You canít blame Athabasca University Governing Council chair Barry Walker for trying to look on the bright side.
As a prominent representative of AU, Walker has to do all he can to ensure a bright future for the school, so itís no surprise that heís focused on the positive.
When asked about the schoolís future after recent news of layoffs and the uncertainty created by executive shakeups and the sudden resignation of AU president Frits Pannekoek, Walker pointed out that other academic institutions are facing the same kinds of struggles. Certainly, the recently released provincial budget was not easy on post-secondary education, and AU is not alone in having to make painful adjustments to stay fiscally secure.
But while the harsh business realities are clear, the personal realities are equally as harsh. Simply put, thereís no sugar coating the news of layoffs for the 44 (now former) AU employees who were on the receiving end of them. Walker and other AU representatives will forge ahead, but those 44 now must seek new employment, having lost their positions through no fault of their own, but rather due to the limitations imposed by the provincial budget.
Everyone in the professional world knows that even our best efforts cannot always provide us with absolute job security. Similarily, institutions like Athabasca University are clearly at the mercy of the provincial government and must make decisions in accordance with the edicts that are passed down to them; edicts that, while perhaps beneficial in the long run, necessitate painful adjustment in the short term.
Itís not fair, but itís the reality.
