HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2009-04-15, Page 6Thi Huron
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cuts will have 'huge impact' on quality of
From Page 5
per cent:
When you factor out that a portion
of OAC's staffing costs are funded
through U of G's research contract
with the Ontario - Ministry of Agri-
culture, Food and Rural Affairs, the
actual cut to OAC's teaching staff
exceeds 50 per cent. You cannot cut
personnel by more than 50 per cent
without having a huge impact on
the quality of education.
The current cuts apply primar-
ily to teaching_ at the Guelph cam-
pus, but Alfred, Kemptville and
Ridgetown are not immune, Tighter
budgets will mean more cuts every-
where .
A critical problem for OAC is the
fact that fewer kids are enrolling
in agricultural programs. Although
OAC continues to have high num-
bers of grad students and research-
ers, the annual number of graduates
from all OAC undergraduate degree
programs has dropped to about 260,
from approximately 40Q in the late
r'y f
1980s. .�
The number of diploma graduates
in agriculture has also decreased.
Declining student numbers mean
declining teaching budgets. There
are significantly more jobs avail-
es county spen
Huron County Council wants to
preview its options before moving
forward • with a service -delivery re-
view
able than BOAC graduates - but high
school students aren't seeing the
benefits of an education in agricul-
ture so they enroll, elsewhere.
What's at stake is the supply of
well-trained graduates for the next
generation of Ontario agriculture
and food, and perhaps the very ex-
istence of the OAC itself, regional
campuses included. : Agricultural
education must become more of
a priority for agri-food and rural
groups - and more industry support
is needed for student recruitment in
particular.
Despite its financial challenges,
the OAC, along with 4-H Ontario is
planning a new campaign to attract ;
more students into agricultural ca-
reers -- in part by emphasizing the
exciting and rewarding opportuni-
ties
pportuni ties that exist.
Some funding has been provided
by Monsanto Canada, the OAC
Alumni Foundation and the Nuff-
ield Foundation, but more: is needed
to do this properly. This crisis af-
fects us all and it's time for every-
one to pitch in.
Daynard
• President,
Graduating Class
OAC 6
The plan, however, has a strong_op-
ponent in the form of County Coun-
cillor Joseph Seili (Huron East).
the ; county's April 8 com
mittee-of-the hole session, Seili
suggested ` the ole -day . event could
cost taxpayers once the consultant's
$1,500 per -day
fee, ` councillor.
honorariums and
other expenses
are factored n.
Debate on
whether or not
•
to hold a special
day -long infor-
You arc invited to attend these area churches
St,1140 AS
ANGLICAN CHURCH
A -coon of the Parish ofd Holy Spirit
'f heverend Karina A. Farmer
Jarvis St. Seaforth 519-527-1522
Sunday 19
Earth ay
Worship & Sunday S at 9.3Oam
followed by coffee hour
Everyone Welcome
Apr. 18 - Parish Council at 9:30am
Apr. 21- St. Thomas Council at 7:30pm
BETHEL BIBLE
.t CHURCH
An Associated Gospel Church
126 Main St. Seaforth
519-527-0982
Sunday School • All Ages • 9:45am
Sunday Worship 11 am
Youth Group & B&G Club
Wednesday 7pm
Pastor Mark Kennedy
EVERYONE WELCOME
NORT hSIDE UNITED
W►ekcomesYou
Sunday 11:00 a.m.
Worship
Nursery & Sunday School
54 Goderich St. W., Seaforth
519-527-2635
www.cavannorthsideunited.ca
1
ST. JAMES
ROMAN CATHOLIC
CHURCH --
WELCOMES YOU
14Victoria Street, Seaforth
519-345-2972`
Saturday Mass 5 p.m.
Sunday Mass 9 a.m.
ST. PATRICK'S, DUBLIN
Sunday Mass 11 a.m.
FR. CHRIS GILLESPIE
EGMONDVILLE
UNITED CHURCH
Pastor Stove Hildebrand
Worship April 1$:11 AM
Adult & Youth Sunday school at 10 AM
Elevator & Ear buds available
Please Come and loin Us
Ltirich after Worship 12:05 PM
KIDS CHOIR Thursday 4:00 - 4:45 PM
N•DENOM ' TI
WRONGS
CHRISTENIN(S
Your Location or Ours
Rev. Chris Morgan
Pastor Paula Morgan
S19 -52157M
CLICK COMPUTER
REV. CHRIS MORGAN
oration session under the: leadership
of a . consultant' familiar with the
process drew conents from several
councillors.
Coun. Deb Shewfelt (Ckiderich)._
questioned whether a review is nec-
essary
c-essary given the only place left to cut
spending is within the roads: depart-
ment.
"You're spending money, you,don't
't
need to spend," he said.
Shewfelt's sentiments struck a
chord with Seili.
"Mark your calendars because both
of us agree on this one," he said.
Meanwhile, Coun. Dave Johnston
(Bluewater) endorsed a recommen-
dation to .bring a consultant before
councillors since such a move would
put county managers and politicians
on the same page.
"I think we do need some outside
help," County Warden Ken
Oke, who pointed out that a service-
dehvery review involves more than
a rdwoo
,: iyiK6'lt�IfM'':..i: . -?:0 4Y . ... i•r�viSr�9il'i0:"B'9C _ M y: %' z ` .
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looking at where to trim costs.
"is it a witch hunt? Ys it a . bud-
get review? Is it a staffing review?"
asked Coun. John Grace (Goderich),
who added he doesn't :irk council
knows what it wants to do given that
it failed to restructure itself.
While councillors Dorothy Kelly
(Morris hrnberry) and : Ben ..Van
Diepenbeek (Ashfield Colborne
Wawanosh) expressed interest iuri an
information meeting, Seili reiterated
that spending money, on consultants.
is not a wise move.
"The county is too top-heavy
management, that's the trouble," he
said. "1 think there's economies of
scale we could be using here."
Larry Adams, Chief Administra-
tive Officer for the county, said there
are a number of differing opinions on
the service -delivery review and that
is why it important to have an expert
on hand to explain it.
"Z believe this is the next step to
take council," he
said.
The COW
endorsed a pro-
posal to bring in
a consultant for
a special one -day
session on April
29.
Correctlon
St. 'limes ` #1
curling tleam
won they fi-
nal game 11-0
against Beaver -
crest , Markdale
and came first in
their event. They
did not lose that
game, as was
printed in last
week's edition of
the Huron Ex-
positor.
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN
CHURCH
59 Goderich St W Seaforth 519.527- 0170
Organ Susanna Lyman
,Sunday Apd 19- Mission Awareness Sunday
April 18th Spm Join Us for a Pot Luck
Supper and a movie
Mark May 3rd on your Calendar now!
"Audibly Awesorne Concert" 7:30pm
proceeds to the Seaforth Food Bank
Ui(\w111() trot» 9:00 AM
Q THE m IU TADT AREN;
Thousands and Thou.ands of Square Feet of VERY high
end PREFINISHED nail down SOLID HARDWOOD
Aeodng. Top Name Brand flooring, engineered Real
.111140 10d Floating Floor, AWESOME SELECTION OF
IANNATES. Gnat in the Kitchen, Bathroom, Dining
Remits, Office, Bedrooms, Hstiways, even Workshop.
GREAT OVER CONCRETE. ' cash, vise, MC, Debit - 15% Bin's Premum
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AIS MUft�o-$1D.i
519-364-1336
.BailayAuclions.com
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