Despite outcry from students, the Board of Governors at Mount Saint Vincent University will vote to approve a budget today that includes a 6% tuition fee increase for the 2018-2019 academic year. This will be the third year that MSVU will be pursuing an additional 3% tuition fee increase, in addition to a 3% increase which was approved by the board in 2016.
“This budget completely fails to support current and future students at MSVU and demonstrates that the board is willing to exploit students who are already struggling” said Nikki Jamieson, Vice-President Advocacy of the MSVU Students’ Union. “Student food bank usage is at an all-time high and we know that increasing tuition fees hurts students who are already struggling to make ends meet.”
Should the budget pass tuition fees at MSVU will have increased by more than $1200 over the span of three years. In addition, the proposed budget fails to address students’ calls to eliminate the distance fee, a $100 per course fee charged to students studying online.
“The distance fee directly discriminates against those who must take courses online due to accessibility needs and fails to reflect the reality that distance students receive fewer supports.” said Jamieson “This administration recognizes this fee is discriminatory yet the budget they are putting forward does not propose alternatives or a plan for its elimination.”
The MSVU budget reflects the trend of skyrocketing tuition fees in Nova Scotia. Students are calling for their university administration to join students in calling for increased government funding, instead of downloading the cost of education onto them and their families.
The MSVU Board of Governors will vote on their budget on Wednesday, April 20that 5pm.
For more information:
Nikki Jamieson, media contact MSVU Students’ Union
Sarah Trower, media contact CFS-NS
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Aidan McNally
Chairperson
Canadian Federation of Students-Nova Scotia
chairperson@cfs-ns.ca
www.cfs-ns.ca
The Canadian Federation of Students is Canada’s largest student organization, representing a combined membership of over 650,000 students.
