- Instruction expenditure: $525 million (Up 91% since 2001, Up 26% since 2010)
- Library expenditure: $34 million (Up 24% since 2001, Up 0.4% since 2010)
- Academic Salaries (Academic Ranks) in Instruction: $254 million (Up 79% since 2001, Up 24% since 2010)
- Academic Salaries (Other Instruction & Research) in Instruction: $39 million (Up 94% since 2001, Up 16% since 2010)
- Total Academic Salaries in Instruction: $293 million (Up 81% since 2001, Up 23% since 2010)
- Credit Course Student Fees: $396 million (Up 226% since 2001, Up 90% since 2010
- Total General Operating Expenditure: $929 million (Up 98% since 2001, Up 29% since 2010)
- Enrollment – 35,034 (Up 59% since 2001, Up 22% since 2010)
This topic assesses performance in education-related areas from a student perspective.
For students, entering Post Secondary Education is a fundamental statement of trust. When they enrol and pay their fees, they have every right to expect that they won’t be over-charged, and that their money will be used prudently to provide them with the best education possible.
The indicators in this topic are intended to measure the degree to which their trust has been respected.
The chart below shows the change in spending across the Top 25 since 2001 in “Real Dollars” (adjusted for both inflation and enrollment). The growth pattern for Credit Course Tuition Fees is included in the chart for the purposes of comparison. Positive values denote increases exceeding inflation and enrollment combined:
8 A) Changes in Real Expenditure and Fees Per FTE Student – By Type (Top 25)
1 A) 2024Download this table (Opens in new tab)
As shown in the Academic Commitment topic, there has been a marked decline in the commitment to educational quality:
2024 Shares of Total GO Expenditure (Top 25):
- Instruction – 56.5% (58.6% in 2001, 58.0% in 2010)
- Library – 3.7% (5.9% in 2001, 4.8% in 2010)
- Academic Salaries (Academic Ranks) – 27.4% (30.4% in 2001, 28.6% in 2010)
- Academic Salaries (Other Instruction & Research) – 4.1% (4.2% in 2001, 4.6% in 2010)
- Total Academic Salaries – 31.5% of GOE (34.6% in 2001, 33.2% in 2010).
It is difficult to view the numbers above as anything other than evidence of a widespread betrayal of the trust that students placed in their chosen university.
The pattern since 2010 has been particularly egregious. The universities have actually reduced their allocation levels to Academic activities despite the fact that they have enjoyed a 59% increase in average Per FTE Student Tuition Fee income.
Those numbers represent a damning indictment of Canadian PSE. The gap between what students pay and what they receive has been permitted to widen year after year since 2001, and this pattern shows no sign of abating, never mind ending.
But it goes beyond the fundamental issues of ever-escalating cost and constantly-declining quality, as troubling as they are.
This continuing pattern has impaired accessibility, fuelled a distressing escalation in issues related to student mental health, and turbocharged student debt – throttling much of Canada’s next generation before they even have a chance to build their lives beyond campus. And yet it is permitted to continue, year after year after year.
It is shameful that a system in which key decision-makers at the campus, Board and provincial levels, who negotiated their PSE years at much lower cost and emerged with far less (if any) debt, can be so unconcerned about – and even culpable in – that betrayal of trust.
Efficiency Ranking
The underlying methodology for the Efficiency Ranking can be seen HERE.
8 B) STUDENT INTERESTS – EDUCATIONAL: 2024 EFFICIENCY RANKINGS (TOP 50)
4 C) 2024Download this table (Opens in new tab)
Key Efficiency Indicator and Relative Cost Impact
The underlying methodology for the Key Efficiency Indicator and Relative Cost Impact calculation can be seen HERE.
These measures are provided for the Top 50, with 2020 as the base year, and for the Top 25, with 2010 as the base year. The Top 25 table shows the major dollar consequences of the efficiency decline in that timeframe.
8 C) KEY EFFICIENCY INDICATOR AND RCI: 2024 vs 2020 – and – vs LATEST GROUP AVERAGE (TOP 50) – Opens in new tab
8 D) KEY EFFICIENCY INDICATOR AND RCI: 2024 vs 2010 – and – vs LATEST GROUP AVERAGE (TOP 25) – Opens in new tab