WHAT: Panel discussion on the future of higher education with three post-secondary institutions’ presidents sponsored by Alberta Union of Provincial Employees.
PART OF: AUPE conference on issues facing employees and others in the Education Services Sector.
WHERE: Red Deer Lodge, 4311 – 49th Ave., Red Deer.
WHEN: 3 p.m., Thursday, May 2

NAIT, NorQuest and Athabasca U presidents to take part in AUPE conference

RED DEER – The presidents of three Alberta institutions of higher learning will participate in a panel discussion on the future of post-secondary education in Alberta sponsored by the province’s largest union on Thursday.

"All of us in the education community share the same challenges when it comes to funding programs and employing the people needed to keep institutions of higher education operating smoothly," said Dan MacLennan, president of the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees.

"Administrators, academics and support staff all face the same constraints, all of which can affect the security and conditions of employment under which AUPE’s members work," he added. "One major objective of this convention will be to develop a strategy of influencing the policy-makers here in Canada’s richest province to foster a secure, properly funded higher education system.

"That’s why we’re so pleased to have the presidents of the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology, NorQuest College and Athabasca University as part of our Education Sector Conference in Red Deer this year," MacLennan said.

NAIT President Dr. Sam Shaw, NorQuest President Dr. Wayne Shillington and Athabasca President Dr. Dominique Abrioux will participate in the moderated panel discussion on issues facing post-secondary education on Thursday, May 2, at the Red Deer Lodge, 4311 – 49th Ave. Red Deer.

"This will provide an unusual opportunity for administrators and union members to share ideas and observations on challenges that face all of us in this sector," MacLennan said.

AUPE – which represents more than 48,000 members in government, health care, education and boards and agencies throughout Alberta – has approximately 6,000 members who work in the province’s universities, colleges and technical institutions.

About 50 delegates and other participants will attend the three-day conference in Red Deer, said AUPE Union Representative, Steve Nimchuk, who organized the conference.

The conference will also include sessions on the state of employee benefit plans at Alberta post-secondary institutions, pensions in which college, university and technical institution employees are enrolled, and an update on the state of higher education in Alberta in 2001 and 2002, Nimchuk said.

Participants will also attend a seminar on provincial government decision making presented by Paul McLoughlin, publisher of Alberta Scan.

At 7:30 p.m. on Friday, May 3, Red Deer North MLA Mary Ann Jablonski will address the conference.

Representatives of the media are welcome to attend any session of the conference.


For more information, contact:
Dan MacLennan, President, 780-930-3301 or 780-910-8392 (cellular phone)
Steve Nimchuk, Union Representative, AUPE, 780-930-3341 or 780-919-4831 (cellular phone)
David Climenhaga, Communications Director, AUPE, 780-930-3311 or 780-717-2942 (cellular phone)

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