University Students Look For Action Following Review

For Immediate Release
April 29, 2021

Edmonton, Alberta - While the new Alberta 2030 strategy promises to improve how the province handles student financial aid, campus sexual violence, mental health, and other high priorities, students remain concerned about the cost and accessibility of education, as well as a lack of details on implementing the strategy's goals. 

“Students are cautiously optimistic that the government chose not to make radical, destabilizing changes in a time when budget cuts have already created enormous stress,” said Rowan Ley, Chair of the Council of Alberta University Students (CAUS). “If the government really follows through on this strategy, it may help reduce pressure on affordability and push universities to combat campus sexual violence.” 

CAUS is also pleased to see that the Alberta 2030 strategy commits to improving the system that lets students transfer between institutions. CAUS has been calling on the Government of Alberta to increase affordability and accessibility by improving this system.

However, tuition is still slated to rise another 7%, for a total increase of at least 22.5% since the current government was formed, and exceptional tuition increases are still a risk. “The new commitment to expand student aid grants might take the edge off those radical increases for the students who need it most,” Ley added.

“The Government of Alberta is committing to address many of our concerns,” said Marley Gillies, Vice Chair of CAUS. “But funding remains a major issue. This government has cut hundreds of millions of dollars out of the post-secondary sector. While many of the priorities in the Alberta 2030 strategy are important, we can’t lose sight of the fact that the government keeps telling our universities to do more with much less.”

CAUS looks forward to working with the Minister of Advanced Education as further details of the Alberta 2030 report and strategy are implemented in the coming years. 

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The Council of Alberta University Students (CAUS) represents the interests of over 140,000 undergraduate students at Athabasca University, MacEwan University, Mount Royal University, the University of Alberta, the University of Calgary, and the University of Lethbridge. 

For more information contact:
Jon Mastel, Executive Director 
cell: 780-297-4531 
e-mail: ed@caus.net