UBC Reports | Vol. 48 | No. 4 | Feb. 21, 2002

Students seek to give tuition input

Vice-president, Students, expects to hold public forums

UBC students are asking UBC President Martha Piper to include them in making decisions about how tuition fee levels will be implemented at UBC.

Post-secondary institutions in B.C. have been given responsibility for determining their own tuition fee levels, according to a recent provincial government announcement that officially ended the province's six-year tuition freeze.

In a recent letter to the president, the UBC Committee to Reduce Tuition requested a public debate with students regarding any increases.

Brian Sullivan, vice-president, Students, advised the group that discussions are already underway with student government and a number of public forums open to all students are expected to be held within the next two weeks.

B.C. has the lowest tuition fees in Canada after Quebec. UBC is considering raising tuitions to the national average and to levels comparable to peer institutions.

A portion -- from 15 to 30 per cent -- of increased tuition fee revenues will be directed to student financial support, he adds.

About 100 students and members of CUPE 2950 rallied around the Goddess of Democracy statue in SUB plaza earlier this month, part of a province-wide day of protest.

"We believe the province has a responsibility to ensure there is accessible education for all students," says Erfan Kazemi, Alma Mater Society president. "UBC must first look to remedy its own cost inefficiencies rather than passing it on to students through tuition increases. And any fee adjustment must take into account financial aid and quality indicators."

The rallying students presented Sullivan with a petition directed at the provincial government protesting increases in fees.

"The freeze has limited the quality of education here at UBC in a number of ways," says Sullivan. "There are insufficient course and lab offerings, class sizes are increasing, and classroom and laboratory facilities are under-resourced."

Student support services such as academic advising, athletics counselling, and library acquisitions have also been restricted by the freeze, he adds.

Any tuition fee increase would require approval by the UBC Board of Governors.

It is anticipated a proposal will be reviewed at the March board meeting.

More info

For more information, see Proposed Tuition Policy on the UBC Student Services Web site.