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        <font size="2" face="Tahoma"><font style="background-color:
            rgb(255, 255, 255);" size="2" face="Arial"><em>The following
              statement was issued on January 17, 2019 by the Ontario
              Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA),
              in response to changes to post-secondary funding announced
              by the Ontario government. Read the original post <a
                onclick="return checkLinkHref(this.href);"
                target="_blank"
href="https://ocufa.on.ca/press-releases/reckless-government-announcement-threatens-education-quality-and-students-rights/"
                rel="noopener" moz-do-not-send="true">here</a>.</em><br>
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              <div><font style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"
                  size="2" face="Arial">TORONTO – Without increased
                  public funding for Ontario’s universities and
                  colleges, the Progressive Conservative Government’s
                  announced tuition fee reduction is nothing more than
                  an ill-conceived political gimmick designed to
                  distract Ontarians from damaging cuts to the
                  province’s already under-funded postsecondary
                  education system. OCUFA has long advocated for tuition
                  fee reductions but not in the absence of increased
                  core funding and sound student financial aid policy.</font></div>
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                  size="2" face="Arial"><br>
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              <div><font style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"
                  size="2" face="Arial">OCUFA is concerned that the fee
                  reduction, OSAP cuts, and changes to ancillary fees
                  were announced without consulting any stakeholders at
                  the province’s universities or colleges. This
                  demonstrates a government pursuing a political agenda,
                  not one interested in good public policy or helping
                  students.</font></div>
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                  size="2" face="Arial"><br>
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              <div><font style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"
                  size="2" face="Arial">The announced OSAP cuts and
                  changes to eligibility criteria mean it will be harder
                  for many students to access postsecondary education.
                  While faculty are reassured that the Minister’s
                  remarks signaled the government’s commitment to not
                  cutting core operating grants for postsecondary
                  institutions, the announced changes mean that
                  universities and colleges will struggle with less
                  funding and students will be burdened with less
                  financial assistance, more expensive loans, and higher
                  debt.</font></div>
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                  size="2" face="Arial"><br>
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              <div><font style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"
                  size="2" face="Arial">“These reckless changes will
                  shrink university budgets, increase class sizes,
                  encourage further tuition fee hikes for international
                  students, and threaten both the accessibility and
                  quality of postsecondary education in Ontario,” said
                  Gyllian Phillips, President of the Ontario
                  Confederation of University Faculty Associations. “We
                  should be accelerating investment in postsecondary
                  education in Ontario. Instead, this government has
                  slammed on the brakes and put the car in reverse.”</font></div>
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                  size="2" face="Arial"><br>
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              <div><font style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"
                  size="2" face="Arial">The government’s unnecessary and
                  anti-democratic decision to make many ancillary fees
                  voluntary undermines students’ rights on campus and
                  increases administrative costs and red tape for
                  universities. Many of the fees the government has
                  identified as non-essential were introduced by
                  students through democratic votes. Students’ unions in
                  particular are democratically elected, not-for-profit
                  organizations founded by and for students. This is an
                  attack on the ability of students’ unions to represent
                  and support their members.</font></div>
              <div><font style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"
                  size="2" face="Arial"><br>
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              <div><font style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"
                  size="2" face="Arial">“Students’ unions provide
                  numerous crucial services and support for students on
                  campus, and, through their advocacy work, they play an
                  important role holding universities and governments
                  accountable for decisions about issues including
                  tuition fees and student financial assistance.” said
                  Phillips. “It is no coincidence that this government
                  is cutting support for students’ unions at the same
                  time they are cutting OSAP. Ironically, this appears
                  to be another attempt to stifle political debate,
                  dissent, and speech on campus.”</font></div>
              <div><font style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"
                  size="2" face="Arial"><br>
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              <div><font style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"
                  size="2" face="Arial">Ontario’s universities are vital
                  institutions that produce amazing graduates and
                  research. But maintaining this level of excellence
                  will require that the government actually sit down and
                  talk to students, faculty, staff, and administrators,
                  instead of continuing to make uninformed decisions in
                  secret, behind closed doors.</font></div>
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                  size="2" face="Arial"><br>
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              <div><font style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"
                  size="2" face="Arial">Founded in 1964, OCUFA
                  represents 17,000 faculty and academic librarians in
                  29 faculty associations across Ontario. For more
                  information, please visit <a onclick="return
                    checkLinkHref(this.href);" target="_blank"
                    x_onclick="return checkLinkHref(this.href);"
                    href="https://ocufa.on.ca/" rel="noopener"
                    moz-do-not-send="true">OCUFA's website</a>.</font></div>
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                  size="2" face="Arial"><br>
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              <div><font style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"
                  size="2" face="Arial">–30–</font></div>
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                  size="2" face="Arial"><br>
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              <div><font style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"
                  size="2" face="Arial">For more information, contact: </font></div>
              <div><font style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"
                  size="2" face="Arial">Ben Lewis, Communications Lead
                  at 416-306-6033 or <a onclick="return
                    checkLinkHref(this.href);" target="_blank"
                    x_onclick="return checkLinkHref(this.href);"
                    href="mailto:blewis@ocufa.on.ca"
                    moz-do-not-send="true">blewis@ocufa.on.ca</a></font></div>
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                <div><font style="background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"
                    size="2" face="Arial">-- <br>
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