifies a topic, explains why this topic was chosen, how it fits into the course, and identifies references and the methodology chosen for the essay.

Assignment three builds upon assignment two and the feedback from the tutor.

Assignment four [online discussion posts] is self-explanatory. The discussion posts are expected to relatively brief and come after Units 3 and 11.

The final examination is a mixture of short answers and essays covering the entire course in which there is choice.

What about course materials? Are there hardcopy books, etexts, online readings, or a combination?
Yes, there are 4 hardcopy books and online readings, the latter found in the course Digital Reading Room.

About how many students take this course in an average year? Is there anything about this course that students tend to find particularly challenging?
As a senior level course, [there are] about 20 [students] per year.

Two texts have a lot of detail but here the students are asked not to miss the forest for the trees. That is, the focus is on the big picture stuff not the micro details. Sometimes students (mistakenly) think they have to know everything.

Why do you feel that this course is valuable for students? Are there parts they find particularly challenging? Why should they choose to enrol?
I think if students want to know what to know about the huge changes that are occurring in the way we practice politics and organize politically, changes which may have profound effect on their lives and careers, then is a good course for them.

Is there anything students know if they’re thinking of taking this course?
If you mean that students have to have a certain prerequisite, then no. However, it is advised to have taken a senior political science, sociology, economics or communications course.

Bethany Tynes completed her MA in Integrated Studies through AU, and is a Canadian politics junkie.

When asked about the major concepts WGST 425 covers, Nielsen explains that “all family therapy is based on the belief that the family is a unique social system with its own structure and patterns of communication. It addresses the problems people present within the context of their relationships with significant persons in their lives and their social networks. Feminist family therapy does this too but it also recognizes the importance of consequences of traditional socialization practices that primarily disadvantage women.”

Deborah Foster offers students a more detailed look at the course, its structure, and uniqueness.

Bethany: Why do you feel that this course is valuable for students?
Deborah: We believe that this course is extremely valuable to students who want to work in the counseling field. It provides a close look at how gender impacts the counseling field and impacts the family. Even if a student is going to work in an allied profession, like nursing, psychology, disabilities services, or front line social work, this course can give very valuable information to both women and men about working with families either as a whole or with individuals who are a part of a family.

Bethany: What can students expect, in terms of course structure and materials?
Deborah: The course is structured like many of the other women and gender studies courses with a few assignments and a take home exam/final assignment. There are parts of a textbook used but many of the readings are from an on line journal called Feminist Family Therapy.

The course is divided into seven units and four take home assignments, [and has] no invigilated final, so no need to memorize things; rather take them in, sort through them, and use what works for you. We believe the four very different assignments allow a student to explore different aspects of counseling information when working with a family from a feminist standpoint.

The first assignment is a rather traditional sort of assignment which involves critiquing course information in short essays. The second assignment is a case study of a family. This assignment has the student list how they would work with the family. The third assignment has students picking a topic and finding a feminist counseling article and a non-feminist counseling article and comparing and contrasting how each counseling method handles the chosen issue. The last assignment involves picking a movie about a family and discussing how you could work with the family to deal with their issues.

The units of the course look at a variety of topics including working with families across the life cycle, working with marginalized families, working with families who have special issues, the influence of the media on families, and of course this course starts with a few units laying the foundation and theory of feminist family therapy.

Bethany: Is there anything about this course that students tend to find particularly challenging?
Deborah: This is a fourth year course so there is an expectation that students can write a solid essay with correct formatting and referencing (preferably APA style). I would say that this and writing an essay which involves critically analysing the content (not just regurgitating back the material) is really the most challenging parts to the course for many. Students should have taken a least one course with a women or gender focus so they understand gender dynamics and how it impacts us all. They should have also taken at least one counselling course (whether that be practice or theory) so they have an understanding of basic counselling strategies and theories, although this course is not heavy on theory, it is heavy on practice and application, which we think makes is both fun and unique among university courses.

Bethany: Is there anything students should know if they’re thinking of taking this course?
Deborah: This is a fun filled course because students get to critique a movie of their choice that has families in it like Meet the Fockers, I am Sam, or My Big Fat Greek Wedding. I think that doing an exercise like this changes how we watch TV and movies for the rest of our lives, so be ready for a paradigm shift of thinking.

Bethany: Is there anything else you could tell me about it?
Deborah: This is a very unique course. When we, as authors of the course, looked across Canada for similar courses we found that really there were no other undergraduate feminist family therapy courses. Consider taking this course. I think you will really enjoy it as you have a lot of freedom to do it your way!

Bethany Tynes completed her MA in Integrated Studies through AU, and is a Canadian politics junkie.

It’s a grim picture, and for the past few years has caused rumours about Athabasca University’s demise to circle like vultures. University officials like then-Board Chair Barry Walker assured the media in 2012 that AU was “in a very sound financial position,” but as AUSU president at the time, I noted that these comments did not reflect the reality we were seeing. University assets have continued to be depleted, and executive salaries have skyrocketed. Faculty and staff email lists saw the circulation of graphics like the one below illustrating facts from some of the university’s financial statements.

Recently, the Alberta Government asked the university to produce a long-term sustainability plan. Interim President Peter MacKinnon chaired a task force to develop this report, which was presented to, and unanimously accepted, by the Board of Governors at their May meeting.

The Task Force report is 45 pages long, and on page 4, declares that “based on our most reliable assumptions, we project the likelihood of insolvency in 2016/2017.” Later, the report reiterates “the status quo is not an option. Without major remediation, our university faces the prospect of insolvency within two years.” Not that anyone should be alarmed right up front, but, you know, if nothing changes, the university will be broke and go under in two years.

“Position vacancies, workforce depletion, and other austerity measures,” introduced by the university over the past few years may have helped to “produce a surplus in an annual operating budget, but they are not contributors to financial stability over a period of years.” So eliminating 113 positions in 2013 might not have helped contribute to the long-term health of the university? How shocking.

“Our present circumstances and condition did not coalesce overnight,” the report continues, offering several factors which might have contributed to the current state of the university: “changes in enrollment demographics, operation funding, tuition policy?” and the list goes on. One of the key difficulties the report notes in depth, however, is funding: “from supporting about 80 percent of the operating budget 30 years ago, the government grant supports about 30 percent of our operating expenses today.” Another key difficulty noted by the report is staff salaries: “the sustainability of Athabasca University has been compromised by terms and conditions of employment” negotiated with AU faculty and staff.

The report does not at any point mention, however, the management of the university or its funds: one might think that this could be relevant, particularly given the university’s history of making illegal donations to political parties, and the previous motion made by faculty and staff unions to express their concern about the university’s leadership, and the highly inaccurate assurances made by the Board Chair that the university was in “a very sound financial position.”

In any case, however, the report lays out four main options for the university moving forward. They are as follows:

1) “A refocusing of the university” to “serve Albertans first”
Yes, the first major option put forward by the report is to limit access to AU courses by out of province students. In fairness to the university, this does have some very straightforward financial logic behind it: AU does not receive any government funding assistance for students who do not physically reside in Alberta. The report very bluntly notes that “AU has not benefitted” from out of province students, so “one option might be for us to serve only, or primarily, students physically resident in Alberta.” Students, ask not what your university can do to educate you, but what you can do to bring more dollars into the university.

However, the report also outlines a number of reasons why this option would have negative consequences for the university: without out of province students, “we could not maintain current levels of programs.” There would be “fewer faculty, tutors, professional and support staff, with negative consequences for students and the student experience.”

2) “An emphasis on efficiency and effectiveness in course delivery and business practices”
Ensuring that the university is being efficient seems like a very good, straightforward idea. But after years of trimming spending at the university, it seems like it would take some very significant changes to create enough additional efficiency to move the university from insolvency in two years to a healthy financial state. The report suggests that “each teaching program” be evaluated “from the standpoint of costs.”

Apparently the cheapest programs to run are those that the university will strive to save, regardless of whether or not they are necessarily the best academically? I can only assume that this is another sign that the university administration has not given up on the idea of rolling a so-called “call centre” model across the holdout Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, despite concerns raised by students and academics about this change.

3) Federation with another Campus Alberta Institution
A merger has also been long-rumoured. The report suggests that “terms and conditions” of a merger would have to be “negotiated between the two institutions and with the Government of Alberta,” but comments that because “geographical proximity is desirable,” an Edmonton institution would be “an obvious possibility.”

While it is alarming to think of AU being subsumed into another university, this could be among the least-bad options put forward in the report, if key aspects of AU’s course and program delivery could be maintained through negotiations. AU students currently have unparalleled flexibility in start dates and program completion timelines, as well as the option to extend courses when life intervenes in their study schedules. These options need to be protected. AU’s open admissions policy would also have to be retained. And most importantly, I would hope that AU students would always continue to receive personal academic assistance from qualified scholars (our tutors and faculty).

4) Affiliations with other institutions and organizations in Campus Alberta and beyond
This option is a delightful diversion from the rest of the report, noting that if AU could effectively fill gaps within Alberta and Canada’s online learning framework, “it could attract important affiliations with organizations such as Google, Mozilla, and Microsoft.” Because if we pray hard enough, the Great Google Gods will not only help us with research, they’ll also fund our university. I want to believe this dream. But you know that saying about things being too good to be true? It seems like this could be one of them.

The Presidential Task Force report notes that the above options will be evaluated according to four assessment criteria: “strategic (e.g. fit with mission); financial (operating and capital costs); compatibility with stakeholder expectations, and efficacy of implementation (time and likelihood of success).”

Interim Board Chair Marg Mrazek told Convocation attendees that AU would “be working very closely with government to further look at the options set out in this report,” as the “options that are set out in the report need to be acted upon now if long-term sustainability is to be achieved.”

In response to the report, AU’s three employee unions have issued a joint press release stating that “the government needs to examine the financial management and decisions made in recent years.” President MacKinnon, meanwhile, has offered assurances to the media that despite talk of insolvency, “Athabasca University is not going to close down.”

MacKinnon also issued a release of his own citing inaccuracies in the union pressers and noting his disappointment with the timing of the release, saying “the unions chose to divert the spotlight away from our students on the very day set aside to mark their success.” ***

The report is, on the whole, a dark document forged from dark times at Athabasca University. It is not entirely without merit, though. Part of the report’s conclusion notes that “Alberta needs Athabasca University ? We can help our province by persevering in our present mission and growing our potential to offer post-secondary opportunities to those who might otherwise by obliged to forego them.”

AU was created by the Province of Alberta to help provide exceptional quality post-secondary education to all people, regardless of their respective (social, cultural, economic, educational, and what-have-you) backgrounds. This is a mission that, despite chronic government underfunding and questionable management, AU continues to achieve. Alberta’s new NDP government (led by former AU tutor Rachel Notley) would do well to consider the benefits that AU provides to Alberta, and fund the university accordingly.

***As an AU student and alumna, I have been privileged to receive excellent support from AU’s academic community. Faculty, tutors, and support staff at Athabasca University consistently demonstrated concern for my well-being as a student. They helped me reach my goals, and they celebrated my successes with me. If these academics and staff feel that an issue is important enough to voice at convocation, I am interested in hearing their concerns. I do not feel that this diminishes my achievements as a graduate.
I was, however, moderately revolted by the plea for cash included in interim board chair Margaret Mrazek’s opening remarks to graduands at Convocation: ?I would like to encourage you to give back to your university… We will be tapping on your shoulders in the future and asking you to work with us to ensure that others have the same opportunity that you have had.? Dr. MacKinnon’s release recognizes that some grads ?overcome incredible obstacles to walk across the stage and receive their degrees.? Is it, then, truly necessary to turn around and ask these same grads to hand over more cash?

Bethany Tynes completed her MA in Integrated Studies through AU, and is a Canadian politics junkie.

Discussions of AU’s financial situation are always relevant and interesting to AU students (and if they’re not, they probably should be). This year it was made especially so because of the release of the report that Bethany Tynes examines in this article that The Voice printed in June about the possibility of AU going insolvent. I also liked it because it introduced me to the word “alumna”. Did you know that there’s a gender difference in the singular of “alumni”? Hey, I’m an English geek, these things are cool to me.

The Conservative Party of Canada notes that when “parents begin saving for their future education,” children get “the best possible start in life.” As such, the Conservative Party plans to help families prepare for post-secondary education by enhancing their current Registered Education Savings Plans program. If re-elected, the Conservative Party pledges to “double the enhanced grant for middle-income families from 10 cents to 20 cents per dollar on the first $500 contributed each year,” and “double the enhanced grant for lower-income families from 20 cents to 40 cents per dollar on the first $500 contributed each year.”

The Conservatives report that 2.59 million children were assisted by government RESP programs in 2014, of whom 900,000 were from low- and middle-income families ? which, incidentally, appears to imply that 1.69 million, or 65%, of the children assisted by this program are already from high-income families. Of course, this promise only impacts the next generation of post-secondary students, rather than those currently taking courses or managing student debt.

The Liberal Party of Canada, concerned that “rising costs have made post-secondary education increasingly out of reach,” puts forward a wider array of promises in their platform. They plan to increase both the number of students eligible for the non-repayable grants, as well as the amount of the grants. “We will increase the maximum Canada Student Grant for low-income students to $3,000 per year for full-time students, and to $1,800 per year for part-time students,” and “we will increase the income thresholds for eligibility, giving more Canadian students access,” they pledge. This will result in Liberals increasing funding to the program by “$750 million per year, rising to $900 million per year by 2019/20.”

The Liberals would also increase the amount of income graduates can earn before being required to begin repaying their student loans. By “changing the income thresholds in the Repayment Assistance Plan,” the Liberals would “pay the interest on student loans until graduates begin to earn sufficient incomes to take over their own payments and repay their own loans.”

The New Democratic Party platform on post-secondary is also surprisingly short, considering that the party has long been seen as an ardent supporter of access to education for all people. The NDP platform discusses how students, for too long, have “have mortgaged their future in student loans” in order to afford post-secondary education. Only two solutions, however, are put forward, both of which are fairly moderate. The NDP’s main promise regarding post-secondary is to “make education more accessible and affordable by phasing out interest on all federal student loans” over the course of the next seven years.

The NDP also commits to increase funding to the Canada Student Grants program by $250 million over four years, and to focus this funding “on helping low-income and Indigenous students, as well as students living with disabilities.” While increases to non-repayable student funding are certainly something that improves student access, the amount of this pledge seems particularly limited when It’s contrasted against the $750 million per year pledged by the Liberals to the same program.

The Green Party of Canada offers by far the most radical solution. Green Party would begin by “abolishing tuition fees for students without adequate financial means,” increasing funding for First Nations students, “implementing a debt forgiveness program” to eliminate all “existing or future student federal debt above $10,000,” and abolishing interest on new student loans.

And That’s just how they’d start. The Green Party cites the example of many European countries by noting that

many of the world’s most successful economies have proven that expanding the public education system to include post-secondary increases prosperity, equality, productivity, and economic competitiveness? Through consultation and collaboration with provincial governments and universities and colleges, by 2020 we will abolish tuition fees for post-secondary education and skills training for Canadians, guaranteeing that income is never a barrier for qualified students.

This plan certainly entitles the Greens to proclaim that they will “SLASH CANADA’S STUDENT DEBT TODAY, AND ABOLISH TUITION FEES FOR COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY EDUCATION FOR STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES” [emphasis original].

So which party puts forward the best post-secondary promises? The Green Party certainly offers the highest-value promises for post-secondary students. But if you are planning have a comfortable income and are planning to save for your children’s education, then the Conservatives could help you build your savings with enhanced RESPs. And if you already have student loans, the Liberals could help you qualify for Repayment Assistance, or the NDP could remove interest from your loans.

Check out each party’s platform. See what they have to say about what’s important to you. Then, on Monday, Oct. 19, help choose the Canada (and Canadian post-secondary system) that you want to see ? VOTE!

Bethany Tynes completed her MA in Integrated Studies through AU, and is a Canadian politics junkie.

Dr. Karen Nielsen has “been part of AU for about 25 years, long before computers and email!” She currently serves as instructor for two graduate courses and tutors several undergraduate courses in the areas of Women’s and Gender Studies and Criminal Justice, including WGST 422.

The material in WGST 422 is “wide ranging,” says Nielsen. “Theories of violence against women are critically evaluated, as are the politics of violence including the individual and institutional practices that maintain and perpetuate the violence. It also looks at specific issues such as the effects of development and globalization on women’s vulnerability to violence.”

When asked why this course could be valuable, Nielsen offers an in-depth answer:
I believe that this course is very important especially in today’s interconnected world where all of our students are increasingly exposed to violence and gender based discrimination even beyond their own communities. This course takes the approach that violence against women is a consequence of gender-based discrimination and gender inequality ?a pervasive, world-wide inequality that escalates and perpetuates the imbalance of power between men and women. Violence against women and girls is a huge human rights issue all over the world; they are routinely subjected to torture, starvation, humiliation, and murder just because they are female. In spite of this and in spite of a number of UN Nations Declarations about violence against women, women’s rights are not commonly seen as human rights. The overarching goal WGST 422 is to give students a human rights perspective of violence against women, both nationally and internationally.

To help students accomplish this goal, “as with all AU courses, students receive all of the materials they need to complete the course. There are texts and most importantly, a detailed Study Guide that guides the students through the five units that comprise this course. There are also suggested reading lists and of course, students have access to hundreds of relevant journals and books through AU’s library.”

Dr. Deborah Foster also serves as a tutor for WGST 422, and adds that students’ final grades are “based mostly on research papers, some of which only require research from the course materials while others expect students to research the topic of violence against women using AU library resources. This is a fourth year course, so students are expected to be able to critically evaluate material at a senior undergraduate level and effectively reference this material using a referencing style such as APA.”

Student Mistelle Montague says that WGST 422 has been her overall favourite course, and that it “pushed [her] toward pursuing gender studies more seriously.” When asked about why she enjoyed the course, Montague explains that “the course never felt like a chore to complete. It helped that my tutor was fantastic! The materials kept me engaged and everything was easy to follow.”

Montague continues: “The course focuses on violence against women on a global level. It touches on intimate partner violence, the sex trade, and various factors that play a role in women’s vulnerability – for example the societal promotion of women as a subordinate and the ?other?.”

“The challenge to this particular course is in the readings,” Montague says. “They are in depth and at times I did need to walk away and take a break.” She also offers a word of caution: “there is sensitive subject matter involved” in this course, and “it could definitely be a trigger for some people.”

“Students may find some of the material emotionally challenging,” Nielsen explains, because “it is a difficult subject, especially the material that includes hearing the personal accounts of women who have been victims of violence.” She further notes though that “tutors, who have experience in this field, both academically and professionally, are always available to help their students to process the emotional impact.”

“Many of our students are women, and because of the prevalence of violence in Canada and world-wide, many of them will have experienced some level of gender based violence and discrimination. Their experiences certainly add another dimension in terms of learning but potential students should give thought to their own emotional well-being and ask themselves if they are ready to engage with this material. As I have already mentioned, tutors are available to help students to process the material both from an acade mic or emotional perspective.”

Bethany Tynes completed her MA in Integrated Studies through AU, and is a Canadian politics junkie.

Dr. MacKinnon, you have an incredible list of career achievements ? would you be able to tell students how you first came to be involved with Athabasca University?
In early 2014, the university had just gone through a search process for a full-term president, and that process was not successful. The board asked me to come to Athabasca as an interim president, and, you know, what really intrigued me about the possibility was the mission of the university as an open university and an online university, but particularly as an open university, it basically said to people “look, whoever you are, wherever you are, whatever your background, university education is possible at Athabasca!” That appealed to me, so I took the job.

Is there anything in particular that you hope to accomplish as AU’s Interim President?
Well, naturally, your first focus is to bring about the conditions that will enable a successful search for the next full-term president. So whatever it is that compromised the search the first time, you want to make sure That’s addressed. Naturally at a time like this when there are enrollment challenges or other issues, you want to do what you can to help the university. It’s a very important and unique institution and you want to do what you can to help the university, so That’s really how I see my job.

Are you able to comment on whether there is a presidential search currently underway?
Well I think that certainly a key feature of the sustainability report, for me at least, and I think for the institution, is to get clarity around the circumstances of the university to make progress?particularly with Alberta Innovation and Advanced Education, the ministry responsible for universities and colleges, and to gain sufficient clarity around the stability and the future of the university?to allow the search to go forward. I think we’re partly there. The picture is, as yet, incomplete. I think we’re making progress and having the kinds of conversations that we need to have. The university board is responsible for conducting the search, but I think we’re making progress in creating conditions in which the board can continue the search and identify the next full-term president.

You also briefly mentioned the task force report, and it put forward four main options (refocusing to serve Albertans first, emphasizing efficiencies, federation with another institution, or affiliations with other organizations). Are there any of these that strike you as being particularly good news for AU students?
Well, I think that there’s plenty of good news for students. And those options aren’t intended to be definitive, final, and exhaustive, but you want to have a disciplined conversation around the future of the university. There are all kinds of rumours, there’s all kinds of speculation, there are all kinds of anecdotal comments about what the future holds, but the task force report was intended to provoke the beginning of a disciplined conversation around the future of the university. And that conversation doesn’t just take place within the university; it does take place with government, and potentially with others. But I think there are a lot of things in those options. A careful reading of them?and I think one of the problems is that these reports are not always read before they’re commented upon?but, obviously effectiveness and efficiencies, and we’re at work on those, but can we do better there? There are limits, of course, but can we do better there?

You know, I think that Alberta and Canada should be more ambitious about the prospects for open, online education. You see that one of the appendices attached to the task force report talks a bit about the Open University in the United Kingdom and about Open Universities Australia. I think Alberta could put forward a more ambitious face to Canada, and Canada to the world, for online, open education. I’d like to see that. I think that it would be great for Athabasca University because we’d be a natural leader there. I think there’s tremendous potential, and I hope that we can see progress.

You mentioned working with government; has the recent change of government in Alberta had any impact on this work or the university’s future?
It’s early to tell, It’s early to tell. We have had some encouraging signs of interest and concern, so yes. In terms of the ministry, we continue to work primarily through the public servants in the ministry, and those conversations have started and are, I think, good conversations. So we’ll see as time goes by. I would be optimistic about the possibilities of the conversations going forward.

You mentioned working with public service; have you had the opportunity to meet with Minister Sigurdson yet?
I’ve got a request in to meet with her. As you can imagine, the list of requested meetings is a long list, but I have requested a meeting and I have renewed the request, and I’m hopeful that sometime ? who knows, maybe in late July or sometime in August, that there will be the opportunity to sit down with the Minister personally and brief her on the situation. Other people at the university no doubt have opportunities to talk with her as well, and certainly we encourage conversations on the part of all who have channels of communication into the government to utilize them constructively and to urge attention to our circumstances.

Do you anticipate any changes to the post-secondary funding model, or specifically to AU’s funding, under the new government?
Well, do I anticipate? I’m hopeful. I’m hopeful because I think that is part of the picture. A careful reading of the task force report would inform readers that this university is quite unique in terms of its funding circumstances, and it has not worked to its advantage. Thirty years ago, more than 80% of the university’s operating cost was supported by government, now It’s around 30% – obviously something has been happening to our funding. That’s the lowest of all public institutions as a percentage of operating cost, the lowest of all public institutions, and lower than two of the five independent institutions. Some of that reflects the demographics, with the out of province students, but my heavens, It’s a very, very challenging set of circumstances in which to work, believe me.

One of the options in the report was, essentially, to find efficiencies within the university. The university has done quite a bit of belt-tightening over the past few years ? for example, after the 2013 budget cuts, 113 positions were eliminated, and when the etext rollout was originally presented to the board, it projected an annual savings of $1 million. How realistic is it that sufficient efficiencies can be found to offset the financial challenges the university faces?
I think That’s a great question. Again, we say in the report, we acknowledge that we have, in fact, engaged in incrementalism a lot, and we may be reaching its limits, but at the same time, we shouldn’t ignore all the possibilities, and if we can identify other efficiencies in some of our process that will advance sustainability, great. But there are limits, as you point out, and we asked the question of whether we are getting close to those limits with all that has gone on over the last few years.

Are there any particular areas where you might see a potential for future efficiencies?
You know, I think I’m going to wait for the reports on that. We have asked the deans to lead on the academic side of our processes; we’ve got deans in whom we’ve got great confidence, and we want them to lead, in which, on the academic side, in the programs we offer, in the courses that we offer, in the student services that we have, to help us identify the possibilities. I wouldn’t want to anticipate what those might be in advance. But we know that over time, some of our courses become dated. Over time, some of our programs need to be adjusted. Have we exhausted the possibilities and the potential there? That remains to be seen and we’ll look forward to the leadership of our deans on that.

In terms of the more business side of the organization, I think we’ll probably rely on some external assistance to help us, because, sometimes, fresh eyes can see what we don’t see. So these processes are underway, and I’m hopeful that they will yield whatever results are out there, but I wouldn’t want to judge what those could be in advance.

And were there any options in the report that you feel could be challenging to AU students, or to certain pockets of students? I know the out of province students would obviously be concerned about refocusing to serve Albertans first?
Right. And by the way, I think that would diminish our university. I think the report was clear about that.

So, shifting away from the report, there have been rumours swirling around over the years about the potential for AU to create a distance-based law school. As you are a lawyer and law professor, do you think that that would ever be possible, or something that AU would be able to look at?
I think It’s a really intriguing possibility, and we have made some progress already. There are AU faculty members that have been doing some excellent background work on the possibility and it has been greeted positively by General Faculties Council and by the Board, and they are continuing to develop the possibility into a full proposal I believe. I think It’s an interesting one, and I think as well that It’s one that will require some collaboration between Athabasca and one of the campus-based law schools in Alberta, with U of A or U of C, because there are some things for which we would want our students on site, so a collaborative, blended model, I think would make a lot of sense. It’s a possibility, It’s moving forward, and we’re excited about the potential.

Is there anything else you think students should know about the future of AU?
What I emphasize over and over again is that Athabasca University’s great strength ? its wonderful, unique strength ? is its openness. The reality is that Athabasca University makes available education to students who would otherwise find it very difficult or impossible to access. That is a wonderful mission and it is an increasingly important mission; It’s important to Alberta and to Canada. Athabasca University has been a pioneer and I believe can continue to be a leader in that sphere. And that makes it a tremendously important Albertan and Canadian institution. That’s what I believe, and I believe it passionately.

Bethany Tynes completed her MA in Integrated Studies through AU, and is a Canadian politics junkie.

When I went up to AU’s Convocation ceremonies this year, I had the chance to meet AUSU President, Shawna Wasylyshyn, in person, and was so fascinated by what she had to say that I asked if she would be willing to be interviewed for The Voice. She agreed, and answered a number of questions for me by email.

Here’s what Shawna had to say about what she sees as actually going on at AUSU these days.

Shawna, thank you for taking the time to speak to me! I’m sure students will be really interested to read about your perspective on AUSU and how you’d like to move forward. But for starters, how long have you been an AU student, and what are you taking?
I transferred to AU from the University of Saskatchewan in 2011, and enrolled in the Bachelor of Management program.

What made you first want to get involved in AUSU council?
I had been looking for a way to get involved at AU for a while. I spent a lot of time clicking around on the AU website and trying to find local student groups to network or connect with, without much luck. I wanted to get involved because I was sure there were more students like me, who wanted to make those connections, and I felt that AUSU could play a key role in that. What better way than to run for Council and do it myself?!

How did you come to be interested in serving as President?
Funny you should ask! I never thought I would be President of AUSU! A month or so after I became VPEX, AUSU’s President resigned and per our bylaws, I took over the role. Now that I’ve settled into the role, I have found that it suits my personality and skill set well.

What are your hopes and goals for Council over the coming year?
When I was first elected, I wanted to increase awareness in the services offered by AUSU, and offer opportunities for students to connect with each other, and I still do! We have so many new services to roll out, it promises to be an exciting year! I would like Council to continue to increase interest in our services, advocate for the best interests of students, and work as a cohesive team to accomplish our goals.

Do you feel council will be able to achieve these aims? How?
I hope so! Council has recently voted to implement some great new services, such as a free app and a new website that will allow for more awareness and interaction with AUSU and other members. Now we need to ensure they are rolled out seamlessly and promoted like crazy! AUSU has some awesome services, and our work isn’t done until every member knows about them. On the advocacy side, we also have passed a motion to join the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA). I am so excited about the opportunities this partnership will bring for AUSU to advocate for online/distance education.

So what is advocacy, and why is it important? How will joining CASA help AUSU?
Advocacy is publicly supporting a cause or policy, and It’s a big part of what a Students’ Union does. Joining an advocacy group, specifically CASA, will help because as a group of over 20 Students’ Unions from across Canada; they have a larger voice. CASA advocates on the national level on topics that benefit students, such as accessibility to financial aid and youth employment.

AUSU has had a lot of staff turnover lately, with the departure of an executive director that had been with the organization more than a decade, and the recent resignation of the new executive director, who had served as AUSU’s office coordinator for many years. How do these changes impact AUSU moving forward?
Staff turnover has a huge impact on an organization, and even more so when there is a small staff. We are working hard to implement procedures to try to retain as much institutional knowledge as we can.

What about the motions (to recommend the expulsion of AUSU executive members and recommend a forensic audit of AUSU’s books) passed at the AGM last month: when can students expect to hear more about how council intends to deal with these recommendations?
Following the AGM, we consulted with our lawyer as well as with Alberta Innovations and Advanced Education, to determine what we should do about the bylaw infraction recommendations. We received verbal advice from both agencies, and are now waiting for a formal legal opinion in order to prepare an official press release on the topic.

In regards to the forensic audit recommendation, I would like to create an ad-hoc committee, comprised of councillors, members and staff to review the recommendation for a forensic audit, the findings of our recent annual financial audit and at least two RFP’s from auditors. I would like that group to report to council on the necessity and cost of the audit, and if they find it necessary I would definitely support it. However, AUSU bylaws don’t allow for the President alone to create a committee and so far, I don’t have the support of council to create one. So for now the Member Engagement and Communications Committee is working on putting together some ideas on how to get the opinions of more members on the audit recommendation.

What about involving AUSU’s Finance Committee in discussions about the need for a more in-depth audit – have they been consulted as well?
All of Council has been involved in [discussing] how we will address the forensic audit recommendation.

Council recently discussed whether the Voice continues to be of value to AUSU members. What do you think? Is a student newspaper a worthwhile service for students?
What a hot topic! I know that there has been a lot of discussion surrounding the cost, readership and content of the Voice, most of which took place before I was an executive councillor. I’m not someone who gives up on something easily, and when I became VPEX, my first instinct was to ask “how can I help?” In a meeting with the Voice editor, I asked him what I could do to help The Voice, and AUSU has made good on our pledge to follow through on his request to continue promoting the magazine.

I don’t know of a students’ union in Alberta that doesn’t have a weekly newspaper or magazine. I think that a newspaper IS a worthwhile service for students. Maybe there are ways we can make our service better or maybe we could promote it differently. The results from our recent survey on services show the Voice as being under-utilized, along with a few of our other services as well. I think we could do a lot better at promoting ALL of our services.

Is a Writer in Residence program still being considered? What can you tell us about it at this point? What would the implementation of the Writer in Residence program mean for the future of The Voice?
Some research has been done about implementing a Writer in Residence. Council is currently finalizing the 2015 goals list, which will set our direction for the rest of the term. In my view, the WIR implementation is a trial. I don’t see a problem with exploring options and trying new things, and a WIR is a neat idea.

We’ve also seen a lot of articles recently about AUSU spending and salaries. Are you able to comment on the recent executive wage increases? How did the idea to raise wages originate, and why did you believe it was the best course of action?
Last fall, at the request of council an email discussion thread was started by our former Executive Director. [This thread] included staff and non-executive councillors. The ED provided those councillors with a spreadsheet containing the salaries and benefits of other student’s union executives across Alberta. Upon reviewing the spreadsheet, it was discovered that while AUSU Executive salary was similar to other SU’s, AUSU executives work full time 12 months per year, but according to the information given, others worked only 8. The executive salary increase was approved unanimously by non-executive council, to pay the same salary per month worked, on average, across Alberta.

Were any other Alberta SU’s contacted directly and asked how many months they work?
I personally did not contact any other Students’ Unions, and I am not aware of how the information for the spreadsheet was collected.

What else should readers of The Voice know about you, your council, and the future of AUSU?
What I would like people to know about me is that I am a student, just like they are! I am an AUSU member, councillor, and President because I am trying to finish my degree. I got involved with AUSU to contribute to a better post-secondary experience for other distance learners! I am also a Mom, a wife and an avid volunteer in my community. I love to connect with other students and welcome anyone to contact me at president@ausu.org or tweet me @ausu_president

Our council is a very passionate group of students who care deeply about AUSU, distance education, and the future of AU. I have learned a lot from this group in the last year and a half! The future of AUSU is bright! I encourage all members to get involved! Check out our services! Run for council! Read the Voice! AUSU is only as good as its members make it!

Bethany Tynes completed her MA in Integrated Studies through AU, and is a Canadian politics junkie.

It’s a grim picture, and for the past few years has caused rumours about Athabasca University’s demise to circle like vultures. University officials like then-Board Chair Barry Walker assured the media in 2012 that AU was “in a very sound financial position,” but as AUSU president at the time, I noted that these comments did not reflect the reality we were seeing. University assets have continued to be depleted, and executive salaries have skyrocketed. Faculty and staff email lists saw the circulation of graphics like the one below illustrating facts from some of the university’s financial statements.

Recently, the Alberta Government asked the university to produce a long-term sustainability plan. Interim President Peter MacKinnon chaired a task force to develop this report, which was presented to, and unanimously accepted, by the Board of Governors at their May meeting.

The Task Force report is 45 pages long, and on page 4, declares that “based on our most reliable assumptions, we project the likelihood of insolvency in 2016/2017.” Later, the report reiterates “the status quo is not an option. Without major remediation, our university faces the prospect of insolvency within two years.” Not that anyone should be alarmed right up front, but, you know, if nothing changes, the university will be broke and go under in two years.

“Position vacancies, workforce depletion, and other austerity measures,” introduced by the university over the past few years may have helped to “produce a surplus in an annual operating budget, but they are not contributors to financial stability over a period of years.” So eliminating 113 positions in 2013 might not have helped contribute to the long-term health of the university? How shocking.

“Our present circumstances and condition did not coalesce overnight,” the report continues, offering several factors which might have contributed to the current state of the university: “changes in enrollment demographics, operation funding, tuition policy?” and the list goes on. One of the key difficulties the report notes in depth, however, is funding: “from supporting about 80 percent of the operating budget 30 years ago, the government grant supports about 30 percent of our operating expenses today.” Another key difficulty noted by the report is staff salaries: “the sustainability of Athabasca University has been compromised by terms and conditions of employment” negotiated with AU faculty and staff.

The report does not at any point mention, however, the management of the university or its funds: one might think that this could be relevant, particularly given the university’s history of making illegal donations to political parties, and the previous motion made by faculty and staff unions to express their concern about the university’s leadership, and the highly inaccurate assurances made by the Board Chair that the university was in “a very sound financial position.”

In any case, however, the report lays out four main options for the university moving forward. They are as follows:

1) “A refocusing of the university” to “serve Albertans first”
Yes, the first major option put forward by the report is to limit access to AU courses by out of province students. In fairness to the university, this does have some very straightforward financial logic behind it: AU does not receive any government funding assistance for students who do not physically reside in Alberta. The report very bluntly notes that “AU has not benefitted” from out of province students, so “one option might be for us to serve only, or primarily, students physically resident in Alberta.” Students, ask not what your university can do to educate you, but what you can do to bring more dollars into the university.

However, the report also outlines a number of reasons why this option would have negative consequences for the university: without out of province students, “we could not maintain current levels of programs.” There would be “fewer faculty, tutors, professional and support staff, with negative consequences for students and the student experience.”

2) “An emphasis on efficiency and effectiveness in course delivery and business practices”
Ensuring that the university is being efficient seems like a very good, straightforward idea. But after years of trimming spending at the university, it seems like it would take some very significant changes to create enough additional efficiency to move the university from insolvency in two years to a healthy financial state. The report suggests that “each teaching program” be evaluated “from the standpoint of costs.”

Apparently the cheapest programs to run are those that the university will strive to save, regardless of whether or not they are necessarily the best academically? I can only assume that this is another sign that the university administration has not given up on the idea of rolling a so-called “call centre” model across the holdout Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, despite concerns raised by students and academics about this change.

3) Federation with another Campus Alberta Institution
A merger has also been long-rumoured. The report suggests that “terms and conditions” of a merger would have to be “negotiated between the two institutions and with the Government of Alberta,” but comments that because “geographical proximity is desirable,” an Edmonton institution would be “an obvious possibility.”

While it is alarming to think of AU being subsumed into another university, this could be among the least-bad options put forward in the report, if key aspects of AU’s course and program delivery could be maintained through negotiations. AU students currently have unparalleled flexibility in start dates and program completion timelines, as well as the option to extend courses when life intervenes in their study schedules. These options need to be protected. AU’s open admissions policy would also have to be retained. And most importantly, I would hope that AU students would always continue to receive personal academic assistance from qualified scholars (our tutors and faculty).

4) Affiliations with other institutions and organizations in Campus Alberta and beyond
This option is a delightful diversion from the rest of the report, noting that if AU could effectively fill gaps within Alberta and Canada’s online learning framework, “it could attract important affiliations with organizations such as Google, Mozilla, and Microsoft.” Because if we pray hard enough, the Great Google Gods will not only help us with research, they’ll also fund our university. I want to believe this dream. But you know that saying about things being too good to be true? It seems like this could be one of them.

The Presidential Task Force report notes that the above options will be evaluated according to four assessment criteria: “strategic (e.g. fit with mission); financial (operating and capital costs); compatibility with stakeholder expectations, and efficacy of implementation (time and likelihood of success).”

Interim Board Chair Marg Mrazek told Convocation attendees that AU would “be working very closely with government to further look at the options set out in this report,” as the “options that are set out in the report need to be acted upon now if long-term sustainability is to be achieved.”

In response to the report, AU’s three employee unions have issued a joint press release stating that “the government needs to examine the financial management and decisions made in recent years.” President MacKinnon, meanwhile, has offered assurances to the media that despite talk of insolvency, “Athabasca University is not going to close down.”

MacKinnon also issued a release of his own citing inaccuracies in the union pressers and noting his disappointment with the timing of the release, saying “the unions chose to divert the spotlight away from our students on the very day set aside to mark their success.” ***

The report is, on the whole, a dark document forged from dark times at Athabasca University. It is not entirely without merit, though. Part of the report’s conclusion notes that “Alberta needs Athabasca University ? We can help our province by persevering in our present mission and growing our potential to offer post-secondary opportunities to those who might otherwise by obliged to forego them.”

AU was created by the Province of Alberta to help provide exceptional quality post-secondary education to all people, regardless of their respective (social, cultural, economic, educational, and what-have-you) backgrounds. This is a mission that, despite chronic government underfunding and questionable management, AU continues to achieve. Alberta’s new NDP government (led by former AU tutor Rachel Notley) would do well to consider the benefits that AU provides to Alberta, and fund the university accordingly.

***As an AU student and alumna, I have been privileged to receive excellent support from AU’s academic community. Faculty, tutors, and support staff at Athabasca University consistently demonstrated concern for my well-being as a student. They helped me reach my goals, and they celebrated my successes with me. If these academics and staff feel that an issue is important enough to voice at convocation, I am interested in hearing their concerns. I do not feel that this diminishes my achievements as a graduate.
I was, however, moderately revolted by the plea for cash included in interim board chair Margaret Mrazek’s opening remarks to graduands at Convocation: ?I would like to encourage you to give back to your university… We will be tapping on your shoulders in the future and asking you to work with us to ensure that others have the same opportunity that you have had.? Dr. MacKinnon’s release recognizes that some grads ?overcome incredible obstacles to walk across the stage and receive their degrees.? Is it, then, truly necessary to turn around and ask these same grads to hand over more cash?

Bethany Tynes completed her MA in Integrated Studies through AU, and is a Canadian politics junkie.

Convocation 2015 took place June 11-13th, with one ceremony taking place each day. Each year, Thursday’s ceremony is for grads from the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences and Science and the Faculty of Science and Technology; Friday is for those from the Faculty of Health Disciplines, and Saturday is for those from the Faculty of Business.

The day begins with a hot breakfast and gowning for the ceremony participants. The buildings on campus are open, allowing students to wander at will, and see some of the departments they’ve communicated with through the course of their studies?like the very real, physical library, from whence all our little packages of books come! Soon, though, it is time for guests to find their seats, and grads to arrange themselves by program.

For the past few years, ASANI, an Aboriginal women’s trio, has lead the ceremony’s opening processional with drumming and song. When the last of the grads and platform party reaches their places on the stage, ASANI moves into Oh Canada, performing the anthem in English, French, and Cree. Their rendition is both beautiful and unsettling (you can listen on their website to see what I mean).

Marg Mrazek, Interim Chair of Athabasca University’s Board of Governors, offers the first welcome to graduands each day. Most of Mrazek’s comments sound like they’re taken directly from AU marketing materials: “for 45 years, Athabasca University has been and continues to be an open university; a virtual community dedicated to making it possible for anyone to pursue a postsecondary education? Athabasca University is recognized as a worldwide leader in online, open, postsecondary education.” She also took time, however, to congratulate the recipients of this year’s “1,469 undergraduate and graduate degrees,” noting that “the success of our students is the success of our university.”

Interim President Peter MacKinnon thanks grads for making the trip to attend Convocation, and stressed the importance of the occasion: “Of the hundreds of convocations, and there have been hundreds that I have attended over my career, this one stands out. It stands out because of its uniqueness, because it focuses upon you, our students and our graduates, and especially your stories.”

And then the graduands cross the stage, becoming graduates. Doctoral programs first, then Masters, then Bachelors. When RSVPing to attend Convocation, grads fill out a questionnaire about themselves and their time studying at AU, and from these answers, brief biographies are composed and read as each grad crosses the stage. It gives grads and guests (not only family and friends, but also members of the AU faculty, staff, and administration) a chance to get to know the grads, and hear about their struggles and successes.

On Thursday, MAIS graduate (and previous AU BA grad) Desi Valentine gave a particularly stirring address to graduates, discussing the skepticism with which others had viewed her studies at Athabasca University, and how some in her community felt that postsecondary would not be possible for her. Valentine stood before the crowd as recipient of the Governor General’s Gold Medal, an award for outstanding scholastic achievement. “We are the graduates of Athabasca University,” Valentine said. “There is no impossible for us!” The crowd immediately rose to their feet in a standing ovation.

Perhaps my favourite part of Convocation has always been the recessional. Piper Ted Soltys leads the way (because no ceremony is official or complete without bagpipes), and the AU faculty and tutors in attendance follow first. As they near the auditorium doors, the two columns of academics separate along each edge of the carpeted path. The grads then leave the stage and, after they walk down the centre aisle among the guests in attendance, they pass through between the rows of academics, who enthusiastically clap, cheer, and congratulate them.

And then more food! A huge thanks to Athabasca’s two student unions for supplying lunch after the convocation ceremony this year. Thursday’s lasagna was particularly delicious and plentiful. Lunch also gives grads the opportunity to mingle with other members of the AU community (fellow grads, academics, support staff, and even members of the executive and board) before they begin their respective trips home.

Convocation 2015 was a time to celebrate the successes of AU students. Those who have completed their degrees can serve as an inspiration to all the students still chipping away at courses and wondering if they’ll ever finish. As Desi Valentine noted, there may be challenges along our educational paths, but we are AU students, and “there is no impossible for us!”

Bethany Tynes completed her MA in Integrated Studies through AU, and is a Canadian politics junkie.