Education Shouldn't Be A Debt Sentence

Students to launch provincial campaign to tackle student debt.

Students from across BC will launch a campaign tomorrow to pressure the BC government to reduce student debt. The launch will be supported by faculty and will also mark the release of Statistics Canada’s annual tuition fee survey.

The campaign, called “Education Shouldn't be a Debt Sentence”, will highlight BC's record-high student debt and mobilize students to pressure the BC government to:

1. Reduce tuition fees;
2. Restore per-student funding for universities and colleges;
3. Re-establish a provincial student grants program; and
4. Eliminate interest on BC student loans.

“No previous generation of students in BC has been forced this deep into debt, just to get a basic diploma or degree. For tens of thousands of students in BC, education has become a debt sentence,” said Shamus Reid, Chairperson of the CFS-BC.

Budget Update: Education cuts and more debt for BC families

Despite a Throne Speech heavy on rhetoric about the evils of debt, today’s provincial budget update will put BC families deeper in debt as the cost of post-secondary education rises. Student aid was cut by 14% ($17 million) and tuition fees are projected to increase in each of the next three years. The budget also announces a freeze to university and college operating funding.

“Borrowing beyond your means is never a wise strategy, yet that is precisely what thousands of BC families are forced to do every year to afford this government’s tuition fee increases,” said Shamus Reid, CFS-BC Chairperson. “The government talks about rejuvenating the workforce and not mortgaging the future, but that is impossible without a strategy to reduce student debt.”

Revenue collected by the BC government from tuition fees has surpassed $1 billion, an increase of 135% since the BC Liberals were elected in 2001. Prior to the budget update’s 14% cut to student aid, BC already ranked dead last among provinces in the provision of non-repayable student aid. The universities and colleges operating grant freeze will make BC’s funding fall behind inflation and enrolment increases.

“While the BC government is asking families to pay more at a time of record-high personal debt and financial uncertainty, it’s also demanding that universities and colleges do more with less,” said Reid.

September 1 also marks the day that BC officially has the lowest minimum wage in Canada. Earlier this summer, Statistics Canada reported that youth unemployment was at the highest level on record.

“Jobs and wages have bottomed out, student aid has been cut, and tuition fees will continue to rise. Provincial government policies have made education a debt sentence,” said Reid.

Students to Comment on Provincial Budget

Representatives of the Canadian Federation of Students- British Columbia will be present in the budget lock-up and available for comment following the release of tomorrow’s provincial budget.

Students are urging the government to protect students from the economic downturn by increasing student financial assistance and reducing tuition fees.

In July the BC government cut six student aid programs despite an election promise to maintain student aid funding. The cut was made shortly before Statistics Canada reported the highest youth unemployment rate on record.

In the last seven years, tuition fees have increased by over 100%.
Since 2002, revenue collected by the provincial government from tuition fees has increased from $454 million to $1 billion. During the same period, average student debt in the province has climbed to amongst the highest in Canada at $27,000.

VRTC to Back Late-night Bus Service!

UVic Students’ Society Welcomes Transit Commission’s Commitment to Weekend Bus Service

Victoria – UVic students congratulate the VRTC’s decision to back late-night transit. The Victoria Regional Transit Commission (VRTC) has directed its staff to report back on the implementation of extended hours on key routes on a four month trial basis starting in January 2010.

“We have been lobbying for the past two years to get the VRTC to commit to extending service hours for buses on weekend nights,” said Veronica Harrison, Chairperson of the UVic Students’ Society (UVSS). “Many students work downtown in order to pay for the high cost of their tuition. If this moves ahead, it will give them a safe and affordable way home.”

The student societies from UVic, Camosun and Royal Roads have partnered together on the Canadian Federation of Students’ We Ride public transit campaign for two years. As a part of this campaign, students successfully lobbied the provincial government to increase the local gas tax by one cent. Following this, students have demanded that the additional $3.2 million dollars in annual funding from this increase be put towards extending late-night bus service.

“Students want the opportunity to participate in a late-night downtown culture that is safe, vibrant and accessible,” said Edward Pullman, UVSS Director of Finance. “Extending service hours for buses on weekends will get people out of the downtown core and help alleviate the safety issues currently being faced downtown.”

In the coming months, the UVSS will continue to support the VRTC in its efforts to implement an expanded bus service that will serve the needs of students and the greater community.

Cuts to Bursaries and Scholarships

Recent article in the TC about cuts to bursaries and scholarships at UVic:

http://www.timescolonist.com/News/UVic+students+cuts+fund+payouts/1580749/story.html

All-party Debate on Post-Secondary Education: April 22, 2009

The May 12 provincial election is one of the most important for BC in recent memory.

British Columbians will be choosing a plan for how BC responds to the international economic crisis that has caused massive job losses.

How the next government views the importance of post-secondary education will help shape BC's economic recovery.

This April 22, find out what the political parties are promising to do about post-secondary education.

The Coalition for Public Education is hosting an all-party debate on post-secondary education at the University of Victoria on Wednesday, April 22.

The debate will be held in the Michel Pujol Room of the Student Union Building, at 7:00 PM, and will be moderated by journalist Sean Holman.

Show up on April 22, learn about the issues, ask questions, and make an informed vote on May 12.

For more information about post-secondary issues, visit VoteEducation.ca.

Students Launch VoteEducation.ca!

Students launch VoteEducation.ca for BC’s provincial election

Students and their families have a new online election resource. Created by the Canadian Federation of Students-British Columbia, VoteEducation.ca will provide policy analysis, information on how to register to vote, and up-to-the-minute campaign news as it relates to post-secondary education in BC.

“Education and training will be key to BC's economic recovery. Our online campaign will shed light on where the major parties stand on education and training policy so that voters can make an informed choice on May 12," said Shamus Reid, Chairperson of the CFS-BC.

In addition to providing information and analysis, VoteEducation.ca will be the campaign hub for

student activists who are mobilizing in communities across BC.

Since 2001, tuition fees have more than doubled in BC, student grants have been cut, and perstudent

funding has fallen 14%. Polling has shown that 70% of British Columbians believe that cost is the biggest barrier to higher education in BC, and 80% of British Columbians support reducing tuition fees.

“Students and our families cannot endure another four years of increasing tuition fees and deepening student debt, and BC’s economy cannot endure a skills shortage. Either the BC Liberals have to change course, or we need a change in government,” said Reid.

The Canadian Federation of Students–British Columbia is BC’s provincial students’ organization, representing 150,000 university and college students at all levels of post-secondary education in BC. It is a non-partisan organization affiliated with Canada’s largest national student organization, the Canadian Federation of Students.