Modernizes St. Joseph’s College governance and degrees

Summary#

This private bill updates the 1926 law that created St. Joseph’s College in Edmonton. It modernizes the College’s structure, clarifies who runs it, and sets out what programs and credentials it can offer. It also creates a Senate to oversee academic matters.

• Renames and “continues” St. Joseph’s College as a corporation under an updated act.
• Lets the College operate as a Catholic college and offer approved programs, including those that can lead to bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees (if approved under Alberta’s Post‑secondary Learning Act).
• Allows the College to grant diplomas and certificates for its own approved programs, and to conduct research tied to its approved degree programs.
• Resets governance: updates the Board of Governors and gives it power to make internal rules, set the size of the Board and Senate, and confer degrees and honorary doctorates.
• Creates a Senate to manage curriculum, admissions standards, academic discipline, and to recommend degrees and other awards.
• Carries over existing rules and board members where they fit the new structure.

What it means for you#

• Students and families

  • More program options in areas like theology, humanities, and social sciences offered by a Catholic college.
  • In the future, some programs could lead to degrees granted by St. Joseph’s College, but only if the province approves them. This does not happen automatically.
  • Admissions standards and academic rules will be set by the College’s Senate, which may differ from the University of Alberta’s rules.
  • Diplomas and certificates from the College remain possible and may expand.

• University of Alberta community

  • The College can stay affiliated with the University. While affiliated, the University names one member to the College Board.
  • Day‑to‑day life on campus likely changes little. Courses or programs run by the College would follow provincial approval rules.

• Faculty and staff at St. Joseph’s College

  • Clearer governance and academic roles. A new Senate will oversee curriculum, admissions, and student discipline.
  • The Board can set the number of Board and Senate members and define how members are chosen.

• Catholic and local community

  • Confirms the College’s Catholic identity and mission while aligning its programs with Alberta’s post‑secondary approval process.
  • The Board must include the Archbishop of Edmonton and the College President.

Expenses#

Estimated public cost: minimal; changes focus on governance and use existing provincial approval processes.

• Government of Alberta: Little to no new cost beyond normal program approval work already in place for all institutions.
• St. Joseph’s College: Some internal costs to update rules, set up the Senate, and prepare any new program or degree approvals.
• Students: Tuition and fees for any new College‑run programs would be set by the College; amounts are not specified.

Proponents' View#

• Brings a 1926 law up to modern standards and aligns the College with today’s post‑secondary system.
• Creates clear pathways for the College to offer approved degree programs, expanding student choice.
• Sets up a Senate to safeguard academic quality, admissions, and student discipline.
• Clarifies who sits on the Board and lets the Board and Senate be sized and staffed to meet current needs.
• Respects the College’s Catholic mission while complying with provincial rules.

Opponents' View#

• Allows a religious college to grant degrees (with approval), which some worry could blur lines between religious mission and academic decision‑making.
• Reduces automatic outside representation: the University of Alberta has only one conditional Board seat, and many Board members are appointed by the Board itself.
• May create overlap with University programs or confusion for students about which institution grants their credential.
• Could lead to different admissions and academic rules than the University’s, which may be harder for students to navigate.