It was on March 1, 2018 then the NDP government gave the green light for RDC to pursue university status. (rdnewsNOW file photo)

By Josh Hall

degrees could still be granted, province says

Province reconsidering RDC’s university transition

Jan 18, 2021 | 6:29 PM

It would appear Red Deer College becoming Red Deer University is once again a matter of if, not when.

Demetrios Nicolaides, Alberta’s Minister of Advanced Education, is considering halting the transition process for both Red Deer College and Grande Prairie Regional College to become universities, as first reported by CBC.

rdnewsNOW reported last April that the university transition was on hold pending a review by the UCP government of post-secondary education in Alberta. RDC President Dr. Peter Nunoda conceded at the time that their hopes of becoming a university by fall 2020 had been dashed.

It was on March 1, 2018 that then-Premier Rachel Notley and Advanced Education Minister Marlin Schmidt announced that Red Deer College can now pursue becoming a degree-granting university. On March 5, 2019, RDC announced it would change its name to Red Deer University once the transition was complete.

The Ministry of Advanced Education told rdnewsNOW on Monday that their shared goal is ensuring RDC is well positioned to meet the needs of students, industry and the community.

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“We are considering all options very carefully, but it should be noted that Red Deer College can offer degrees without becoming a university,” the ministry said in a statement.

“RDC currently has two applications under review for a Bachelor of Education and a Bachelor of Science. If Red Deer College were to fully transition to a university, some programs could be closed, specifically trades, which are not offered at universities. This would be a significant barrier for students and for workforce development in the region.”

The statement adds, “As part of the Alberta 2030 strategy, a review is being undertaken to determine what the post-secondary needs are throughout Alberta and how best to deliver them. This includes finding new opportunities to help Red Deer College meet the needs of students and the community now, and well into the future.”

President Nunoda was unavailable for an interview Monday, but said in a statement that RDC and ministry enjoy a close working relationship.

Nunoda says there is a mutual understanding between the two parties that while work continues behind the scenes on program development, including degrees, they are awaiting outcomes identified in the Alberta 2030 post-secondary system review.

“RDC anticipated a transition time of three to five years and with the post-secondary system review we are still within that timeframe,” says Nunoda.

“RDC looks forward to collaborating with the Ministry of Advanced Education and all post-secondary partners to implement the final recommendations from the Alberta 2030 post-secondary system review. We do not anticipate any barriers for our ability to offer degrees and the breadth of other credentials we currently offer to best serve our students and communities in the future.”

The Alberta 2030 review is said to include an assessment of the governance structure of the province’s current post-secondary system, assessment of how that system is meeting current and future needs, and how schools may provide best value for public investment

Nunoda also noted at the time that RDC had submitted two proposals to the province for new degrees – a Bachelor of Education and a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences. He said they could be launched by Sept. 2021.

RDC announced last April it was suspending applications for five existing programs.

NDP Advanced Education Critic David Eggen says it’s very concerning if this is the path the UCP is going down, calling it a step backwards.

“We’re very concerned because we made the choice to move RDC down the path to full university status. The city has more than 100,000 people now and we need to make sure we have capacity in all regions to train our young people, especially for jobs we need in this province,” Eggen said. “I think it’s a sign of disrespect by this UCP government that they’d put the university status for Red Deer in jeopardy.”

Eggen says the report demonstrates a lack of respect by the UCP for the city and process that’s unfolded thus far, and hopes Nicolaides will reconsider.