University president echoes need for funding in future budget

University of Regina President Vianne Timmons is echoing what other school boards in Saskatchewan are saying in regards to government funding.

“Last year we took a seven per cent cut, we took it deep and we took it hard, and now it’s time to say, ‘Okay, the university sector took its hit — it’s time to reinvest in them,’ and that’s the message I’m trying to get out,” Timmons said.

In the past nine years, the University of Regina saw consecutive enrolment growth. Currently the university has more than 15,000 students.

She admits although it’s great to have enrolment ‘dramatically’ rise it also comes at a cost.

“We have ongoing increasing costs,” she said. “We’re a big campus — we’re like a small city — and so we always have increasing costs that go with the cost of living.”

Timmons said she hasn’t heard of any budget related talks and in the meantime will wait and see who the new premier will be.

As for a wish list, Timmons said she hopes she sees an investment.

“We need to start investing in research faculty and building our research and our faculty numbers and we can’t do that when budget cuts hit.”