We Are Moving

Athabasca Hall is being renovated. The Computing Science Department will be moving in. Most current occupants have already departed or have received notice that the time has come. After 22 years and a few months the AAS:UA is moving.

The AAS:UA will move to new quarters on February 10, 2001.

The move will disrupt access. Both the telephone system and the computer system will be down for at least Thursday, February 8 and Friday, February 9.

Our new quarters will be located at:

306 Campus Tower

The building is located across from the Timm's Centre; Use the west door entrance (beside Earls) and take the elevator to the third floor.

The new mailing address will be 306 Campus Tower, University of Alberta.

Our phone number will be the same: 780-492-5321.

Our e-mail address will also be the same: aasua@ualberta.ca

We regret the interruption of service and will do our best to minimize its impact. We ask you to bear with us as we leave the quarters where we have been domiciled for the past 23 years.

Some of us will shed a tear as we leave; at least one of us was here when we moved in.

Come to visit us!

How much would it take?

A couple of weeks ago the University got some good news. The provincial government is not only going to pick up the increase in utilities costs for the University (estimated over $7 million), but it is going to pour an additional $25 million into post-secondary education.

Our share for the University of Alberta was estimated to be about $5.5 million, specifically earmarked by the government for two main purposes: to keep the tuition increase as low as possible and to enable salary improvements to recruit and retain key staff. The government was clear about the salary improvements: they had to be "targeted" and not applied across the board. The Association will be discussing with the University administration the most equitable way this can be handled, consistent with the stipulations on the funds and the collective agreement. And of course we will keep our members posted.

Now to most of us, $5.5 million is a pretty nice sum of money.

But there is a vision out there for this University - something we have all heard about being "indisputably recognized" as among the best. So what would that vision cost? How much would the University really need in unentailed base budget funding to achieve that vision?

Vice-President (Academic) and Provost Doug Owram presented the following figures to both the Academic Planning Committee (January 10) and the Board of Governors (January 12):

• To come up to the level of the University of Toronto base budget $63 million
• To meet the Deans' estimate (using a 1998 base) of what they actually needed to run their existing programs $55 million
• According to the Board of Governors Revenue Enhancement Taskforce (1998) $73 million

• To match the funding levels of comparable state universities in the United States $120 million

Viewed in this context, $5.5 million is at best 10 % of what the University really needs. Viewed in the context of the province's projected surplus this year $6.75 billion, $5.5 million is 0.08 % (the whole $25 million for all post-secondary institutions in the province is 0.37%).

We know how much work was invested by President Rod Fraser, Board members, and the University administration to get that $5.5 million, and we are grateful to them all for that. We are grateful for the $5.5 million. No doubt about that. But it falls far short of what we need. We do well on research grants, but research grants don't run the University and most of all they don't pay for all the minds that collectively make up the University.

What does it take to persuade the Province of Alberta that an investment in a world-class research university makes sense in every way and gives all Albertans something tangible for the twenty-first century?

There is an election coming. Think about it.

Jeanette Buckingham
President, AAS:UA

Out-of-Country Medical Coverage for Emergency and Non-emergency Care for Academic Staff whose Contracts include the Supplementary Health Care Plan

The University's Supplementary Health Care Plan covers you and your eligible dependents for medical expenses not covered by the provincial health care plan. The provincial plan has set a limit of up to $100 per day per person for out-of-country medical care. The reimbursement level for out-of-country non-emergency medical services under our University's supplementary health plan has been limited to the same amount as Alberta Health Care. The Joint Academic Benefits Advisory Committee thought this level of reimbursement needed to be reviewed to determine if it was appropriate.

As a result of the review, the Advisory Committee has approved an amendment to the reimbursement level for non-emergency medical services incurred outside of Canada. The changes are effective 1 January 2001 and are not retroactive. Emergency services coverage has not changed and will reimburse the actual eligible charges incurred less any amount paid by a provincial health care plan.

Non-emergency Services: Amendment

In-patient or out-patient expenses incurred outside Canada will be reimbursed subject to the following:

• Claimant must be out-of-country on vacation, approved leave (paid or unpaid), University business, or engaged in full-time studies. The claimant may not be out-of-country primarily for the purpose of seeking medical treatment.
• Eligible expenses will include usual and customary charges for medically necessary practitioners' services and confinement in a hospital, subject to stated limitation.
• Reimbursement will be limited to the difference between the actual charge and the amount paid by Alberta Health Care Insurance Plan, who will be first payer in all circumstances.

Non-emergency services will be reimbursed at 100% of the first $2500 of annual eligible expenses per person and 80% of additional annual eligible expenses, to a combined maximum of $5,000 per person. These limitations do not apply to dependent students aged 21-25 engaged in full time studies.

Emergency medical treatment is defined as practitioner and hospital services required because of a sudden, unforeseen illness or injury. Non-emergency medical treatment is defined as practitioner and hospital services not required for the immediate relief of acute pain and suffering or which medically could be delayed until the insured returns to Canada.

Determination of whether a treatment would be considered an emergency or non-emergency is the responsibility of the benefit carrier's medical consultants and is based on medical practices within Canada.

For more information, check the Academic Benefits Guide on line, linked to the AAS:UA website at www.ualberta.ca/aasua, or call Human Resources Services at 492-4500.

Ready, Set, Go?

With a provincial election imminent, the Confederation of Alberta Faculty Associations (CAFA) staff are anxiously awaiting the formal announcement of the election. The election, expected to be called for the month of March, will provide an opportunity to focus on post-secondary education issues.

"The staff at CAFA have spent the last 18 months preparing for this election", noted CAFA's Lori Morinville. The information campaign will be conducted in conjunction with our college colleagues at Alberta Colleges & Institutes Faculties Association (ACIFA). The focus of the campaign will be on providing Alberta voters with information about the state of Alberta's post-secondary system.

A variety of media will be employed to insure that this information gets out to a broad spectrum of voters and will include the following:

• a series of 30-second radio spots purchased on province-wide radio stations including CKUA and CFCW;
• the distribution of 140,000 flyers to homes in urban areas;
• the purchase of advertisements in weekly rural newspapers;
• an election newsletter for distribution to all CAFA members;
• a statistical summary has been prepared and will be provided to all candidates, their campaign managers, and 150 newspaper editors throughout the province;
• a website (www.highered.ca) has been created and will soon be available to provide ready access to additional information.

The theme of the campaign is best demonstrated by the title of the flyers: "New World, New Economy: Can your children get to there from here?" CAFA members are encouraged to use these materials to raise post-secondary education issues with their local candidates.

For further information or assistance feel free to contact Bill Gaudette billg@ualberta.ca or Lori Morinville lori.morinville@ualberta.ca in the CAFA office (492-5630).

Wm. (Bill) Gaudette, Executive Director
Confederation of Alberta Faculty Associations