[Fdu] OCUFA: Reckless government announcement threatens education quality and students’ rights

[Cynthia Wright]

/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 here 
<https://ocufa.on.ca/press-releases/reckless-government-announcement-threatens-education-quality-and-students-rights/>./

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.

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.

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.

“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.”

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.

“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.”

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.

Founded in 1964, OCUFA represents 17,000 faculty and academic librarians 
in 29 faculty associations across Ontario. For more information, please 
visit OCUFA's website <https://ocufa.on.ca/>.

–30–

For more information, contact:
Ben Lewis, Communications Lead at 416-306-6033 or blewis at ocufa.on.ca 
<mailto:blewis at ocufa.on.ca>

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