Prince George, BC – The University of Northern British Columbia Board of Governors has approved a $75.7 million operating budget for 2016-17. The balanced budget allows the University to maintain existing service levels, while setting a framework for the continued implementation of new integrated planning processes. This planning will help the University community establish its priorities and make decisions about resource allocations to support them.

Among those priorities is the University’s commitment to a new Academic Plan, meant to envision and plan for new growth opportunities. It will define the academic mission of the University and inform future iterations of the University budget.

Several other themes are included in the budget framework, including a focus on strategic enrolment planning, research, Aboriginal community engagement, enhancing UNBC’s international presence, and University community relationship building.

The University faces some expected financial pressures, including declining tuition revenue and increasing compensation costs. The Board of Governors approved a number of actions to balance the budget:

• • A one-time elimination of allocations to reserves that have sufficient balances to maintain activities at the same level as previous years.
• • A temporary decrease to the utilities budget based on last year’s results.
• • A temporary increase to the revenue line related to investment income based on prior years’ returns.
• • A tuition fee increase of 2%.

Layoffs were not considered during budget deliberations. In addition, the Board is committed to providing the same high level of student services that have been offered in previous years.

“I am optimistic about the shared sense of responsibility taking shape on campus regarding planning for our future,” says UNBC President Daniel Weeks. “As a community, UNBC is dealing with some significant financial pressures. This year, however, we undertook a more comprehensive budget consultation and planning process, including several Town Hall meetings, and multiple presentations to the Board and Senate. I see this process becoming even more inclusive and participatory in future years.”

About 63% of the operating budget for the University is provided by the Government of B.C., while approximately 23% comes from tuition fees. Wages and benefits account for about 71% of the University’s expenditures.

The tuition fee for an average full-time undergraduate student will now be $5,111 per year, an increase of about $100 from last year.

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