Faculty at U of S College of Nursing votes no-confidence in executive

The release goes on to say that the funding issues for the college began in 2014 when the university introduced a new budget system which resulted in a $4 million deficit.

In January, the university announced its nurse training program in Regina would close in 2024 with plans to reallocate those nursing seats to northern and rural training centres.

That decision also played a factor in this non-confidence vote with Asst. Professor Helen Vandenberg saying that urban training centres are critical for students.

“People in the province, if they’re living rural often are sent to the urban centres for certain kinds of care. So, in order to educate these students in the time that we have them, we need those high acuity places,” she said in an interview with paNOW. “The idea of a redistribution north or Indigenous, that sounds really great but, it really speaks to me that people don’t quite understand what it takes to educate a quality nurse. Students require these urban high acuity placements in order to really hit the ground running when they graduate.”

Meanwhile, Sina Adl with the University of Saskatchewan Faculty Association (USFA) said the college has lost several staff members since that new budgeting model was introduced.

“Since then, the college has lost 31 full-time faculty members, which is about half of the faculty. So, everybody’s workload doubled.”

Vandenburg added the underfunding and provincial budget cuts could lead to more employment losses.

Adl and other faculty members also expressed issues about the safety of patients and the quality of education. As a result, a letter has been submitted to the College of Registered Nurses of Saskatchewan, expressing concerns about a dangerously depleted clinical teaching environment.

Now that the vote has passed, Adl said the faculty are not willing to work with the Dean’s Office and are waiting for the university to change course.

He added the current dean has only been in the position for about six months, saying she inherited a fractured system but that she hasn’t done anything to improve the situation or correct problems the faculty have brought forward.

One of the biggest questions that Adl still has is why the university continues to shrink its funding to the College of Nursing.

“Why is it that the province continues to fund 345 or 354 nursing seats every year, and why is it that the university doesn’t transfer that money to the college and the transfer from the province to the university for nursing? If their funding to the program has not changed, why is the university reducing funding to the program?”

paNOW reached out to the Provincial Minister of Advanced Education and received a statement saying the University board and administration are responsible for operational matters and that the government has confidence the school will continue to deliver sustainable, responsive and high-quality post-secondary education.

“We understand the University of Saskatchewan will redistribute their current Regina based nursing seats to other locations in Saskatchewan to better serve rural and northern learners and to help address the labour market demands in those locations. The university indicated that current students will be able to complete their program and opportunities for students in rural and northern areas will be made available because of this redistribution of seats. The total number of nursing seats in the province remains unchanged. Learners looking for nurse training in Regina can continue to access the collaborative nursing program offered jointly by the University of Regina and Saskatchewan Polytechnic.”

“The ministries of Advanced Education, Health, and Immigration and Career Training continue to work together to help meet the needs of the Saskatchewan Health Authority and other health care employers.”

The statement goes on to say that the province offers 690 undergraduate nursing seats and 40 nurse practitioner seats annually with over 200 licensed practical nurse training seats offered by other schools such as Saskatchewan Polytechnic, regional colleges, Dumont Technical Institute, and the Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technology.

Meanwhile, in an emailed statement, the dean of the College of Nursing, Dr. Solina Richter, said the college has undergone many changes over the last decade and while the change has prompted clear messages of frustration and disappointment from faculty, the future of the College of Nursing can and should be bright.

“The vote of non-confidence in USask College of Nursing leadership, although not unanimous, does signal that a response is needed. Since my arrival six and a half months ago, I have met with each faculty member individually, as well as different groups of tenure track faculty, instructors, and staff. I have created an environment open for dialogue,” said Richter.

“I know change is progressing and requires a united effort. I am confident that in time, positive change will occur, but I need faculty and staff to be part of the solution. I need us to unite and for faculty to step up into leadership positions. All of us must work together, not against each other. We have great potential to achieve so much, together.”

Richter goes on to say that she respects the result of the vote, and the University of Saskatchewan is committed to robust governance in all meetings.

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derek.craddock@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @pa_craddock

by Derek Craddock

Faculty at U of S College of Nursing votes no-confidence in executive

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