Aurora College students in shock about program cuts
GNWT will support people to study down south instead, says minister
Kirsten Fenn
Northern News Services
Wednesday, February 8, 2017
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
An Aurora College social work student who will be one of the last to graduate with the diploma says the cancellation of her program is "shocking."
Shelby Clarke, 22, stands in the hallway of Aurora College on Monday, where she is working toward a diploma in social work. The school is halting admissions to the program, along with the bachelor of education degree. - Kirsten Fenn/NNSL photo |
"They're in desperate need of social workers and cutting a program that actually helps people become social workers doesn't really make sense to me," said Shelby Clarke, 22.
Besides this, she said, the program is "completely different" from what she would have learned in her home province of Alberta.
"You don't deal with all the Northern problems," she said. "I never really knew lots about residential schools or the Sixties Scoop, and now I'm getting to learn about that stuff ... And I think bringing counselors and social workers from down south up here to deal with Northern problems isn't going to work."
Last week, Aurora College president Jane Arychuk announced the school is cutting its social work diploma and bachelor of education program due to reductions in government funding. The college is facing a $1.89-million cut with the announcement of the 2017-18 territorial budget last week.
Students who are currently enrolled in these programs will be able to complete their studies, but the school will no longer accept new students.
The college is also set to raise tuition from $1,200 per semester to $1,500 per semester next year, and $1,800 the year after that, according to Arychuk. She said that remains below the $2,400 in financial assistance students receive. Arychuk said the college worked with the Department of Education, Culture and Employment in making the final decision about which areas to trim back.
"Those are two programs that have either had low enrolment or low graduation rates over the last five years," she said.
Clarke said if everyone in her class stays on track, they will be the largest graduating class the social work program has had to date. According to Arychuk, 14 students enrolled in the education program this year and 17 enrolled in the social work program.
Even still, Arychuk said, "We don't see the students completing and finishing the program after the two years or the four years."
On Thursday, Kam Lake MLA Kieron Testart questioned Education Minister Alfred Moses in the legislative assembly on why Aurora College's funding was cut and the two programs nixed before the school's strategic plan has been developed this year. Moses cited low enrolment and graduation rates, and said Aurora College has the autonomy to make its own decisions. But he encouraged students who want to continue similar studies to do so somewhere else.
The government offers "a great student financial assistance program" and will support any student who wants to get a similar degree from a southern institution, Moses said.
"We will work with them to have a smooth transition into other institutions that provide the same quality, that will meet the TRC (Truth and Reconciliation Commission) recommendations," he said, adding students will "hopefully come back up North" to work and help NWT residents.
The explanation didn't satisfy MLAs who again pressed Moses on Monday.
Nahendeh MLA Shane Thompson said Aurora College social work students were told Thursday morning their class would start late, only to be informed within the hour that they will be the last students in the program.
Thompson said communication was "poor" and that it is "unreal" to think the program will no longer be available in the NWT. He called the cuts "misguided at best and downright silly at worst," and called for an independent review. He questioned whether the school has looked at improving recruitment and Northern-centric courses instead. Although Clarke will be able to finish the program, she said she no longer has the option to retake a course if she doesn't get the mark she wanted.
"I have to finish by 2019 or else I don't get my diploma," she said, adding the program plays an important role in teaching future social workers about the kinds of realities they will face when working with people in the North.
"It's important to have people understand the different situations that you're going to be dealing with up here in the Northern communities," Clarke said. "If you're bringing people who have no idea, they could really affect it in a bad way if they don't understand what's going on."
Aurora College students are marching from the college to the legislative assembly in opposition to the cuts tomorrow at noon.
- with files from Jessica Davey-Quantick
