1. education
2. distance learning

Business Plan
2007-11
BUSINESS PLAN
2 0 0 7
–
2 0 1 1
With the same level of energy that I tackled
Olympic sport, I worked toward my university
degree through distance education at Athabasca
University while I was competing.
Christian Farstad, BGS
CEO, Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton
Two-time Bobsleigh Olympian
Vancouver, British Columbia
STATEMENT OF ACCOUNTABILITY
This business plan for the four-year period beginning April 1, 2007, was prepared
under the direction of Athabasca University Governing Council in accordance with
the Government Accountability Act and directions provided by Alberta Advanced
Education. All material economic and fiscal data, as of March 31, 2007, of which
we are aware have been considered in preparing this plan. If key assumptions
materially change, this business plan may be revised.
Athabasca University’s priorities, as outlined in this business plan, were
developed in the context of Alberta Advanced Education’s business and fiscal
planning guidelines.
Athabasca University is committed to achieving the planned results presented in
this document.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the Athabasca University Governing Council,
Joy Romero, P.Eng., MBA
Chair
Athabasca University Governing Council
Athabasca University Governing Council 2006-07
Front row (left to right): Jody Hunt, Joy Romero (Chair), Vikki Bellerose, Shawn Wasel
Second row: Barry Walker, Ron Cherlet, Jill Matthew, Judi Malone, John Trefanenko
Back row: Brian Curial, Tim Nerenz, Bruce Spencer, John Ollerenshaw, Frits Pannekoek
Missing from photo: Marilyn Kane (Vice-Chair), Lisa Priebe, Lonita Fraser
“My accounting designation definitely allowed me to assume senior
financial roles, but it was my MBA from Athabasca University that
gave me the ability and confidence to launch my career beyond the
world of finance.”
Elizabeth Lindsay, MBA
Vice-President, Operations and Administration
Merchant
Banking
BMO Capital Markets
Toronto, Ontario
CONTENTS
9
Executive Summary
10
Institutional Context
Our Mission
Our Mandate
Our Values
Situation Overview
Opportunities and Challenges
21
Strategic Goals and Performance Measures
Strategic Goals
Performance Measures
30
Priorities and Support Needs
Priorities for 2007-11
Support Needs
35
Accessibility/Enrolment Plan
Enrolment
Access Funded Programs
New Programs
37
Financial Information
41
Capital Projects
Facilities Projects
Technology Projects
Equipment Projects
Library and Art Collections
Capital Forecast
Ten Year Capital Plan
47
Tuition Projections
10
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Having completed an extensive and broadly focused consultative process leading to the approval, in June
2006, of its Strategic University Plan 2006-11, Athabasca University now stands ready to move forward,
to realize the goals articulated in that seminal document. This Business Plan 2007-11 is in large measure
a roadmap plotting the route to be followed to reach the destination set for the university in the Strategic
University Plan.
Athabasca University’s mission, reconfirmed in the strategic planning process, commits the institution
to promoting access to university education for all learners and to achieving excellence in teaching, in
research and scholarship and in service to the community. The student experience is the university’s focus.
The university’s exceptional growth, in terms of enrolment, of number of courses and programs offered,
of research and publications and of development and promotion of student services, is a testament to its
dedication to this mission and its success in achieving it.
Many of the challenges facing the university, however, also stem from that same remarkable record
of steady growth. The technological and physical infrastructure of the university has not expanded at
a rate comparable to that of its student body or that of the staff needed to serve that student body.
Consequently, the university finds itself today facing critical shortages of space and technological
resources. These shortages not only constrain current university operations but restrict opportunities for
growing enrolment, for introducing and expanding research projects and for developing and expanding
academic programs. Addressing these deficiencies is, therefore, a primary focus for Athabasca University
as it moves forward to actualize its Strategic University Plan.
Athabasca University will continue to build on its strong base of programs and services, its network of
partnerships and its national and international reputation for excellence in online and distance learning.
The university’s priorities at the present time, as detailed in this plan, are as follows:
• to secure funding for urgently needed teaching, learning and research facilities in Athabasca, Greater
Edmonton and Calgary and to maintain and expand the university’s technological infrastructure
• to expand opportunities for research and publication through the creation of new research institutes
and an open access Athabasca University Press
• to develop new academic programs and courses, particularly in professional and graduate areas, and
to provide the support needed to maintain quality in rapidly growing programs
• to enhance marketing strategies and financial supports in order to attract in greater numbers the
members of under-represented groups (e.g., lower income students, young working men, immigrants,
rural Albertans, Aboriginal Albertans), both to make post-secondary education accessible to these
sectors of society and to advance the university’s enrolment to the level which, research suggests, a
sustainable open and distance university requires
11
INSTITUTIONAL CONTEXT
Our Mission
Athabasca University, Canada’s Open University,® is dedicated to the removal of barriers that restrict
access to and success in university-level studies and to increasing equality of educational opportunity
for adult learners worldwide.
We are committed to excellence in teaching, research and scholarship and to being of service to the
general public.
Our Mandate
Athabasca University is a board-governed open university committed, through distance education, to
increasing accessibility in Alberta, throughout Canada and internationally to university-level study and
to meeting the educational needs of the workplace.
At the undergraduate level, the university is mandated to offer degree programs and university transfer
courses in the natural and pure sciences, humanities, social sciences, interdisciplinary studies,
administrative studies, commerce, nursing and allied professional fields. Credit-based university
certificates are offered within the structure of the university’s undergraduate degree programs. As
a partner in Campus Alberta, Athabasca University offers its courses and educational services to
students registered in Alberta post-secondary institutions. Working with these and out-of-province
institutions, Athabasca University also provides degree completion opportunities for university transfer
students and diploma graduates. Non-credit continuing education courses are also offered.
At the graduate level, the university offers degree programs in distance education, health studies and
business administration. Credit-based university graduate diploma programs are offered within the
structure of the university’s graduate degree programs.
To the benefit of students, Athabasca University is committed to excellence in individualized distance
education, co-ordination of credit and credit transfer, assessment of prior learning and associated
forms of learning accreditation.
Dedicated to research and scholarship in various disciplines, with a particular focus on distance
education and associated learning technologies, Athabasca University provides international
leadership in individualized distance education methods and technologies.
Approved by the Minister of Advanced Education, April 1999.
12
Our Values
The students, faculty and staff of Athabasca University profess a set of complementary values that are
fundamental to the university’s identity and provide the foundation for its practices.
We value excellence.
The search for excellence is the hallmark of all of our endeavours.
We value learning.
Student learning and satisfaction are measures of our success.
We value scholarly research.
We engage in reflective practice through the scholarship of discovery and the scholarship of
teaching.
We value the free exchange of ideas.
A respectful climate for open discourse promotes innovation, discovery and social responsibility.
We value openness and flexibility.
Reducing barriers to education enhances access and social equity.
We value diversity and inclusiveness.
Diversity and inclusiveness enhance the quality both of learning and of the workplace.
We value our employees.
The commitment, innovation, creativity and continuous learning of every employee contribute to
our success.
We value accountability.
We are accountable to our students, to each other and to the public.
13
Situation Overview
Now in its thirty-seventh year, Athabasca University, Canada’s Open University,® stands out as one of
the world’s foremost and fastest growing online and distance education specialists, serving 37,000
students worldwide. The university offers over 700 courses in more than 60 undergraduate and
graduate degree, diploma and certificate programs.
Athabasca University’s primary focus is serving students. The university is dedicated to providing the
best learning experience for students. Increasing equality of educational opportunity for adult learners
is certainly central to its institutional mission, but achieving this goal also drives the university’s dayto-day operations. By removing geographical, financial, social and cultural barriers that traditionally
limit access to post-secondary achievement, Athabasca University transforms lives. The university’s
students have access to quality post-secondary education through distance delivery using a variety
of technologies and media. In many programs, students have the choice of studying through either a
highly flexible individualized study method or a more traditional grouped study method. The flexibility
of the university’s distance and online learning programs allows students to obtain a quality postsecondary education.
At the same time, this flexibility supports students in achieving their personal goals and managing
other aspects of their lives: 81 per cent of Athabasca University students (67 per cent of whom are
women) work while they study, and 63 per cent of graduates support dependents. The average
Athabasca University undergraduate student is 29; the average graduate student is 40. Over 90 per
cent of students study year-round, balancing their studies with other life commitments.
Athabasca University at a Glance
At present, Athabasca University
• serves 37,000 students (68,000 course registrations)
• offers over 700 courses in more than 60 undergraduate and graduate
programs
• employs over 1,100 faculty and staff members
• generates over $2 million annually in research activities
• maintains 256 collaborative agreements with other Canadian educational
institutions and First Nations groups
Athabasca University is uncompromising in its commitment to excellence in academic standards, in
instructional design, in staff recruitment and development, in research and in student services. This
commitment to excellence and rapid growth in enrolment (a 268 per cent increase in the past nine
years) have been driving both technological innovation and ongoing recruitment of academic and
support staff. The university’s staff complement has increased by 37 per cent in the past five years
alone. These growth trends are expected to continue: annual student enrolment is projected to reach
100,000 by 2015.
14
To support this projected growth, Athabasca University therefore plans to add, over the next five
years, a substantial new building to its main campus in Athabasca and to expand its facilities in the
Edmonton-St. Albert and Calgary regions. In the next 10 years, a research park and conference centre
will also be added to the main campus. Meeting the capital requirements of this planned expansion is
now a priority for Athabasca University.
Teaching and Learning
One of Alberta’s four established universities, Athabasca University provides post-secondary learning
opportunities to the province’s citizens. It is unique, however, in guaranteeing access to universitylevel study to a broad range of non-traditional university students:
• those who are seeking an alternative to a conventional, campus-based experience
• those who wish to continue their careers while they augment their education
• those who have ongoing family or community responsibilities
• those living in rural, northern and remote areas
• those who cannot find a place in residential institutions
• those with non-standard academic backgrounds
• those whose family lacks a tradition of formal academic study: 72 per cent of Athabasca
University graduates are first-generation university learners.
Athabasca University’s students stand out for their dedication to their personal goals and for their
commitment to advanced learning, to their communities and to the wider world community. Through
the efforts and achievements of its students, Athabasca University will continue to stand out as a
provider of high quality post-secondary education.
Athabasca University focuses on providing excellent programs and courses, on flexibility of access and
on providing students with the means of achieving success. It offers conventional distance courses
but also supports online access. For example, the university recently enhanced the online component
of 175 of its highest-enrolment courses to further its commitment to anywhere, anytime delivery and
continues to adopt leading edge content management software. It was one of the first large universities
to adopt Moodle, an open source course delivery software, designed on sound pedagogical principles,
which allows educators to create effective online learning communities.
Because Athabasca University is a distance university, the planning and writing of courses and the
provision of course materials are undertaken more deliberately than they are at traditional universities.
Courses are written by members of faculty and other subject matter experts. All individual study
students and some grouped study students are taught online or through other media and technologies
and are individually supported by tutors. In some contexts, particularly those involving collaborative
partnerships with other post-secondary institutions, grouped study students take courses in
classrooms.
This combination of excellence in course content and design and delivery through leading edge
technologies continues to yield success. For example, Athabasca University’s MBA program, founded
in 1994 as the first online program of its kind, has once again been ranked by the Financial Times of
London as one of the top 100 MBA programs in the world. The university’s Master of Arts – Integrated
Studies program, with over 2,000 students, is Canada’s largest graduate program, and its nursing
program is also one of the largest in Canada, graduating over 300 nurses each year.
15
Research and Scholarship
Since 1999, research activity at the university has increased significantly. Students working at both
the undergraduate and graduate levels are actively involved in research.
Mission critical research in the scholarship of teaching and learning in open and distance environments
has had particular prominence. For example, the search for better ways to remove barriers to education
and, more particularly, to provide increased opportunities for participation in education in oil sands
work camps and other remote and rural communities informs a major research initiative that is now
being undertaken in partnership with the private sector and northern communities.
Athabasca University also actively supports and maintains high standards in discipline based research.
For example, at the present time,
• Dr. Martin Connors, Canada Research Chair in Space Science, Instrumentation and Networking, with
financial support from the Canadian Space Agency, is developing a northern astronomy course with
a Canadian focus. The course, which will involve the creation of multimedia content, will emphasize
sky phenomena unique to high latitudes, including the northern lights, and northern weather systems,
northern seasons and aspects of space research that are relevant to Canadians.
• Dr. Mike Gismondi, in collaboration with the Canadian Centre for Community Renewal and other
co-applicants and partners from British Columbia and Alberta, has received approval for the
British Columbia and Alberta Social Economy Research Alliance (BALTA). BALTA establishes a
regional partnership among four universities and six social economy organizations, plus three
federal agencies and a number of innovative municipalities. Over the next five years, faculty
members, practitioners and students will collaborate on a series of research initiatives aimed
at better understanding and improving the entire range of activities that make up the social
economy and its infrastructure in the region.
• Dr. Janice Thomas, program director for the MBA in Project Management, continues work on
her project, Understanding the Value of Implementing Project Management, a $2.5 million (U.S.)
investigation funded in part by the Project Management Institute (PMI) and one which brings together
a wide range of experts from around the world. The project is expected to conclude in 2008.
• Dr. Kam Jugdev in the Centre for Innovative Management continues to work on Project
Management as a Source of Competitive Advantage, an SSHRC funded study which focuses on
identifying strategic assets that can be sources of an organization’s competitive advantage. Since
2006, Jugdev has been gathering data from organizations across North America, with a specific
emphasis on those in the energy sector.
• Dr. Fuhua (Oscar) Lin in the School of Computing and Information Systems is concluding his
NSERC funded research on Knowledge Modeling for Adaptive Course Generation and Delivery in
Distributed Learning. The project highlights new methodology, models and tools for modeling and
managing knowledge for adaptive web-based course generation and delivery.
Student Support
In recent years, the university has significantly expanded its comprehensive network of supports for
students. Student services include information, admission, registration, transfer accreditation, prior
16
learning assessment, advising, counselling, technical support, library and writing support services as
well as services for students with disabilities.
Alberta students’ high degree of satisfaction with Athabasca’s programs and services is evident in the
2005-06 results of provincial student and graduate surveys:
• 97.5 per cent of Athabasca University students say that they are satisfied with their overall
university experience.
• 95 per cent of Athabasca University graduates say that they would recommend Athabasca
University to others.
However, students across Canada and around the world, in all Canadian provinces and territories
and in 87 foreign countries, draw equally upon Athabasca University’s network of supports. The
university’s recently achieved status as the first Canadian University to be formally accredited in the
United States, through the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), and as the first
Canadian public post-secondary institution to be fully authorized to operate in both Alberta and British
Columbia has served to underline its national and international reach.
In 2006, the U.S. based Center for Transforming Student Services (CENTSS) selected Athabasca
University’s AskAU, an online frequently asked questions (FAQ) system that provides answers, through
natural language searches, to students’ most common questions, as one of 10 best practices in online
student services in higher education.
Collaborations
The diversity of Alberta’s educational institutions provides learners with flexibility of choice, and
because of its open admission practices, its flexible learning methods and its long-standing history
of working collaboratively with other institutions, Athabasca University plays a pivotal role in the
province’s post-secondary learning system.
Students registered in other Alberta post-secondary institutions make extensive use of Athabasca
University’s courses and educational services to help them complete their degrees. This accessibility
accounts for a large percentage of students enrolled at the university: 23 per cent of Athabasca
University undergraduates are visiting from other Alberta post-secondary institutions. For example,
in the past year, 1,483 students from the University of Alberta and the University of Calgary took
Athabasca University courses for degree completion.
To create pathways to degree completion for students who hold college diplomas, Athabasca University
has entered into hundreds of agreements and partnerships with colleges and technical institutes in
Alberta, across Canada and abroad. Last year, for example, 1,686 Alberta college graduates were
enrolled in Athabasca University degree completion programs.
The university also has longstanding collaborative arrangements for providing post-secondary learning
in Aboriginal communities and is a founding member of Alberta-North, a partnership of post-secondary
institutions bringing courses and programs to students in northern Alberta, Nunavut, the Yukon and
the Northwest Territories. In addition, Athabasca University is a founding member of Canadian Virtual
University, a consortium of over 20 leading Canadian universities with an interest in e-learning.
17
Opportunities and Challenges
Athabasca University faces a number of challenges, many of which are related to opportunities for
growth and development. These challenges and opportunities may be grouped under general headings
as follows:
•
•
•
•
•
funding and affordability
infrastructure deficits
enrolment and emerging markets
collaboration and competition
recruitment and retention of staff
Funding and Affordability
Athabasca University’s 2007-08 operating budget plans for total expenditures of $116 million. Nearly 66
per cent of this budget consists of salaries and benefits. The university expects to receive approximately
$34 million from the Government of Alberta, $53 million through tuition, $2 million as research grants
and contracts and $14 million through learning resources and advancement activities.
Student registrations have, on average, increased by nearly 10 per cent annually. During the past year,
Athabasca University’s overall undergraduate growth was just over 12 per cent. This growth and the
associated growth in tuition, particularly from out-of-province students, has helped the university to
meet its budget targets.
The Government of Alberta still provides significant operating revenue. The government has indicated
that it will provide a six per cent per year increase in base funding in each of the next three years and
a grant to subsidize tuition increases for Alberta students. Although this level of funding has allowed
the university to meet a number of challenges, maintaining the quality of programs while keeping
fees competitive will remain a challenge. A provincial tuition rebate, which has kept tuition fees at
the 2004-05 level during 2005-06 and 2006-07, has been discontinued for 2007-08, and under the new
Tuition Fee Policy, the university’s undergraduate fee increases are limited to 3.2 per cent rather than
seven per cent as expected. The uncertainty of Alberta government grants continues to be an issue of
strategic importance to the university.
Program costs are a major barrier to education for some prospective students. A 2003-04 Alberta
government survey reported that only half of respondents believed post-secondary education is within
the means of most Albertans. Providing opportunities for Albertans to access university education
regardless of geographic location, culture, race, ethnicity, income, disability or educational background
is fundamental to the identity and mandate of Canada’s Open University® and is explicitly endorsed in
the Alberta government’s Strategic Business Plan of March 2006.
In this context, maintaining affordable tuition fees is a serious responsibility for the province’s postsecondary institutions. An additional challenge for Athabasca University, however, is the variability in
tuition fee rates and policies among the provinces. The tuition costs faced by out-of-province students
in their home provinces are far more important to Athabasca University’s financial planning than they
are to that of the province’s residential universities.
18
Infrastructure Deficits
As a distance university, Athabasca University requires significantly less physical infrastructure than
residential universities; nevertheless, it requires space to house its faculty and staff, its library, its
technological assets and its course materials production units.
Since 2001, when the university’s Course Materials Production unit moved into the newly renovated
Tim Byrne Centre, staff numbers at Athabasca University have increased by 37 per cent. Because of
this growth and an unchanged inventory of physical plant, the university is experiencing a severe
space shortage. In order to continue to provide quality academic programs to students and to carry out
the research that supports that teaching effort, staff and faculty urgently require new infrastructure.
Residential universities maintain a significant physical infrastructure in the form of campus buildings.
While Athabasca University also has a need for buildings, technology is the primary means by
which the university connects with its students. Without a sizeable investment in its technological
infrastructure, the university will be unable to maintain its learning environment, especially given
the rate of technological change. Consequently, information and communication technology is and
will remain a crucial component of the university’s capital plan. An $80 million investment, beyond
the university’s $10 million restricted information technology reserve, is required over 10 years. One
aspect of the technological challenge is the need to scale the university’s systems to accommodate
increased numbers of students without compromising quality. The university will also be challenged
to balance the need to keep its technological infrastructure up to date with the need to keep costs
reasonable.
Growth
Athabasca University’s Strategic University Plan targets 100,000 students by 2015. Research suggests
that open and distance universities are most effective at delivering programs and that economies of
scale are reached when enrolment exceeds 100,000 students. Careful planning will be required to reach
this enrolment goal. In 2006-07, Athabasca University served about 37,000 students. The university
will need to adopt an effective expansion strategy, one which encompasses taking advantage of
opportunities for substantial growth beyond the borders of Alberta
Today, the majority of Athabasca University’s Alberta students live in urban areas, particularly Calgary
and Edmonton. While the university will continue to concentrate on these important primary markets,
it will also strengthen its focus on providing opportunities for students in rural and remote areas, in
Aboriginal communities and among immigrant populations.
Immigration and Migration
In the context of the province’s energetic economy, Alberta’s position in the global marketplace is
being challenged by increased competition for highly skilled workers, whose contribution makes our
economic growth possible. The importance of new Albertans cannot be over-estimated.
To address labour market requirements, the province relies heavily on workers migrating from other
provinces. By virtue of its significant out-of-province student population, Athabasca University is in
a position, unique among the province’s universities, to create virtual Albertans, that is, to establish
connections with prospective migrants.
19
Immigrants from abroad are also needed to meet the labour demand. Immigration to Alberta is growing,
and the majority of immigrants are highly skilled. However, they face additional challenges in finding
work in their area of specialization. Their credentials are often not recognized in Canada, some face
language barriers to successful employment and others lack work experience in Alberta. As a result,
many are unable to use their education and training.
Athabasca University offers two opportunities to new Canadians. Firstly, the university will establish a
presence in the local immigrant population by working with communities and other institutions to offer
culturally sensitive university-level programs and to develop a better and more comprehensive system
of assessing prior learning and experience. Secondly, and perhaps more strategically, the university
will investigate the feasibility of providing online, open and distance education to prospective
immigrants in their home countries, with particular attention to countries that are generating high
numbers of immigrants.
Rural and Remote Communities
Over the past 50 years, the percentage of Albertans living in rural areas has dropped from over 50 per
cent to below 20 per cent. Rural communities continue to lose young people and skilled professionals,
even though about one-quarter of the province’s gross domestic product comes from oil, gas, forestry
and agricultural industries, which are primarily located in rural and northern areas. Rural participation
rates in post-secondary education are therefore a concern.
Athabasca University is uniquely well-positioned to provide access to high-quality post-secondary
programs for rural Albertans by means of online, open and distance learning. In pursuit of this
objective, the university will strengthen its relationships through community partnerships with local
governments, businesses and public institutions within these communities. One such initiative is the
Learning Communities project. Funded by a private donation, this project will provide groundbreaking
research on the learning needs of rural, remote and Aboriginal communities in Alberta’s north.
Aboriginal Communities
Aboriginal people are moving off reserves to take advantage of employment opportunities. In 2005,
however, the unemployment rate for Aboriginal people living off reserves was 6.7 per cent, well above
the provincial average. Unemployment rates on reserves are much higher. Since the average age of
Aboriginal people is lower than that of Canadians as a whole, Alberta’s future success will depend in
part on the province’s ability to tap into the human resource potential that the Aboriginal population
represents. More needs to be done to increase this group’s participation in post-secondary learning.
Today, only one third of Alberta’s Aboriginal people obtain a post-secondary education.
Athabasca University’s longstanding collaborative agreements with First Nations colleges and councils
have helped to promote equality of access. The university’s Centre for World Indigenous Knowledge
and Research has undertaken outreach initiatives, and the university has worked directly with the
Yellowhead Tribal Council, Blue Quills First Nations, Red Crow College and the Sunrise Project at
Northern Lakes College to develop and implement programs and services.
The provincial government’s strategy of encouraging a stronger collaboration between Aboriginal
communities and post-secondary education (and industry) is also an important strategy for Athabasca
University.
20
Collaboration and Competition
Athabasca University recognizes its responsibility to maximize opportunities for all learners by providing
flexible and accessible education through collaborative partnerships. While these relationships
are complex, the university has made a strategic decision to form collaborative relationships with
residential universities in order to provide the utmost flexibility in the learning system as a whole.
Integrating Athabasca University courses into programs at residential universities increases the
capacity of the educational system as a whole and reduces the need to invest in parallel distance and
distributed learning systems.
The scheduling and course availability constraints faced by students in residential universities are
significant. Many students cannot carry a full course load because of the need to work or because of
family or community commitments. Many undergraduate students, both in Alberta and across Canada,
use Athabasca University courses to meet some of their degree requirements at other universities and
colleges.
To further encourage these highly cost-effective collaborations, the university needs to expand services
through learning links and pathways at other universities. These relationships will be strengthened
during the life of this plan. For example, this year, a new learning link will be opened on the University
of Alberta campus in Edmonton to better serve students taking Athabasca University courses.
Enrolment growth at Athabasca University has been steady. Even so, the university must acknowledge
that students today have more choices. A number of traditional campus-based institutions across
Canada are now offering university-level courses at a distance. In a few instances, public funds are
being used to replicate services that are already available through Athabasca University. While the
demand for some qualifications are real, requiring greater capacity, care must be exercised to ensure
that expanding capacity within the college sector does not simply result in increased competition and
cost for scarce faculty and supervised placements in the professions.
Competition from the for-profit post-secondary sector, which is the fastest-growing educational sector
worldwide, is also growing. Some foreign institutions are aggressively marketing to Albertans and
other Canadians while operating within a protected environment in their home countries. As online
learning becomes ubiquitous, affordable and more user-friendly, the university can and must maintain
its position in this area by implementing the strategies outlined in the Strategic University Plan and
by securing government support at all levels to ensure a level policy playing field in jurisdictions
abroad.
Recruitment and Retention of Staff
Athabasca University employees work at centres in Athabasca, Edmonton, Calgary and St. Albert
and in home offices throughout Alberta. On average, the number of full-time equivalent staff has
increased by more than seven per cent per year over the past five years. The university is projecting a
need for 944 full-time equivalents to support teaching, learning and research to 2014-15 time horizon.
This number excludes tutors, who are largely located in home offices. Twenty-seven per cent of these
new staff members will be based in the Greater Edmonton Area. The largest number, 64 per cent, are
scheduled to be located at the main campus in Athabasca, provided the university’s capital plan is
supported in a timely manner.
An increasingly limited pool of doctoral-level candidates is available to fill faculty positions. In the
21
context of growing enrolments and a more and more complex curricular environment, this availability
issue will represent a significant challenge. Like other post-secondary institutions in Alberta and
across Canada, Athabasca University is finding it progressively difficult to recruit and retain highly
skilled faculty members and researchers. This situation is somewhat exacerbated by the location of
the main campus in Athabasca. More employees are needed to serve increasing numbers of students,
yet the average age of university employees continues to rise. Many qualified scholars are expected
to retire in the next decade, and many other universities will also be renewing their academic and
senior management staff. Consequently, it is extremely important to continue to attract and retain
highly qualified and credible employees. Without them, the university will not be able to maintain its
first-ranked status.
Athabasca University is finding creative solutions to critical staff shortages in the most rapidly growing
program areas such as business, life sciences, nursing and criminal justice. Other universities across
the country can offer inducements such as well developed doctoral programs, doctoral candidates and
post-doctoral staff and structured support for research initiatives. Athabasca University will continue
to invest in similar opportunities for its faculty, with a focus on strengthening its research and graduatelevel teaching. Recently approved graduate programs such as the Doctorate in Education and others
which are in the planning stages will strengthen the university’s appeal to scholars and researchers.
22
STRATEGIC GOALS AND PERFORMANCE MEASURES
Strategic Goals
Accomplishing the goals articulated in the Strategic University Plan 2006-11 will stand as a testament
to Athabasca University’s values and represent a significant step toward fulfilment of its mission and
mandate. It will strengthen the university’s commitment to the principles of access, open and distance
delivery, research and excellence. Over the next five years, therefore, the university will concentrate on
achieving the following Strategic University Plan goals:
• ensuring quality in learning
• enhancing open access
• focusing on quality research
• building communities
• recruiting and retaining excellent employees
• allocating resources
The Alberta Government goals referenced in the tables below are as follows:
Goal 1: Alberta will have a diversified and prosperous economy.
Goal 2: Albertans will be well prepared for lifelong learning and work.
Goal 7: The well-being and self-reliance of Aboriginal communities and people will be improved.
The Alberta Advanced Education and Technology strategic priorities referenced are as follows:
Priority 1: building and educating tomorrow’s workforce
Priority 2: access for all learners
Priority 3: affordability for all learners
Priority 4: quality and innovation in the advanced learning system
Priority 5: post-secondary infrastructure
23
Goal 1: to continue to focus on the delivery of high quality open and distance education through a wide range
of programs and courses
24
Government goals
Ministry priorities
1
2
2
4
Continue to strengthen the quality,
accessibility and responsiveness of
undergraduate and graduate courses and
programs.
• Consistent student satisfaction ratings and
improvement in some areas
• Improvements in measures of student success
• Undergraduate and graduate enrolment targets
met
• Program reviews as per the Education Review
Plan continued
• Increase in number of approved programs
4
Ensure that quality is enhanced and that
access is not compromised as more course
materials and learning activities move online.
Adapt course development processes to
the demands of e-learning, and develop IT
strategies responsive to student learning
needs.
• Number of available online courses increased
• New course development models consistent with
advancements in online learning
• A balanced curriculum
• Improved student satisfaction ratings
1
4
Continue to offer a high quality student
experience at Athabasca University.
• Student satisfaction ratings maintained
• Trend in exceeding provincial average in student
satisfaction ratings continued
• Improved student supports, including technology
usage
• Improvements in measures of student success
1
4
5
Continue to develop a digital and resource
library that will meet the needs of students
and researchers.
• Increased digital collections
• Improved student information literacy rates
• Increased use of digital materials
Strategic objectives
Expected results
Goal 2: to increase participation rates at Athabasca University and ensure accessibility for students from
diverse regions and backgrounds
Government goals
Ministry
priorities
1
2
1
2
Recruit a diverse and wide-ranging group of
undergraduate students from all sectors and
provinces and abroad to major programs.
1
2
1
2
Recruit a diverse and wide-ranging group of
• Increased graduate student registrations
graduate students from all sectors and provinces • Specified graduate enrolment targets met
and abroad to major graduate programs.
• Enhanced opportunities for rural/remote
students
1
2
7
1
2
Increase opportunities for access to universitylevel education for students from northern, rural,
minority, Aboriginal and under-represented
communities across Canada.
• Increased enrolments from rural/remote areas
• Increase in partnerships and funding
1
2
2
4
Continue to be a major contributor to Campus
Alberta, to build strong alliances with other
post-secondary institutions and to increase
availability of university-level education
provincially, nationally and internationally.
• Increase in number of partnerships and
collaborative arrangements
• Existing partnerships maintained
1
2
1
2
Develop a more co-ordinated approach to
addressing learner needs and improving student
success and better supports for students to
achieve their learning goals.
• Increased use of student support services
• Increase in number of learner support
initiatives
• Improved student satisfaction ratings
• Improved completion rates
1
2
3
Improve financial support for students to reduce
barriers to post-secondary education.
• Increased financial aid through scholarships
and bursaries
1
4
Provide a wide range of dynamic services that
support the diverse needs of students.
• Increase in number of services critical to
student success
• Increased use of AskAU
Strategic objectives
Expected results
• Increased undergraduate student registrations
• Specified undergraduate enrolment targets
met
• Enhanced opportunities for rural/remote
students
25
Goal 3: to foster and expand research and scholarship at Athabasca University
Government goals
Ministry
priorities
1
4
Continue to provide and increase appropriate
support for student and staff excellence in
research and scholarship.
• Increased research activity (funding,
publications, projects)
1
1
4
Enhance Athabasca University’s international
reputation in open and distance learning
scholarship.
• Increased international activity
• Increase in number of research partnerships
and collaborative arrangements
• Increase in international registrations
1
4
Expand the research culture throughout the
university environment.
• Increased research activity
1
2
2
4
Promote and expand the transfer of research
knowledge for the benefit of society.
• Athabasca University Press established
• Increase in number of publications
• Increased media for research
1
2
2
4
Provide the widest possible access to the
research created by researchers at Athabasca
University.
• Increase in number of publications
• AU Press regarded as a leading open-access
press
1
2
1
4
Increase research partnerships and
collaborations with other internationally
recognized research institutions.
• Increase in number of research partnerships
and collaborations
1
4
Develop a clear funding strategy to seek and
allocate research funding.
• Increase in amount of research funding
received
Strategic objectives
Expected results
Goal 4: to promote collaboration and foster leadership in the communities we serve
26
Government goals
Ministry priorities
1
2
1
2
Raise the profile of Athabasca University
as Canada’s Open University® provincially,
nationally and internationally so that students,
employers and governments will see it as their
first choice for meeting their educational needs.
• Research profile increased in line with that of
other universities
• Awareness increased from benchmark (2006)
• Increased student registrations
• Increased media coverage
1
2
2
Employ university resources in the community
to develop initiatives and collaborative
partnerships.
• Increase in the number/extent of community
partnerships
• Increase in the number of community events
1
2
1
Foster vital alliances with business and industry
to advance mutually beneficial educational goals
for employment.
• Increase in the number/extent of partnerships
and alliances
Strategic objectives
Expected results
Goal 5: to recruit and retain the very best staff
Government goals
Ministry
priorities
Strategic objectives
1
2
2
3
Create an environment that supports Athabasca
University’s teaching and research priorities,
increases recruitment and retention activities
and ensures leadership succession.
• Increased annual research production
1
4
Provide appropriate recognition and support for
staff members in their role in the teaching and
research mandate of Athabasca University.
• Increase in the number of external recognition
awards, publications and internal success
stories
1
2
2
4
Improve collaboration and foster open dialogue,
interpersonal networking and communication at
Athabasca University.
• AU staff portal successfully implemented
1
4
Strengthen governance and organizational
structures within Athabasca University.
• Governance and organizational structures
reviewed and realigned in accordance with
position as an established university
Expected results
Goal 6: to secure and steward the resources necessary for Athabasca University and its staff and students to
achieve their potential
Government goals
Ministry
priorities
1
2
3
4
Align institutional planning and refine
mechanisms to assess the effectiveness of
university planning, resource allocation and
institutional renewal process.
• Targeted investment budgets established
1
2
3
4
Increase existing and identify new sources of
funds to support research, teaching and service
at Athabasca University.
• Increased research links with government
agencies and the private sector
• Increased revenue from research activity
• Increased revenue from advancement
activities (grants, donations, strategic
partnerships)
Strategic objectives
Expected results
27
Performance Measures
Enrolment: Expected and Targeted Full-load Equivalents (FLEs)
Athabasca University has established the following enrolment targets to aid its planning in support
of its goal of satisfying learners’ needs through open access to programs and courses. These targets
reflect the expectation to grow, on average, by 915 FLEs per year.
Student Group
2006-07
(Expected)
2007-08
(Targeted)
2008-09
(Targeted)
2009-10
(Targeted)
2010-11
(Targeted)
Undergraduate
6, 139
6,822
7,595
8,322
9,122
Graduate
1,208
1,377
1,523
1,736
1,883
Total FLEs (full-load
equivalents)
7,347
8,199
9,118
10,058
11,005
Graduate Satisfaction
In its value statements, Athabasca University indicates that student learning and satisfaction are
measures of success. Very significantly, during a period of rapid growth, the university has maintained
high levels of student satisfaction with the quality of the educational experience.
Athabasca University consistently exceeds the provincial average level of satisfaction on the
Government of Alberta’s university and college satisfaction and labour market experience surveys.
Results for the 2002, 2004 and 2006 surveys are provided below:
Graduate Satisfaction with Overall
Quality of Educational Experience
98
96
%
94
92
90
2002
2004
2006
Year Surveyed
In 2006, 97.5 per cent of Athabasca University’s students expressed satisfaction with the overall
quality of their educational experience. This figure represents a substantial improvement over the
93 per cent satisfaction ratings recorded in 2002 and 2004. It is our goal to continue to exceed the
provincial average and retain our reputation as the best in the province.
28
Graduate Employment Rate
Measures of student learning are embedded in the curriculum. That Athabasca University’s graduates
consistently enjoy a very high rate of participation in the labour force is an indirect measure of the high
quality of the university’s programs. The following chart shows employment rates for participants in
Government of Alberta’s university and college satisfaction and labour market experience surveys:
Graduate Labour Force Experience
98
97
96
%
95
94
93
92
2002
2004
2006
Year Surveyed
It is also important to note that a majority of Athabasca University students participate in the labour
force while completing their courses or programs: 81 per cent work while they study.
Student Consultation
The Athabasca University Executive meets regularly with the Athabasca University Students’ Union to
review the university’s proposed and projected fee increases. The last meeting was in January 2007.
The Students’ Union is represented on the university’s Strategic Budget Committee, Academic Council,
Finance Committee and Governing Council. A new Graduate Students’ Association is in the process of
being established, and a representative of this association will also sit on the committees listed above.
Research Activities
Athabasca University is committed to excellence in teaching, research and scholarship. Through
discovery, dissemination and transfer of new knowledge, the university will continue to integrate
research and creative activity with teaching, thereby informing its curriculum and providing opportunities
for highly qualified graduates to promote innovation and to participate more fully in society.
Historic successes at the undergraduate level, along with established and emerging graduate programs,
provide the foundation for Athabasca University to become a recognized research university focused on
excellence. A vibrant research community, informed teaching, and a supportive learning environment
will, in turn, be reflected in quality courses and programs and comprehensive student services and will
assist Athabasca University in maintaining its current success and encourage future growth.
Enhancing Athabasca University’s reputation as a leader in open and distance learning is one means
by which the university aims to meet its growth targets in the coming years. Additional public relations
funding is needed to properly promote the university across Canada. With development planning for
29
an e-learning research centre underway, the university is poised to expand its position as a world
leader in the research of distance and online learning (including m-learning and e-learning).
In addition, as issues concerning the environment and sustainable resources continue to grow,
Athabasca University has positioned itself to launch the Athabasca River Basin Research Centre
aimed at addressing issues of sustainability, transformation and natural resources. From an ecological
point of view, this multidisciplinary research centre will investigate the integration and accumulation
of impacts on the hydrosphere, lithosphere, biosphere and atmosphere as well as the corresponding
political implications.
As a university with a growing graduate student population, now over 2,900, Athabasca University
must ensure that the research and publication records of academic staff are comparable to those of
other public universities in Canada.
Research Impact – All Sources (thousands of dollars)
A summary of all externally funded research at Athabasca University is provided in the following
table:
Types of Research Support
Total sponsored research revenues
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06
Three-Year
Average 2003-05
Three-Year
Average 2004-06
$1,543
$2,316
$1,849
$1,909
$1,903
Support from council sources
$442
$724
$709
$484
$625
Council support ratio (council sources/total
sponsored research revenue)
28.7%
31.3%
38.3%
25.4%
32.8%
Support from community and industry
sources*
$1,101
$1,592
$1,141
$1,425
$1,278
Community and industry support ratio
(community and industry/total sponsored
research revenue)
71.4%
68.7%
61.7%
74.7%
67.2%
* Includes other federal, provincial and industry funding from sources such as the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI), Human Resources and Skills
Development Canada (HRSDC) and Office of Learning Technologies (OLT).
In recent years, external funding from the granting councils has been much higher than in previous
years.
Sponsored Research Revenue as a Percentage of Provincial Grants (thousands of dollars)
Sponsored research revenue as a percentage of provincial operating grants is summarized in the
following table:
Types of Research Support
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06
Three-Year
Average 2003 -05
Three-Year
Average 2004-06
Total sponsored research revenues
$1,543
$2,316
$1,849
$1,909
$1,903
Total Province of Alberta operating
grants
$22,135
$25,452
$30,113
$22,782
$25,900
7.1%
9.1%
6.1%
8.4%
7.3%
Sponsored research revenues as a % of
provincial operating grants
As the table shows, the percentage increase has changed significantly in recent years as funding from
the granting councils has varied and operating grants have increased substantially.
30
Research Council Success (thousands of dollars)
Athabasca University’s success rate with its applications to the granting councils is summarized in the
following table:
Granting Councils*
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06
Three-Year
Average 2003-05
Three-Year
Average 2004-06
Number of applications
27
26
21
23
24
Number of awards
11
6
5
7
7
$442
$724
$709
$469
$625
Total $ value of awards (in thousands of
dollars)
* Includes Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)
including graduate scholarships, and Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR). Also includes Canada Research Chairs and indirect costs, but not Canada
Foundation for Innovation (CFI), Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC), Office of Learning Technologies (OLT), Industry Canada, etc.
Of note is the increase in the value of the awards being received.
Research Publications and Other Creative Works
Athabasca University faculty and staff actively disseminate their research results through various
publications and presentations. The following table provides a summary of these activities (Note:
Numbers for previous years have been amended to reflect definitions from granting agencies.)
Research Publications*
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06
Three-Year
Average 2003-05
Three-Year
Average 2004-06
Number of full-time faculty**
106
111
142
107
120
Books authored or co-authored
55
44
61
47
53
Books edited or co-edited
6
7
8
5.8
7
Articles in refereed publications
133
159
146
127
146
Non-refereed publications
42
36
40
34
39
Conference presentations
306
242
296
247
281
*Books authored or co-authored include chapters authored or co-authored. Refereed articles include refereed journals and conference proceedings. Conference
presentations include invited speaking engagements.
** The number of full-time teaching staff is as reported to Statistics Canada through the University Full-time Teaching Staff System for the period and includes
teaching staff employed as of October 1 of the reporting year and research staff who have an academic rank and salary scale similar to teaching staff, appointed
on a full-time basis, whose term of appointment is not less than 12 months (including staff members on leave).
31
PRIORITIES AND SUPPORT NEEDS
Priorities for 2007-11
Athabasca University is advancing quickly. Student registrations continue to grow: from April 2006
to January 2007, registrations for individualized study courses increased by 11.6 per cent over the
same period the year before, with the largest increases in commerce and administration, legal studies
and science. Registrations in the MAIS graduate program increased by 20 per cent and in nursing by
five per cent within the same period. For the 2007-08 year, undergraduate registration is targeted to
grow by 11 per cent, with 68,000 registrations forecast. Graduate registration is targeted to rise by
five per cent to 8,400 registrations. Strong growth is also anticipated in non-credential undergraduate
enrolment, particularly in the number of students visiting from other universities.
As mentioned above, this four-year business plan flows from the university’s new Strategic University
Plan and the six priorities identified there: quality, access, people, community, research and resources.
A progressive campus development plan, new programs and the introduction of new ways of accessing
online and distance material, including the Athabasca University Press, the only open access academic
press in Canada, are among recent developments that are positioning Athabasca University for the
future. The Business Plan 2007-11 is therefore a plan both to consolidate recent gains in and to
significantly invest in the following areas:
• reducing barriers to access
• technology and capital infrastructure
• marketing and recruitment
• new program development
• research
• student support services
• fund development
The proposed strategies represent investments in instruments of growth that will position Athabasca
University for major change.
Investment to Reduce Barriers to Access
Athabasca University is a significant and respected leader among providers of open access university
education. Maintaining its leadership position in the Canadian distance education market, as well as
its reputation for quality, will require careful planning and managed growth.
One persistent barrier to university-level education is learners’ lack of knowledge of the opportunities
and supports available to them. Athabasca University intends to become more effective in ensuring
that prospective students understand and use these supports. The need for enhanced marketing of the
Athabasca University experience to under-represented groups (e.g., lower income students, young men
working in industry, immigrants, rural Albertans and Aboriginal Albertans) within the post-secondary
sector is critical. Satisfying the needs of these groups will be an important strategy over the life of
this plan. The university has already begun working toward this goal by developing sound marketing
and communication strategies that will reach out to these markets as well as to its primary market.
Success in this endeavour will ensure a greater uptake of students from under-represented groups and
higher completion rates for the post-secondary sector as a whole.
Increased budgets for marketing reflect the need for additional exposure to under-represented groups
32
through advertising (including online advertising), participation in recruitment fairs, increased emphasis
on alumni services and activities, strategic alliances and increased efforts to make significant inroads
in corporate Canada. The university’s efforts to reach out to prospective students, particularly those
who are members of underserved populations, is exemplified by the Learning Communities project
mentioned earlier. Special attention will be given to partnership opportunities that improve access for
learners from other post-secondary institutions, corporations and governments. The geographic focus
will be on Alberta, Ontario and British Columbia, as well as on international markets in the United
States, Asia and Mexico. The intention in these latter markets is to help students with an interest in
Alberta employment readiness.
Fundraising is a core activity of all research-based universities. Athabasca University intends to raise
a minimum of $30.5 million during the four-year life of this business plan, and it expects these funds to
be matched by Access to the Future funds. The funds raised will be used to support scholarships, new
program initiatives and new research directions. The university intends to lever these funds already
matched by Access funds through foundation and other opportunities.
Investment in Course and New Program Development
Over the next four years, Athabasca University will move strongly toward the 100,000 enrolment target
set for 2015 by the Strategic University Plan, enrolling over 54,000 students by 2011. The enhanced
recruitment efforts described above will fuel this growth, as will development of new undergraduate
and graduate programs.
Significant investments in the maintenance and enhancement of course quality will be a priority
during the course of this plan. The Educational Media Development unit is being restructured to
achieve greater efficiencies in course development and delivery. Program review/restructuring, course
renumbering and website development are also underway.
During the coming year, 32 new academic positions will support quality maintenance in specific
academic units that are experiencing significant growth: integrated studies, nursing, health studies,
business and state and legal studies are just a few of those that will welcome new faculty members.
Slower staff growth is anticipated during 2008-10 as the university consolidates its hiring of the
previous two years, but the need for accelerated hiring is anticipated to again arise in the 2010-13
period.
New program development will focus particularly on professional and graduate studies areas.
Athabasca University’s Doctorate in Education has just been approved, and the university will seek
approval to offer the first online doctoral program in business administration and subsequently in
nursing. A new program in heritage resources management is under development, and through a
ground-breaking agreement with the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada, Athabasca University
will develop an undergraduate degree with specialization in architecture and a graduate diploma
in architecture. One-time funds have also been secured to study the feasibility of programs in law,
engineering and education, disciplines to which market research shows a clear need for access
through distance education.
Investment in Research
All Athabasca University faculty members are active in research. In recent years, research outputs and
33
the number of research grants awarded to faculty members have increased significantly. This trend
is expected to continue; as the university develops its graduate programs, research activity will also
increase.
As in any university, a healthy dialogue exists among researchers who are studying the same broad
issues through different paradigms. This dialogue informs all scholarly work, particularly graduatelevel teaching. The university has confirmed its commitment to graduate study by affirming in the
Strategic University Plan its commitment to interdisciplinarity in research. Increasingly, university
faculty members and students will be working in interdisciplinary environments. Through the Masters
of Arts – Integrated Studies program, Athabasca University has become a leader among universities
that actively encourage interdisciplinary academic activity.
It must also be acknowledged that, in Canada, opportunities to disseminate peer-reviewed research
are somewhat constrained by limited access to the traditional journals and academic presses. To
address this concern, Athabasca University will be establishing the Athabasca University Press, an
open access, peer-reviewed press that will provide Canadian researchers with much readier access
to scholarly audiences.
The university will also continue to seek support for its proposals to create the Centre of Excellence
for Research in New Learning Technologies and the Athabasca River Basin Research Centre. These
centres will facilitate both mission-critical and discipline-based research. Matching funds from the
Access to the Future Fund have been requested, and support from several granting agencies and private
sector donors has been targeted. Additional research based centres, a Centre of Excellence in Project
Management within the Centre for Innovative Management, for example, are also being considered.
Investment in Infrastructure
Capital
Expansion of Athabasca University’s technological and administrative systems and of its physical
facilities have failed to keep pace with the university’s remarkable growth in enrolment and program
development. Capital infrastructure investments are now urgently needed, and securing the funds
to develop new teaching, learning and research facilities is a strategic priority. To meet the need
for additional capacity, the university plans, over the next five years, to construct a substantial new
building on its main campus, in Athabasca, and to expand facilities in the Greater Edmonton Area
and in Calgary. These new and expanded facilities will provide work space for faculty and staff and
support the delivery of courses and programs to students. Over the next four years, $141 million in
strategic capital investments is needed.
Technology and Student Supports
Students at an open university with e-delivery require support services that employ state-of-the-art
technologies. All universities have embraced, to some extent, major changes in technology, but as a
distance and online university, Athabasca University stands out for the centrality of technology to its
students’ experience.
In recent years, Athabasca University has produced a significant body of research in technologically
mediated learning, and given the university’s considerable expertise and acknowledged leadership in
34
this field, that trend will continue. Expanding and enriching online student services will remain a focus
for the duration of this plan.
In addition to the E-Learning Accelerator Project, the integration of Moodle as the university-wide
learning management system has been one of the key outcomes of the acceptance of the institutionwide Information Technology Systems (ITS) plan. For example, to facilitate greater access, the Centre
for Nursing and Health Studies this year plans to convert 19 online undergraduate and 28 online
graduate courses from WebCT to Moodle. The development of the myAU student portal is also nearing
completion.
Athabasca University courses are significantly different from campus-based e-learning courses,
and the surest means of retaining students and maintaining high completion rates in a constantly
changing environment is to provide services that support students’ learning needs. Information
and communication technology will remain a crucial component of the university’s capital plan. An
investment of at least $21 million over the duration of this plan and $80 million over the next decade,
beyond the university’s $10 million allocation from its systems development reserve, is required to
support the needed investment in technology and system development.
Support Needs
In a time of significant new investments in the province’s post-secondary system, Athabasca
University looks forward to working with government and others to secure appropriate funding for its
graduate programs, its research programs (particularly those focused on new learning technologies)
and its technological and physical infrastructures. Working together, stakeholders in post-secondary
education can address the university’s most urgent problems to better serve Alberta students.
Athabasca University relies on out-of-province student fees to support its operations and the
delivery of programs to all students regardless of location. The university must continue to clarify
and strengthen its policies on serving students from other jurisdictions and work to ensure that the
provincial government clearly understands both the importance of students from other jurisdictions
to the financial sustainability of the university and the investment the university is making in the
educational capital of Canada. Government policy to support this important revenue stream for
Athabasca University in required.
Significant and progressive changes are also needed to the university’s capital funding model.
Like other universities, Athabasca University has a large unmet need for capital and technological
infrastructure. To address this deficit, priority capital projects include
• construction of an academic and research building on the main campus in Athabasca
• development of an integrated facility in the Greater Edmonton Area, including the acquisition of
land on which to build this facility
• participation in the Calgary Urban Campus partnership, a developer-led construction project in
east Calgary with a long-term leasing opportunity
• renovation of the Tim Byrne Centre in Athabasca
These developments are long overdue, and their completion will create an appropriate capacity for
growth. A detailed plan for the new academic and research facility in Athabasca has been submitted
for approval. Funding is required for functional planning for the Greater Edmonton facility and the
35
Calgary Urban Campus. Acquisition of land in the Greater Edmonton area is also planned for the 200708 budget year.
Two additional projects will need future support:
• the proposed Centre of Excellence for Research in New Learning Technologies
• the proposed Athabasca River Basin Research Centre
Drawing on Athabasca University’s recognized expertise in the field of online and distance education
and benefiting from the presence of Canada Research Chairs in e-learning and distance education, the
Centre of Excellence for Research in New Learning Technologies will be an international leader in the
field. This project will require $18 million to fully realize.
The Athabasca River Basin Research Centre will allow Athabasca University researchers to collaborate
with representatives of industry, government and the community to study the impact of development
on the ecosystem of the Athabasca River Basin. This centre will conduct research, educate and
communicate with respect to existing conditions within the river basin, sustainable environmental
practices (e.g., bio-economy, water use and emissions) and challenges and opportunities for rural
development and the northern economy. Given its academic resources and location, Athabasca
University is well positioned to examine the challenges faced by the Athabasca River Basin and to
find solutions to problems identified. Matching start-up funds have been requested from the Access
to the Future Fund.
Equally pressing is the need for a funding formula that recognizes that Athabasca University’s
technological infrastructure is as integral to the learning environment of its students as the
laboratories and classrooms of campus-based institutions are to that of traditional students. The
investments that Athabasca University needs to sustain the capital value of its courses and delivery
systems falls outside the traditional funding categories. Last year, the province agreed that Athabasca
University’s technology needs were capital. Over the next year, the direct capital portion of the
technology infrastructure needed to enhance the administrative and learning support systems will be
approximately $4 million.
Athabasca University is appreciative of the work the Ministry of Advanced Education and Technology
has done over the last year on behalf of the university and its students. Should the ministry continue
the enhancement of its post-secondary framework to ensure the timeliness of program changes and
other initiatives, it would allow the university to become even more responsive to the marketplace.
Athabasca University would also benefit from the government’s continued effort to streamline and
standardize regulatory or policy frameworks. For example, a greater degree of inter-provincial cooperation would enhance inter-jurisdictional activities that fund a significant part the university’s
operations. Government of Alberta support could advance initiatives aimed at achieving national
alignment in the regulatory framework for public educational institutions. The province’s success
in brokering the Trade, Investment and Labour Mobility Agreement (TILMA) with British Columbia
represented a precedent-setting step in this area.
36
ACCESSIBILITY/ENROLMENT PLAN
Enrolment
Athabasca University anticipates strong enrolment growth with an average 11 per cent year-overyear increase throughout the 2007-08 to 2010-11 planning period. A renewed focus on marketing and
targeted recruitment will help to ensure this strong growth.
Increases are expected across-the-board in undergraduate and graduate enrolment. Strong growth
is also anticipated among non-credential undergraduate students, particularly students visiting from
other universities. The growth rate among this group of Athabasca University students has increased
by an average of seven per cent per year over the past five years.
Out-of-province Students
In the last few years, as Ontario’s 2002-03 double cohort has worked its way through the system, the
proportion of Ontario students in the total Athabasca University population has increased: Ontario
student enrolment has grown by an average of 17 per cent per year over the past five years. Though
the double cohort anomaly has nearly run its course, growth rates are expected to continue to be very
strong among students from all provinces.
Alberta Students
The number of Alberta residents taking courses through Athabasca University continues to rise,
growing by eight per cent in the past year and targeted to grow by seven per cent per year for each
of the years of this plan.
Because Athabasca University students are, on average, older than students at Alberta’s residential
universities, the echo boom that has been swelling undergraduate populations at the residential
universities and colleges is likely to continue to affect Athabasca University’s population well after
enrolment has plateaued or declined at the province’s other universities.
The university will focus on increasing participation rates of Alberta students over the next four
years.
Alberta Students Taking Courses
20,000
15,000
10,000
5,000
0
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
2009-10
2010-11
Year
37
Access Funded Programs
Athabasca University’s accessibility plan includes meeting specific targets for programs that have
received conditional funding. The targets for each program are shown below. Programs are expected
to reach their maintenance targets within the period covered by this business plan.
Program
Year First
Funded
Initial Target
Maintenance
Target
Bachelor of Arts at Mount Royal College
2001-02
15
45
Bachelor of Nursing at Mount Royal College
2001-02
3.2
28
Conjoint Nursing Program, Calgary
2001-02
9.1
80.5
Campus Alberta Applied Psychology: Counselling Initiative
2001-02
7
25
Bachelor of Management (B.Admin.)
2004-05
62
62
Bachelor of Professional Arts
2004-05
66
66
Bachelor of Nursing: LPN
2005-06
17
47
Bachelor of Professional Arts: Criminal Justice
2006-07
16
50
Master of Nursing
2006-07
10
40
Campus Alberta Applied Psychology: Counselling Initiative
2006-07
16.7
16.7
New Programs
Over the past five years, Athabasca University has developed a number of new programs in response
to the demonstrated educational needs of Albertans. This growth in the curriculum is expected to
continue.
In February 2007, the university received approval from Alberta Advanced Education and Technology
to offer a Doctorate in Education. This program, the university’s first at the doctoral level, is expected
to open in 2008. A second doctoral program, in business administration, an important planned addition
to the offerings of the Centre for Innovative Management, is currently under review. The university
also plans to introduce graduate diploma programs in legislative drafting, instructional design,
architectural studies and heritage resource management. Launch dates for these new programs will
depend on the approval mechanisms of Alberta Advanced Education and Technology and the Campus
Alberta Quality Council.
In terms of undergraduate programs, the university expects, again in response labour market need
and student demand, to expand its collaborative and credit co-ordinating activities to fulfil its Campus
Alberta mandate. New major programs under development include environmental studies within the
Bachelor of Arts, Indigenous Nations organization within the Bachelor of Management and architectural
studies within the Bachelor of Science. New undergraduate certificate programs under development
include programs in heritage resources management, financial services, e-commerce, marketing and
environmental studies. In addition to developing these courses and programs, the university intends,
within the next three years, to embark upon feasibility studies for the development of new programs
in law, engineering and education.
38
FINANCIAL INFORMATION
In preparing the 2007-08 budget and the planned statements of operations and financial position for
2007-08 to 2010-11, a number of complex factors had to be taken into account.
First and foremost, the budget is aligned with the Strategic University Plan. Over the period of this
plan, the university is positioned to invest in research, academic program development, course delivery
and student services, all of which are staffing and technology intensive.
In 2007-08, substantial permanent staffing increases are planned to position the university for growth
and to add new academic programs and enhance student services. In contrast, in 2008-09, only
moderate staffing increases are planned, primarily to align with direct student service needs. As
salary increases are a key budget driver, by the end of this plan, salaries and benefits will constitute
nearly 70 per cent of all university expenditures.
Capital investments are desperately needed for facilities for staff and for information technology
development: $141 million in capital investments are planned over the next four years, of which $127
million in external funding is needed.
The availability of financial and physical resources is key to Athabasca University’s development as
a university. Strong registration growth is expected over the period of this plan, with 73 per cent
cumulative revenue growth (reaching $158 million) expected by 2010-11. Similar growth in expenditures
is planned to prepare for and respond to this growth.
For each year, a six per cent Alberta operating grant increase together with the university’s share
of the Alberta Affordability Framework grant is planned so that tuition fees are kept affordable for
Alberta students. Under the new Alberta Tuition Fee Policy, the maximum permissible tuition increase
for 2007-08 is 3.2 per cent, applied to the 2004-05 base tuition. Based on this policy, the maximum
tuition fee increase is proposed. This increase is required for ongoing expenditures and needed major
investments.
In 2007-08, initiatives to diversify revenue are expanding, and $4 million in restricted donations
and endowments and a matching $1.2 million from the Access to Future Fund are expected. These
initiatives are expected to raise $30.5 million in endowments and restricted donations over the life of
this plan.
Finally, net assets (reserves) generated from previous year surpluses will be used to invest in new
program development, technology, bridging to retirement and facilities. For example, $10 million is
planned for new program development and $4 million for bridging to retirement operating expenditures.
These estimates require planning for deficits in the next four years. During these years, the university
will manage commitments prudently.
39
Athabasca University Business Plan 2007–2011
Statement of Operations
For the year ended March 31
(in thousands of dollars)
APPROVED
APPROVED
Plan
Plan
Plan
BUDGET
BUDGET
2008-2009
2009-2010
2010-2011
2006-2007
2007-2008
REVENUES
$28,711
$34,484
$38,152
Undergraduate student fees
33,643
38,817
Graduate student fees
13,391
14,261
Sales of goods and services
9,964
Research and other grants
2,605
Amortization of DCC
873
2,132
1,428
3,340
5,701
Interest
1,500
2,028
2,132
2.177
2,223
Donations
350
2,000
3,500
7,000
10,000
Other
316
143
181
220
220
91,353
109,325
120,787
138,698
157,996
Salaries and benefits
62,377
76,050
87,216
96,842
110,725
Fees and purchased services
13,013
15,946
15,175
16,023
17,002
Materials and supplies
8,924
10,319
10,300
10,782
11,241
Communications and travel
5,389
6,551
6,773
7,353
8,161
Amortization
3,147
4,783
4,592
6,336
8,629
Facilities costs
1,796
1,858
1,908
1,952
1,996
Scholarships
305
616
593
854
1,085
$ 94,951
$ 116,123
$126,557
$140,142
$158,839
$ (3,598)
$ (6,798)
$ (5,770)
$ (1,444)
$ (843) Excess of expense over revenue
$ (3,598)
(6,798)
(5,770)
(1,444)
(843)
Planned transfers from reserves
3,598
6,798
5,770
1,444
843
Approved Plan
-
-
-
-
-
Operating grants
$41,524
$45,889
45,235
51,457
58,543
16,153
18,472
20,417
14,572
13,450
13,952
14,447
888
556
556
556
EXPENSES (Note A)
Excess of expense over revenue
Funding Source for ExCess
Net Assets: Planned Investments (Expenditures)
Changes in net assets (reserves)
Balance, beginning of year
$ 25,214
21,403
19,555
13,785
12,341
Forecast adjustments 2006-07 (Note B)
0
9,464
0
0
0
Excess of expense over revenue
(3,598)
(6,798)
(5,770)
(1,444)
(843)
Capital acquisitions
(213)
(4,514)
0
0
0
Balance, end of the year
$21,403
$19,555
$13,785
$12,341
$11,498 A: Incudes expenditures related to planned investments from restricted reserves
B: Adjustments to 2006-07 for capital acquisitions $213, and forecasted operations variances of $6,663 for 2005-06 and $2,588 for 2004-05
40
Athabasca University Business Plan 2007–2011
Statement of Financial Position
For the year ended March 31
(in thousands of dollars)
Approved
Approved
Plan
Plan
Plan
Budget
Budget
2008-2009
2009-2010
2010-2011
2006-2007
2007-2008
ASSETS
CURRENT
Cash and short-term investments
$ 13,781
$ 16,995
$ 15,303
$ 17,859
$ 21,625
Accounts receivable
5,279
5,957
6,890
7,849
8,863
Inventory of course materials
5,333
5,973
6,690
7,359
8,095
Prepaid expenses
605
608
547
490
505
24,998
29,533
29,430
33,556
39,088
Non-current investments
26,900
27,800
27,800
27,800
27,800
Capital assets and collectionS
26,970
43,198
71,191
125,178
145,063
$ 78,868
$ 100,531
$ 128,421
$186,534
$211,951
Accounts payable and accruals
$ 2,844
$ 3,349
$ 3,296
$ 3,481
$ 3,701
Salaries and benefits payable
8,199
9,996
11,464
12,729
14,554
Deferred revenue
15,278
17,600
19,712
21,683
23,851
Deferred contributions
1,653
1,653
1,653
1,653
1,653
LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS
CURRENT
Due to joint venture
287
287
287
287
287
28,261
32,885
36,412
39,833
44,046
Deferred salaries and benefits payable
1,936
2,068
2,208
2,358
2,519
Deferred capital contributions
13,752
17,466
46,504
100,966
120,686
43,949
52,419
85,124
143,158
167,250
Investment in capital assets
12,293
24,807
23,762
23,286
23,452
Endowments
1,223
3,750
5,750
7,750
9,750
Internally restricted
18,353
19,555
13,785
12,333
11,477
Unrestricted
3,050
-
-
8
21
34,919
48,112
43,297
43,376
44,700
$ 78,868 $ 100,531
$ 128,421
$186,534
$211,951 Net assets
41
Athabasca University Business Plan 2007–2011
Statement of Cash Flows
For the year ended March 31
Approved
(in thousands of dollars)
Approved
Budget
Budget
2006-2007
2007-2008
CASH PROVIDED FROM (USED IN) OPERATING ACTIVITIES
Excess of expense over revenue
$ (3,598)
$ (6,798)
Amortization of capital assets and deferred course development costs
3,147
4,713
Amortization of deferred capital and deferred couse development contributions
(873)
(2,062)
Other items not affecting cash
165
138
(1,159)
(4,009)
Change in accounts receivable, inventory of course materials and prepaid expenses
(941)
(1,328)
Change in current liabilities, except current portion of obligation under capital lease
3,362
4,625
1,262
(712)
Decrease (increase) in non-current investments, net
(20,500)
(900)
Capital asset and collection acquisitions, net
(7,926)
(20,941)
Endowment awards and contributions, net
0
2,777
Deferred capital contributions
3,266
5,776
Change in non-cash working capitaL
CASH PROVIDED FROM (USED IN) INVESTING AND FINANCING ACTIVITIES
8,000
Capital contibutions for land
Capital lease payments
INCREASE (decrease) in cash and short-term investments
(53)
-
(25,213)
(5,288)
(23,951)
(6,000)
*
37,732
22,995
Cash and short-term investments, end of year
$ 13,781
$ 16,995
Cash and short-term investments, beginning of year
*Note: The beginning of year cash and short-term investments amount is projected based on forecasted operating results for the previous year. The 2007-08 amount varies from the
approved budget amount for 2006-07 by the variances for 2005-06 and 2006-07.
42
CAPITAL PROJECTS
Developing knowledge, technology and student services capacities is critical to Athabasca University’s
success. A number of major strategic capital planning activities, including the 25-year Campus
Development Plan, the 2006-11 Capital Plan, the Information System Development Plan 2006-09 and
other supporting capital business plans, were completed last year. These plans were submitted to
government in June 2006.
The university is advancing quickly. To support its projected growth, it plans to add, over the next five
years, a substantial new building to its main campus in Athabasca, to expand existing facilities in
the Greater Edmonton Area and in Calgary and to make major investments in information technology.
Meeting the capital and technological requirements of these planned expansions is a priority. Over
the next four years, $141 million in strategic capital investment, as outlined below and in the attached
capital expenditure projections, is needed.
Further, over the next 10 years, $270 million in capital infrastructure, as outlined in the 10-year capital
expenditure projection, is required. The 2007-17 10-year capital projection is an update of the previous
projection, which was submitted to government with the 2006-11 Capital Plan, adjusted to reflect the
required investment in 2007 dollars.
Facilities Projects
The university has experienced significant growth in both undergraduate and graduate registrations,
but there has been no corresponding increase in capital infrastructure investment. The need for capital
investments has now become critical, and satisfying this need is Athabasca University’s most pressing
problem.
A $1.2 million interior renovation, intended to better utilize existing floor space, is underway at the
main campus in Athabasca. Additional office space was also created during the past year through
the addition of a portable office complex, which cost $864,000. In total, the university spent over
$2 million on infrastructure renewal projects last year. However, the space increases gained will
barely accommodate immediate staff growth, and capacity has been stretched to the limit. Much
more remains to be done.
This year, 5,000 square feet of additional space will be leased in Athabasca and 10,000 square feet
in Edmonton. Leasehold improvements will also be undertaken in new leased space in Athabasca and
Edmonton and in existing Calgary space to achieve greater efficiencies of use. The total cost of these
improvements is estimated at $3 million. Leasing space is a short-term solution to the university’s
pressing need for additional space.
Athabasca University in Athabasca: Academic and Research Facility
Athabasca University’s proposed new academic and research building, which will be located on
the main campus in Athabasca, will provide space and services for the academic, research and
educational media development centres of the university. It will accommodate 210 new positions. This
new facility will enhance and support increased collaboration and synergies between researchers and
academics.
The proposed Centre of Excellence for Research in New Learning Technologies, to be housed in the
new facility, will showcase Athabasca University’s leadership role in addressing e-learning challenges
and opportunities. It will provide a provincial focal point for research, teaching practices and
implementation strategies associated with e-learning. The centre will develop innovative approaches
43
to distance education using ICT and, of particular importance to Alberta, the SuperNet, WestGrid and
Netera. The centre will also support an online distributed e-learning network accessible worldwide
from any location at which an Internet connection is available.
The conceptual design for the building proposes adding 72,500 square feet (6,738 m2) of space at a
total estimated facility capital cost of $38 million (2007 dollars). Detailed design work is scheduled
to begin as soon as the building project is approved by government. Functional programming and
conceptual building design is expected to be completed this fall. Occupancy is now planned for 2009.
This new facility will be a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold facility.
Athabasca University in Edmonton
The Strategic University Plan calls for the development of a Greater Edmonton facility that will
accommodate the activities of the Centre for Innovative Management, now located in St. Albert, and
those of the Edmonton Learning Centre, now located in downtown Edmonton. The expected benefits
of this project include administrative efficiencies in registration, financial and support processes,
including support for those working from home offices in the St. Albert and Edmonton areas.
Project planning will begin this spring. Approximately 80,000 square feet of space will be required to
accommodate existing operations and new positions resulting from projected growth in enrolment.
The university has actively begun to look for land to secure a location for development planning. An
expenditure of $8 million has been planned for the acquisition of land in the Greater Edmonton Area,
to be funded from government grants or other external sources. Construction costs are estimated at
$48 million (2007 dollars).
Athabasca University in Calgary: Calgary Urban Campus
Athabasca University is one of six core partners in the Calgary Urban Campus partnership. This
development is a mixed-use, multi-partner community learning complex in Calgary’s city centre (East
Village). For Athabasca University, broadening access to learning, enhancing collaboration and ensuring
inclusion are important benefits of this project. The proposed location will provide the university with
a physical presence in one of its key markets.
The Urban Campus is expected to become the first public-private partnership for post-secondary
education in Alberta. The current design proposes a capital lease of 18,000 square feet at a cost to
the university of $9 million. The projected date of occupancy is 2010.
Archives Expansion: Tim Byrne Centre
The Tim Byrne Centre is used to produce, store and distribute textbooks and other learning resources.
To accommodate registration growth and provide room for archives, the university plans in 2008 to
construct an additional 5,000 square feet of space at the centre at a cost of approximately $620,000.
Central Relocations and Teaching Lab: Athabasca
Once the academic centres have moved into the proposed new academic and research facility on the
Athabasca campus, the existing building will require renovation to meet the needs of its new identity as
the Athabasca University Learning Centre. A conceptual design includes a significant teaching laboratory
investment. The cost of renovations, planned to begin in 2009, is estimated at $5.6 million.
44
Technology Projects
Information technology projects are as important to Athabasca University as facilities projects. A continuing
high level of investment in systems development is central to Athabasca University’s strategic and capital
plans. Technology based learning environments are integral to high quality and accessible distance
education and to the student learning experience. Capital requirements for hardware and software total
$90 million (2007 dollars) over the next 10 years, including a minimum of $21 million in the next four years.
The university has $10 million in restricted reserve set aside to support technology investments.
The University Information Technology Systems Operational Plan continues to be the framework guiding
the implementation of a number of information technology systems (ITS) projects. Planned learning and
research systems investments include completing the transformation to a single learning management
system (Moodle); development of a content management system, an exam system, a tutor information
system and a research subnet; continued development on the myAU portal and the implementation of two
new portals: an alumni portal and a staff portal; and development of the AU Press, an open source press.
Required computing systems investments include the implantation of a Storage Array Network,
implementation of video and web conferencing, improved security measures (identity and access
management), telecommunications hardware and wireless access points, including access points at
the new Learning Links at the University of Alberta and University of Calgary. Evergreening and system
recovery are also planned.
To contain overhead, a number of systems that enhance staff efficiency and effectiveness are being
implemented. The expansion of the Human Resources Information System, development of a transfer credit
articulation system, upgrades to the Student Information System (SCT) Banner 7, investment in groupware
(e-mailing, scheduling and other collaborative tools) and a contact tracking system (HEAT) are required
to enhance both staff efficiency and better connections with students. In addition to the implementation
of the systems just mentioned, the university is actively working with other institutions to implement the
Alberta Post-secondary Application System, a project initiated by the provincial government to provide a
single window of services for learners applying to post-secondary institutions in Alberta.
Planned and ongoing governance systems investments include a project portfolio management system and
a control framework to provide for effective co-ordination and stewarding of ITS initiatives.
Equipment Projects
Over the course of this business plan, Athabasca University anticipates spending approximately $2 million
on equipment.
The university’s existing print production capacity is based on a capital lease ending in January 2008. A
replacement capital investment of approximately $1 million will be needed when the existing lease ends.
Ongoing equipment needs for research, operations and vehicles will also cost $1 million over the life of
this plan.
Library and Art Collections
Athabasca University continually updates and is planning to expand its library and art collections with the
investment of $730,000 over the next four years.
45
Capital Forecast
To reflect Athabasca University’s plans to meet capital needs, a forecast of projected capital investments and funding sources
is provided in the following tables.
Athabasca University Business Plan 2007–2011
Capital Expenditure Projections
For the year ended March 31
(in thousands of dollars)
Total
APPROVED
Plan
Plan
Plan
BUDGET
2008-2009
2009-2010
2010-2011
2007-2008
Capital expenditures
Land
$ 8,000
Buildings, leaseholds and site improvements
7,370
29,493
Hardware and software
4,324
2,470
Equipment
1,147
Library and art collections
100
$ 20,941
$
-
$
-
$
-
$ 8,000
56,520
16,590
109,973
3,000
10,830
20,625
265
265
265
1,942
210
210
210
730
$ 32,439
$ 59,995
$27,895
$ 141,270
External capital contributions
46
Provincial and other:
Land
8,000
-
-
-
8,000
Buildings
4,334
29,493
56,520
16,590
106,938
Information technology
1,442
972
1,283
8,830
12,527
Capital expenditures, externally funded
$ 13,776
$ 30,465
$ 57,803
$ 25,420
$ 127,465
Capital reserve
$ 1,632
$ 1,632
Information technology reserve
2,882
2,882
Operating reserves
2,651
1,974
2,192
2,475
9,292
Capital expenditures, internally funded
$ 7,165
$ 1,974
$ 2,192
$ 2,475
$ 13,806
Athabasca University Business Plan 2007–2011
Capital Expenditure Projections
For the year ended March 31
APPROVED
BUDGET
2007-2008
(in thousands of dollars)
Plan
2008-2009
Plan
2009-2010
Plan
2010-2011
Total
Land
EXTERNALLY FUNDED
Land in Greater Edmonton
$ 8,000
Total Land
$ 8,000
-
3,422
329
583
$
-
$
-
$
-
$ 8,000
-
-
$ 8,000
22,810
3,960
743
370
620
-
11,650
31,120
6,370
450
5,580
12,540
2,250
450
-
37,882
47,620
9,363
1,599
620
5,580
990
1,350
1,350
4,273
500
1,561
975
-
-
-
500
1,561
975
$ 7,370
29,493
56,520
16,590
109,973
1,442
972
1,283
8,830
12,527
630
60
380
100
400
30
100
40
100
40
100
40
1,030
90
680
220
147
168
353
98
-
-
1,300
147
266
1,653
62
275
147
47
180
49
300
52
-
209
275
627
245
124
128
133
630
120
197
300
180
300
800
300
75
1,020
1,252
$ 4,324
2,470
3,000
10,830
20,625
Print production equipment (Tim Byrne Centre)
Other equipment
950
197
265
265
265
950
992
Total Equipment
1,147
265
265
265
1,942
Art
75
25
210
-
210
-
210
-
705
25
Total Library and Art Collections
100
210
210
210
730
Building leaseholds and site improvements
EXTERNALLY FUNDED
AU Central Academic and Research Centre
Greater Edmonton Integrated Learning Centre
AU Calgary Urban Campus
Infrastructure renewal
Archive storage facility expansion (Tim Byrne Centre)
AU Central relocations and teaching lab
Capital planning for future projects
INTERNALLY FUNDED
Leasehold Improvements - Athabasca
Leasehold Improvements - Edmonton
Leasehold Improvements - Calgary
Total Buildings, Leaseholds and Site Improvements
Hardware and software
EXTERNALLY FUNDED
General
Other projects subject to external funding
INTERNALLY FUNDED
Computing Services
Infrastructure upgrading
Video conferencing
Storage array network
Systems recovery plan
Administrative Systems
Project groupware
Banner upgrade
Finance and HR information systems
Learning and Research Systems
Moodle
Content management system
Library systems
Hardware Provisions
Server and network system ever-greening
General
Central capital contingency
Other projects
Total Hardware and Software
Equipment
Library and art collections
Library
47
Ten Year Capital Plan
The following table illustrates Athabasca University’s capital needs until 2016-2017; a ten year planning horizon.
Athabasca University Business Plan 2007–2011
Capital Expenditure Projections - Ten Year Horizon
For the year ended March 31
(in millions of dollars)
Fiscal Year (cash flow in millions 2007$)
2007-08
2008-09
0.33
0.95
0.20
0.10
0.37
0.27
0.21
0.50
1.56
0.98
2.88
1.44
2009-10
2010-11
2011-12
2012-13
2013-14
2014-15
2015-16
2016-17
Total
0.45
5.58
0.27
0.21
0.45
0.27
0.21
0.45
0.75
0.45
0.75
0.45
0.75
0.75
0.45
0.75
0.75
0.45
0.75
0.45
0.75
4.30
0.95
5.58
0.99
1.50
5.23
0.62
1.50
0.97
1.72
1.28
2.00
8.83
0.75
0.75
2.89
11.25
5.99
12.00
3.00
4.58
9.00
18.00
2.25
9.00
3.00
1.07
9.00
2.29
-
24.00
0.62
0.50
2.31
1.73
27.17
62.78
8.00
3.42
-
22.81
3.96
0.74
-
11.65
31.12
6.37
-
12.54
2.25
-
0.75
-
6.00
0.75
0.75
7.50
1.50
-
-
8.00
37.88
47.62
9.36
7.50
9.75
Capital planning for future projects
0.58
0.99
1.35
1.35
1.35
1.35
1.35
1.35
1.35
1.35
12.37
Annual Capital Requirements
20.94
32.44
60.00
27.89
18.94
27.29
28.13
34.05
15.62
4.84
270.14
Project
Category 1: Preservation
Infrastructure renewal
Centralized print production lease
AU Central relocations and teaching lab
Equipment
Trails and landscape enhancments
Other
Catagory 2: Expansion and/or Replacement
Recapitalization/functional renewal of AU Central
Archive storage facility expansion (TBC)
Leasehold improvments - Athabasca
Leasehold improvments - Edmonton
Leasehold improvments - Calgary
Renewal/replacement of IT equipment & software
IT Development
Category 3: New Facilities of Major Economic Benefit to the Province
Land
Academic & Research Centre (ARC)
Integrated Learning Centre
AU at Calgary Urban Campus
Athabasca River Basin Research Centre
Conference centre
Category 4: Capital Planning for Major Projects
Source: Appendix A 2006/2011 Capital Plan (Updated)
48
TUITION PROJECTIONS
Athabasca University’s tuition fee projections 2007-08 to 2010-11 are as follows:
2006-07
2007-08
2008-09
2009-10
2010-11
Actual
Approved
Plan
Plan
Plan
Course-Based Fees
Undergraduate Student Fees
Course fee (3-credit)
$464
$ 421
$ 434
$ 447
$ 460
Percentage change
6.4%
3.2%
3.1%
3.0%
2.9%
Course fee
$ 1,090
$ 1,300
$ 1,350
$1,400
$1,450
Percentage change
4.8%
19.3%
3.8%
3.7%
3.6%
Course fee
$ 1,040
$ 1,025
$ 1,080
$1,110
$1,140
Percentage change
-
(1.4%)
5.4%
2.8%
2.7%
Course fee
$ 1,090
$ 1,150
$ 1,205
$1,265
$1,330
Percentage change
4.8%
5.5%
4.8%
5.0%
5.1%
Course fee
$ 1,350
$ 1,350
$ 1,400
$1,425
$1,450
Percentage change
1.9%
-
3.7%
1.8%
1.8%
Program tuition
$ 40,425
$ 42,000
$ 43,500
$ 44,960
$ 46,550
Percentage change
-
3.9%
3.6%
3.4%
3.5%
Graduate Student Fees
Master of Distance Education
Master of Health Studies and
Master of Nursing
Master of Arts—Integrated Studies
Master of Science—Information Technology
Program-Based Fees
Graduate Student Fees
Master of Business Administration
49
I am an officer in the Canadian Navy, and I am fulfilling
my lifelong dream of becoming a ship’s captain. A large
amount of training is required to achieve this career
goal, leaving very little to devote to post-secondary
education. Canada’s military, which promotes
educational initiatives, guided me toward distance
education. Athabasca University met my personal and
professional needs.
Ron Pumphrey, MAIS
Lieutenant Commander
Canadian Navy
50
51
“My Athabasca University Master of Distance Education degree continues
to be one of the cornerstones of my research in visual and verbal learning
styles and online learning, and it has opened the door to furthering my
education at the PhD level.”
Lucille Mazo, BA, MDE
Instructor and Advisor, Technical Communication
Bachelor of Applied Communications in Professional Writing
Leslie Nielsen School of Communications
Grant MacEwan College
Edmonton, Alberta
Phone: 1-800-788-9041 (toll-free in Canada and U.S.) or 780-675-6100
Fax: 780-675-6145
Enquiries: www.askau.ca
Website: www.athabascau.ca
1 University Drive
Athabasca, AB T9S 3A3
Canada
52