U of C pushes vote to raise tuition after student union yells foul
The university said it would move votes on tuition and fee increases to a later date to “allow additional student consultation.”
Article content
Discussions on the proposed University of Calgary tuition increase have been halted at the request of the student union. The student union claims that school administrators have refused to allow proper student consultation on the matter.
advertising 2
Article content
In a news release last week, the U of C Student Union said the university: We do not allow any discussion of our planned tuition and tuition price increases with affected undergraduates. As such, students say they are unaware of the potential rise in costs.
Article content
“Universities basically approve tuition and fee increases before students know about it,” SU President Nicole Schmidt said Thursday. “The university has shared the proposal privately with SU, but will not allow it to discuss these increases with students.”
A university board was set to give preliminary approval to the planned hike on Monday, and a week earlier, officials were set to talk to elected student leaders about the proposal. According to SU, the university held student town halls regarding tuition and consulted the student council fairly early in the process.
advertising 3
Article content
Final approval of the increase was due at the U of C board meeting in December, but at SU’s request, the university said it would move that decision to a future meeting.
“The University of Calgary will gladly accommodate requests from the student union to move the vote on tuition fees to a later board meeting to allow for additional student consultation,” the university said in a statement to the Post Media. said in a statement by
The SU said its request to delay the proposal had been denied, before the university granted a postponement of the meeting. It also accused the university of failing to meet its obligations under its tuition and fees rules and Alberta’s tuition framework. They sent a letter to the Minister of Higher Education, Demetrios Nicolaides, asking for intervention.
Advertising 4
Article content
“By blinding students with tuition and fee increases, and by failing to report how tuition revenue is being spent where appropriate, universities are being secretive and disrespectful to their biggest stakeholders. We are not accountable,” said SU Vice-Chancellor Mateusz Salmassi.
-
Underfunded C students are looking for alternatives to expensive textbooks
-
UCalgary welcomes record number of students to on-campus housing amid COVID rebound and tight rental market
-
Substantial Tuition Fee Increases Approved for Several U of C Programs
Nicolaides said the education ministry was considering the concerns outlined in the SU letter, saying “students always deserve their voices to be heard.”
“That’s why the tuition fee regulations have different requirements that universities must meet regarding tuition and student consultation on tuition increases,” he said.
Advertising 5
Article content
The state invested $15 million this year to create new low-income scholarships and contributed another $12 million to existing scholarships, Nicolaides said.
The exact details of the proposed tuition increase are unknown, but the university said it was in line with inflationary changes in the Alberta Consumer Price Index, “as envisioned in the tuition framework and previously communicated.” says. The next board meeting will be held in March.
If approved, Hiking will continue to increase annual tuition fees for U of C students.
Earlier this year, students protested “exceptional” fee increases approved by the state government, boycotting classes and picketing campuses in March. At the time, SU said the university’s overall tuition had increased by about 25% over the past three years.
Postmedia requested an updated statement from SU but did not receive a response.
mrodriguez@postmedia.com
twitter: @michaelrdrguez
U of C pushes vote to raise tuition after student union yells foul
Source link U of C pushes vote to raise tuition after student union yells foul