Board of Governors approves 2019-20 operating budget

The Board of Governors approved a $401-million operating budget for the 2019-20 fiscal year at its March 26 meeting, balancing revenues including the BC government grant and tuition, with expenditures that include scholarships, fellowships and academic programming.

The three-year Planning and Budget Framework ensures alignment between the university’s Strategic Framework 2018-23 and the academic and operational priorities for the next three years along with their associated resource commitments in the upcoming year. 

Areas of focus represent the Strategic Framework’s priorities and strategies in its six key areas: cultivate an extraordinary academic environment; advance research excellence and impact; intensify dynamic learning; foster respect and reconciliation; promote sustainable futures; and, engage locally and globally.

In keeping with the university’s mission, 80 per cent of the total operating budget is allocated to academic areas including faculties, research, library, student financial aid and awards and student services. The other 20 per cent covers operating expenses in areas such as physical plant maintenance and information technology.

The range of expenditures includes direct support to each faculty; building on the commitment to experiential education; meeting student demand in engineering, Indigenous law, business and social sciences; support of research chairs; student health services and housing; the campus sustainability plan; educational and research partnerships with Indigenous communities; and enhancing research infrastructure and supports.

On the revenue side, the provincial grant for 2019/20 is expected to increase by $15 million. This funding is to cover compensation increases for employees under the Public Sector Employer’s Council mandate, the net cost of the new employer health tax and funding for expansion of the engineering/computer science and JD/JID programs.

Increased student fees reflect increases of two per cent for domestic students; four per cent for international graduate students; four per cent for international undergraduate students who enrolled before April 2018 (grand-parented at a lower increase) and 15 per cent for international undergraduate students enrolled after April 2018.

As a publicly supported research university and consistent with Ministry of Advanced Education, Skills and Training policy, domestic student tuition fee increases at UVic are limited to two per cent. As provincial funding does not support international undergraduate students, UVic has a responsibility to ensure that international students pay the full cost of their education and contribute positively to the university’s long-term financial stability and commitment to academic quality.

The decision to proceed with the increase, part of a two-year plan initiated last year, was made after careful consideration and evaluation of alternatives. To ensure international students could plan for their finances while in Canada, students who applied last year received a letter noting the approved increase for 2018/19 and the proposed increase for 2019/20. Applications from international undergraduate students to UVic continue to increase. The university will continue to look for opportunities to both increase the socio-economic diversity of our international student population and implement programs and services to better support their success while on campus. This will be done through strategies set out in the recently approved Strategic Enrolment Management plan and further discussions including at upcoming Board meetings.

After the increase, international tuition fees will continue to be lower than peer BC universities. UVic provides international students with a wide range of financial supports that include scholarships, bursaries, emergency loans, as well as work study opportunities

For 2019-20, other fee increases include an increase of four per cent for standard student housing; four per cent in residential meal plans; five per cent in parking fee and a two per cent increase in child-care fees. Ancillary services operate on a cost-recovery basis.

The Board of Governors had to adjourn and relocate their meeting from the Senate chambers due to loud, ongoing interruptions by students opposed to the planned increase to international student fees and by students urging the university to divest from fossil fuels. The Board will receive an update on the student request at a future meeting.

The board chair expressed multiple times during the meeting that the board wanted to conduct the business in open session with the students present before deciding to adjourn after about 25 minutes to continue board discussions in a different building. Minutes of the meeting are expected to be posted as usual along with the next board meeting’s agenda.

View the 2019-20 Planning and Budget Framework.