The Non-Academic Staff Association (NASA) is deeply concerned about the University of Alberta’s newly announced hiring freeze, effective January 1, 2025. While we acknowledge the serious fiscal challenges caused by years of provincial budget cuts, this hiring restriction comes at a time when the university is anticipating significant enrolment growth of 36% over the next decade, which demands increased staffing to adequately support students and sustain the university’s operations.
While the university states that “this freeze is not about doing more with less,” the reality is that support staff who are already stretched thin as a result of layoffs and restructuring will be asked to do even more, and further workload redistribution risks burnout and declining service quality. NASA members have consistently stepped up in difficult times, but this approach will compromise their ability to provide critical support to students, faculty, and the university community.
Solidarity across campus is essential to address this challenge. NASA urges the administration to reassess its approach, prioritize critical staffing needs, and advocate strongly for the funding necessary to maintain excellence in education and workplace conditions.