“This year, there is a recognition that post-secondary institutes are in a difficult position because of their financing,” Jason Kontak, president of the Laurentian University Students’ Association, said.
“But the concern is the continual cost-shifting that’s occurring. The provinces are not providing the funding to post-secondary institutions. The post-secondary institutions then use students as a way to recoup some of the funding they require to run their institution.”
The university’s board of governors approved a four and a half per cent tuition fee increase for first-year students at its meeting on April 23. First-year students will now pay $5,114 in tuition fees.
Students understand that this year, there are significant program implications if tuition fees are not increased.
Dominic Giroux,
Laurentian University president
These are the maximum tuition fee increases allowed under provincial law.
Kontak said students are finding it hard to deal with the higher fees. He faced a backlash from students when he held a referendum on increasing a varsity fee tacked onto tuition by just $5, which Kontak said shows that small fee increases are affecting students’ ability to survive. Kontak said his association’s food bank is also used by many students.
The university’s president, Dominic Giroux, said it is necessary for Laurentian to increase tuition fees to deal with the institution’s deficit. Last year, in the wake of the global financial crisis, the university ended up with a $4-million operating deficit. A plan was presented to balance the budget in three years. The deficit will be at $2 million for 2010-11, and be balanced in 2011-12. Giroux said the university is on track to meet these goals.
“To put things in perspective, all universities but one in Ontario charged more in terms of tuition fees and ancillary fees. For international students, we have the lowest tuition and ancillary fees of all Ontario universities.”
Giroux said although the tuition fee hike will impact students, it will also “increase the likelihood of protecting programs and services at a time when the university needs to balance its budget by 2011-12.
“Students understand that, this year, there are significant program implications if tuition fees are not increased,” Giroux said.
“However, they definitely want to work closely with the board of governors and the administration in conveying the need, over time, to slow down the increases in tuition fees, and see an increase in the operating grants for students.
“The operating grants for students from the province have not been increased since 2004. Ontario is currently the jurisdiction in the country with the lowest per student operating grants, while they face the highest tuition per student in the country.”
Giroux said the university’s budget will be dealt with at the June board of governors meeting.
Besides increasing tuition fees, Laurentian has made several other steps to reduce its deficit, Giroux said. Last year, $500,000 was invested in initiatives to increase enrolment at the university. This year, Laurentian has the highest increase in enrolment of all Ontario universities, Giroux said.
The university has also saved some money by not replacing staff who have retired, and cutting back in other areas, he said.
