By Alex McCuaig

MHC cuts

MHC announces staff cuts, program suspensions

May 20, 2020 | 11:27 AM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – Medicine Hat College announced staff and program cuts Wednesday following passing a tough budget earlier this week and coming in the wake of millions of dollars in provincially-directed spending reductions.

In total, 48 staff were cut representing a little more than 41 full-time positions with five programs temporarily suspended; education assistant, addictions counselling, social work/addictions counselling, bachelor of business administration and university transfer engineering.

MHC president Kevin Shufflebotham says the loss of jobs and programs wasn’t something he envisioned when he started the job a little more than a year ago.

“It’s tragic. It’s terrible,” said Shufflebotham about the layoffs. “When I think why I came here, I didn’t come here to impact positions. I came here to grow the institution. But, based on the expenditure reduction targets required, these position impacts couldn’t be avoided.”

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Those spending reductions amount to a $6 million hit to the college budget over the next three years, in addition to the more than the half-a-million dollar hit from an education grant cut for this year.

But Shufflebotham says he is committed to building a better experience for students and believes the college can deliver one that engages regional students by providing relevant classes to set them up for a successful future. Along with ensuring the future of the institute.

It’s a message shared by MHC board chair Graham Kelly who stressed that college staff will be building a leaner, meaner operation.

But he added, the funding cuts has resulted in one of the most challenging situations the college has faced in it’s more fifty years of existence.

“But this is also an opportunity,” said Kelly. “It’s an opportunity for us to take a really close look at programming and see where we should be able to get the best bang for the buck or what programs might be done differently or in a better way.”

As for what the fall might look like for students, Shufflebotham left no doubt to at least one aspect.

“The college will be open for business. One-hundred per cent, we’ll be open for business,” he said. “Now what that looks like – whether it is face to face, whether it’s online or a blended version – that’s something we’re still working on.”