Nipissing University Students have one message for Premier Dalton McGuinty -- affordable education is a right for all Ontario students.
Nipissing University Students have one message for Premier Dalton McGuinty -- affordable education is a right for all Ontario students.
Nipissing University Student Union supported by the students joined with their fellow provincial universities and kicked off their ‘Drop Fees Campaign’ today by unfurling a banner at the entrance to the campus.
NUSU President Marianne den Haan says the goal of the campaign is to raise awareness with Nipissing University Students that they are at the end of the government’s tuition freeze and already have the highest university tuition fees in the country. With university tuition averaging $5,951 per student, students need to have their voices heard to keep the freeze in place or face astronomical costs to continue to attend university.
“The point of today is getting our students informed. Many of our students don’t know that the Reaching Higher Initiative is actually over this year meaning that the tuition cap is going to be over. And Dalton McGuinty will be renegotiating these terms and hopefully putting a new cap on our tuition,” she states.
“In the past year the maximum cap was reached and that was 5.0 percent making it hard for affordable education. Especially during the summer when 3,000 students were unemployed, and our unemployment rate for students right now is 21 percent which is unbelievable, If they want us to keep paying higher and higher tuition it’s not going to happen, because there are no jobs for us to actually be able to afford our education.”
“Meaning our economical stability within Canada will actually be suffering because people won’t be able to get jobs, and won’t be able to explore post secondary education.”
Along with the banners students erected a mock graveyard with tombstones stating R.I.P Affordable Education, decorating the Student Centre hallway with snowflakes and icicles to promote a tuition "freeze," as well as having students sign political post-cards that will be delivered to the Premier’s door at Queen’s Park.
