STUDENTS CALL OUT GOVERNMENT FOR REMOVING TUITION AND FEE SAFEGUARDS WITHOUT CONSULTING STUDENTS

Edmonton, AB - The Council of Alberta University Students (CAUS) strongly disagrees with the Government of Alberta’s decision to remove consultation requirements and non-instructional fee caps from the post-secondary tuition and fees regulation. 

Late last week, the Government released an Order-in-Council amending the regulation. Post-secondary institutions no longer need to gain approval from their respective student councils on exceptional tuition increases. Exceptional tuition increases allow for a university to increase a program’s tuition by more than normally permitted by law. The changes would also allow for a substantial increase to mandatory non-instructional fees during a time when the cost of post-secondary is already set to increase with the exceptional tuition increases. 

“Alberta post-secondary institutions currently have the highest average mandatory non-instructional fees of any province. Allowing institutions to increase these fees in excess of 10% per year is unacceptable,” says Sadiya Nazir, Chair of CAUS. “Removing requirements for institutions to seek student approval prior to applying for exceptional tuition increases makes it clear that the Government is allowing cash-strapped institutions to balance their budgets on the backs of students.” 

CAUS is calling on the Government of Alberta to uphold promises they have made to ensure student services are not affected and ensure the budget is not balanced on the backs of students and their families. Additionally, the government needs to consult with student stakeholders before making any decisions relating to the power of students’ associations to hold post-secondary institutions accountable. These two safeguards were put into place with bi-partisan support to keep institutions accountable to students by requiring that proposed increases either add to the educational experience or have limited service fee increases where the fee already covers costs.

“One of the roles of student organizations on our campuses is to keep our institutions accountable” Bailey Harray, CAUS Vice-Chair, added. “Removing these safeguards allows post-secondaries to operate uninhibited from stakeholder oversight.”

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