GSA Recognizes Several Positive Recommendations in the Mintz Report 

Upon initial review, the Graduate Students’ Association at the University of Calgary (GSA) would like to commend several of the recommendations provided in the Expert Panel on Post-Secondary Institution Funding and Alberta’s Competitiveness (also known as the Mintz Report). 

Over the past few years, the GSA has expressed numerous concerns about the state of post-secondary education for international students, the need for targeted operational funding, and the importance of encouraging competitiveness and attracting top talent. This report effectively addresses many of these key issues. 

Advocacy for international students 

The GSA has long been concerned that federal regulations have disproportionately impacted high-quality graduate students, many of whom are now facing increasing challenges in gaining acceptance and successfully completing their academic programs. As such, we commend the panel’s recommendation that “The provincial government should continue to work with other provinces to advocate for and influence regulations set by the federal government, ensuring that qualified international students continue to be welcomed at Alberta’s post-secondary institutions.” 

While many details remain to be addressed, the GSA looks forward to ensuring that graduate students in Calgary are no longer subjected to undue hardship as a result of policies aimed at addressing issues in other provinces. 

Focus on non-repayable assistance and certainty on tuition 

The Mintz Report highlights that “The provincial government should provide more assistance to students in the form of non-repayable support rather than increasing the amount of assistance students are required to take on in loans.” This recommendation addresses a major concern for the graduate student community, who, due to their stage of life and financial responsibilities, often face challenges in accessing adequate support without taking on significant debt. By expanding non-repayable financial assistance, the government can help ensure that students are able to focus on their studies without the burden of long-term financial strain. 

The GSA also emphasizes the importance of predictable funding throughout a student’s entire academic journey. While there are some concerns about potential increases in costs for students entering new programs, adopting this recommendation for graduate students could reduce the risk of early withdrawals caused by financial hardship. 

A Focus on Research and Innovation 

The report emphasizes the importance of post-secondary education for conducting research and driving innovation, which echoes our submissions to the panel. The report recommends including research excellence as a key performance metric for universities and calls for targeted incentives to attract research talent to the province. It also recognizes the need for financial support for the administrative costs of conducting research, which echoes our advocacy around funding the indirect costs of post-secondary led research. 

These foundational supports often include roles filled by academically employed graduate students and frontline staff who contribute significantly to key milestones in the graduate student experience. By maintaining stable base funding for these positions, the likelihood of detrimental reductions to the quality of education can be minimized. 

The GSA would like to thank the Mintz panel for allowing us to provide numerous suggestions and comments, some of which we are pleased to see reflected in these findings.

While the GSA will have more to say about the report as it continues its review over the coming weeks, we are optimistic about collaborating, as we did in the panel discussions, with the provincial government to implement many of these initiatives—ensuring that Alberta and the University of Calgary continue to lead the nation in the quality of education. 

  
Graduate Students’ Association (GSA) 
University of Calgary 

Media Enquiries: 

Graham Sucha  

Executive Director  

gsaed@ucalgary.ca