As McMaster University shows support for the blue-ribbon panel’s proposal for a tuition increase, student's may find themselves having to pay more in 2024/2025

In Ontario, many universities are currently experiencing financial deficits. Most recently, Queen’s University hired external Nous Group to manage its ongoing financial situation, which has resulted in a hiring freeze at the university. A contributing factor to these ongoing financial crises is the Ontario government's 2019 tuition freeze and 10 per cent reduction in tuition fees.

The Ontario government formed a blue-ribbon panel in March 2023 to address the root cause of these financial deficits. This panel has engaged in consultations with several stakeholders, including Canadian Federation of Students and Ontario and College Student Alliance. They collected in written submissions from groups in Ontario. In combination of discussion with stakeholders and written submissions formulated a report that proposed solutions for both universities and the Ontario government.

One of the solutions for the ongoing financial deficits suggested by the blue-ribbon panel was to remove the tuition freeze and increase undergraduate tuition by five per cent for the 2024/2025 academic year. They also suggested an increase per year, which would either be by two per cent per year or the percentage increase of the consumer price index. In Canada, the consumer price index is meant to look at how prices for goods change over a designated period of time. As of January 2024 the current percentage difference of the consumer price index is 2.9 per cent.

At McMaster University, the standard course load for a full-time student is 15 units per semester or 30 units per academic year. Tuition for an Ontario-resident third-year sciences student is approximately $5,955.30, not including additional faculty fees or student union fees. If the 5 per cent tuition increase were implemented, these students would pay $6,253.07 by their fourth year.

Similarly, Ontario-resident second-year engineering students currently pay $12,109.68 in tuition, which would increase to $12,715.16 by their fourth year. 

McMaster Students Union president Jovan Popovic stated the MSU stands firmly against a tuition increase. He added that the initial tuition freeze in 2019 has been valuable for many students struggling to afford basic necessities.

“We are in a time of an affordability crisis, where it's become increasingly difficult for students to live with all the costs surrounding them. Whether that be food, transportation, just cost of living in terms of housing, leases rent, it's become so increasingly challenging that having at least one thing going for them with the tuition freeze is a serious help,” said Popovic. 

We are in a time of an affordability crisis, where it's become increasingly difficult for students to live with all the costs surrounding them. Whether that be food, transportation, just cost of living in terms of housing, leases rent, it's become so increasingly challenging that having at least one thing going for them with the tuition freeze is a serious help.

Jovan Popovic, President, McMaster Students Union

McMaster University provided the Silhouette with a written statement in which they expressed that a tuition increase is important, though they hope that the government will simultaneously increase financial aid, to ensure sustainability for students.

“A modest increase to tuition, accompanied by increases to student financial aid, would help strengthen universities’ ability to continue setting aside funds to support student success,” said McMaster University, in a written statement to the Silhouette.

On Jan. 31, the government of Ontario spoke at a press conference to the recommendations for tuition increase and explained that while domestic in-province students will not experience an increase in tuition, domestic out-of-province students could experience upwards of a five per cent tuition increase.

Popovic believed that ultimately students shouldn't suffer as a result of the financial deficits of the institution. He shared that these gaps in funding should be supplemented by the government of Ontario.

“We support more funding for universities. We just don't support it coming at the stake of students who can hardly afford to live,” said Popovic.

We support more funding for universities. We just don't support it coming at the stake of students who can hardly afford to live.

Jovan Popovic, President, McMaster Students Union

Abigail Samuels, MSU vice-president (education) and Malika Dhanani, Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance’s executive director, shared similar sentiments to Popovic. They stated that this pattern of underfunding within the university goes back almost a decade and has been further exacerbated amid tuition freezes. However, they also noted that the problem is rooted in the fact the government hasn’t increased funding for Ontario universities in that time. 

“The pattern of underfunding from provincial brands has been very prevalent throughout the years. Then what kind of exacerbated the issue was the fact that tuition was cut. . .without the gap in funding being supplemented through provincial grants, it has limited the amount of revenue that institutions are getting for their operating revenue,” said Dhanani.

The pattern of underfunding from provincial brands has been very prevalent throughout the years. Then what kind of exacerbated the issue was the fact that tuition was cut.

Malika Dhanani, executive director, Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance

The government of Ontario recently announced that they will be providing over $1 billion to funding for Ontario universities. From that, $900 million will be pooled into an education sustainability fund.

The Council of Ontario Universities responded to this announcement stating that even though they appreciate the funding, they still encourage the government of Ontario to consider the full extent of the blue-ribbon panel’s recommendation for government-based funding. The recommendation they are referring to is a 10 per cent increase to the current government-based funding, with the same opportunity for growth as the student tuition growth.

Prior to the government's funding announcement, Samuels and Dhanani expressed the urgency of securing adequate funding for universities from the government of Ontario. When universities begin to experience these financial deficits, programs begin the suffer. This includes mental health resources and accessibility services. Samuels commented on the importance of understanding that the lack of government funding has ripple effects that will directly impact students. Samuels and Dhanani expressed that they hope the government of Ontario reflects on the recommendations shared by many of the stakeholders. 

"When we think about the impacts of limited provincial funding, we have to think about the actual well-being, and health impacts it has on students and what that does to them for in the future... I think the idea of increased sector funding always trickles down to ethe unintended adverse impacts we don't necessarily think of, but that have real consequences for students," said Samuels.

I think the idea of increased sector funding always trickles down to ethe unintended adverse impacts we don't necessarily think of, but that have real consequences for students.

Abigail Samuels, vice-president (education), McMaster Students Union

In summary, the MSU and OUSA stand against the tuition increase and urge for more government-based funding to support universities. This is an ongoing story.

Federal government announces it will approve fewer international students, in wake of the housing crisis and universities taking financial advantage of international students

On Jan. 22, Marc Miller, minister of immigration, refugees and citizenship, announced that smaller cap on the number of international student permits to be approved will come into effect this year.

In an online news release on Jan. 22, the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada stated that about 360,000 new international study permits will be approved in 2024, which is a 35 per cent reduction from last year. The IRCC also stated that while international students are an integral part of Canadian society and the economy, they are currently being taken advantage of by some educational institutions aiming to earn more revenue from the higher tuition international students pay.

“Some institutions have significantly increased their intakes to drive revenues, and more students have been arriving in Canada without the proper support they need to succeed,” stated the IRCC online news release.

Some institutions have significantly increased their intakes to drive revenues, and more students have been arriving in Canada without the proper support they need to succeed.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, Jan. 22 online news release

The news release also cited that increasingly high numbers of admitted international students are putting pressure on housing services.

This new international student cap coincides with Miller’s December 2023 announcement that access to funds of at least $20,635 are needed for international students to study in Canada. This is double the previous requirement and this amount is in addition to the cost of student’s tuition and travel expenses.

Miller stated that this decision aims to protect international students that cannot afford to live in Canada from academic institutions aiming to take advantage of them.

These new requirements were also justified by Miller in light of the current housing shortage, the effects of which are increasing in severity for both international and domestic students as enrolment for both groups continues to rise. 

"Through the decisive measures announced today, we are striking the right balance for Canada and ensuring the integrity of our immigration system while setting students up for the success they hope for," stated Miller, in the Jan. 22 online news release.

Through the decisive measures announced today, we are striking the right balance for Canada and ensuring the integrity of our immigration system while setting students up for the success they hope for.

Marc Miller, minister of immigration, refugees and citizenship, in Jan. 22 online news release

Under the new federal limit, provincial limits have been established according to each's population. As a result, provinces with the greatest numbers of universities and hence international students will likely see the greatest decrease in approved permits.

The cap does not apply to graduate students, nor to elementary and high school students. The cap also does not apply to students that already hold a study permit, so current international students are not at risk of having their ability to study in Canada revoked.

This cap will remain in effect for two years and the number of new international students to be approved in 2025 will be decided at the end of this year. 

This is an ongoing story.

Queen's University is among the many Ontario post-secondary institutions facing exacerbated financial deficits

On Jan. 25, Queen’s University announced they they would begin working with Nous Group to address their financial struggles.

These financial struggles are part of a larger issue many universities in Ontario are currently facing. In a report by a blue-ribbon panel, created by the Ontario provincial government to ensure long-term financial sustainability in post-secondary education in the province it was found that in Ontario universities currently receive the least amount of money per entering student in comparison to other provinces.

Furthermore, the Council of Ontario Universities noted that 10 universities are currently predicted to have a total of $175 million in operating deficit.

Many universities are blaming their financial strife on the tuition fee reduction in 2019 and the subsequent tuition freeze policy. These were implemented in 2019 after provincial government had removed the system that provided tuition rides for low-income students through the Ontario Student Assistance Program.

Queen's University currently reports its financial deficit at $48 million, which had originally been marked at $62.8 million. On Queen's University's website, they credit this improvement to enacting a hiring freeze and adjustments of budgets.

To improve their finances, Queen's is now working with international consultancy firm Nous Group and has introduced their operations as the Queen’s Renew Project. The timeline for their project has not been released. However, they have emphasized that the goal is to address the financial concerns through internal review and suggest redirection.

A group called Queen’s Coalition Against Austerity has formed in opposition to the controversial Queen's hiring freeze.

This state of financial crisis is not unique to Queen's and is being experienced by the majority of Ontario post-secondary institutions. McMaster University has also begun to take steps to address their financial issues.

The institution has announced that their finances are being managed internally and have released written financial goals through the published blue-ribbon panel report.

With the recent updates to their financial management, Queen's University principal Patrick Deane stated in a published message, "I am hopeful that as we have done in the past, we will face obstacles together and emerge stronger for our efforts." 

This is an ongoing story.

National Society of Black Engineers increases representation and supports for Black students in academia

Addressing anti-Black racism has been an urgent need for increased equity for Black students and professionals across academia, especially in traditionally white male dominated fields like engineering.

To tackle one of these barriers in education, the National Society of Black Engineers, McMaster Chapter has launched an annual entrance scholarship for Canadian Black students entering the Faculty of Engineering at McMaster.

All incoming first-years who self-identify as Black students, demonstrate strong leadership and have positively contributed to their community will be eligible for the award. The scholarship will provide each recipient with $2,500, along with a position on the NSBE executive team.

All incoming first-years who self-identify as Black students, demonstrate strong leadership and have positively contributed to their community will be eligible for the award.

The NSBE is a national student-run organization that aims to increase the number of Black engineers who excel both academically and professionally, while demonstrating valuable leadership to make a difference in their community. The NSBE team also includes other engineering graduates and professionals.

Founded in 1971, the society has over 31,000 members that span over 600 active chapters in Canada, the United States and other countries around the globe. They provide academic excellence programs, social connections, leadership opportunities, additional scholarships and career networking to support Black students in engineering.

The McMaster chapter is spear-headed by an executive team of McMaster engineering students. The current president is Feyisayo Enuiyin, a chemical engineering student in her final year. The chapter’s aim is to provide Black students with academic support, professional development and networking opportunities.

“For many Black students from underprivileged communities, they don’t think engineering is a space for them,” said Enuiyin. “This scholarship was created for students who didn’t even know they wanted to study engineering. It creates hope for students to show they are going to a school that supports them.”

“For many Black students from underprivileged communities, they don’t think engineering is a space for them,” said Enuiyin.

The NSBE McMaster Chapter’s goal is to raise $62,500 for the award. The number of scholarships will be dependent on the funds raised. If they exceed their goal, they will provide more scholarships. They are currently accepting donations, with hopes that this award will inspire and encourage more Black students to apply to McMaster Engineering. 

Enuiyin explained that the scholarship aims to provide more than financial assistance — the award will also create a larger scale for representation, further showing Black students that institutions like McMaster actually care about them. 

“Once I was able to feel that McMaster, including the staff and faculty, really supports me, it made me feel more confident because I know that I go to a community that has my back,” said Enuiyin.

“Once I was able to feel that McMaster, including the staff and faculty, really supports me, it made me feel more confident because I know that I go to a community that has my back,” said Enuiyin.

To Enuiyin, this representation within the university at large, especially in academia, is important because it creates confidence.

“It creates a sense of self awareness so that when you step into a place and you see people like you doing what you aspire to do, it gives you encouragement and motivation to know that you can do that too… When you feel represented in a space, like in an atmosphere of a room, you don't think about complexion. It doesn't even cross your head,” said Enuiyin.

"When you feel represented in a space, like in an atmosphere of a room, you don't think about complexion. It doesn't even cross your head,” said Enuiyin. 

Enuiyin expressed gratitude towards the Faculty of Engineering for supporting the NSBE McMaster Chapter and said that the scholarship is a step in the right direction.

“[The scholarship] will help us move towards a more inclusive environment where a range of perspectives leads to better insights and innovation,” stated Professor Iswhar K. Puri, dean of engineering, in a McMaster Daily News Article. 

Other efforts for inclusion by McMaster’s Faculty of Engineering include the recent launch of The Indigenous and Black Engineering and Technology (IBET) Momentum Fellowships. These fellowships were created in collaboration with faculties at the University of Waterloo, University of Ottawa, University of Toronto, Queen’s University and Western University.

These fellowships will provide Indigenous and Black recipients of the award each with $25,000 over the span of four years to support them with their graduate studies and engineering research.

Similar to the NSBE scholarship, the IBET doctoral fellowships were launched with the hope to reduce the financial barriers experienced by Black and Indigenous students. 

These efforts for inclusion are paired with McMaster’s announcement of a new commitment to Black academic excellence, such as the commitment to hire a cohort of up to 12 Black faculty members. This is the first initiative under the new Strategic Equity and Excellence Recruitment and Retention program, which is part of McMaster’s larger equity, diversity and inclusion strategy.

“It’s not just about being Black or being in engineering. It’s bigger than that… It’s about people.  When one individual progresses, the whole community progresses,” said Enuiyin. 

Other efforts at McMaster include the development of a yearly bursary of $800 in perpetuity for Black students with financial need in the McMaster Health Sciences program. The bursary organizers include McMaster University and Mohawk College alumni and are currently also fundraising.

When asked what else academic institutions can do to alleviate barriers for Black students, Enuiyin highlighted the importance of outreach programs along with financial assistance. These outreach programs should be delivered in underprivileged communities, especially for high school students.

“When students are already in universities, it is hard to change their perspectives. [By starting in high school], you can start to show them options as to what they have,” explained Enuiyin. 

When discussing how McMaster community members should view this scholarship, Enuiyin highlighted its importance on our society as a whole. 

“It’s not just about being Black or being in engineering. It’s bigger than that… It’s about people.  When one individual progresses, the whole community progresses,” said Enuiyin.

Donations for the scholarship funds are currently being accepted on the NSBE McMaster’s iFundMac website. 

Universities across Canada advocate for greater financial aid

In 2020-2021, the average tuition for full-time undergraduate programs across Canada is $6,580 per year. 52 per cent of students graduate with student debt and an average student has a total of $28,000 in debt when they graduate. 

52 per cent of students graduate with student debt and an average student has a total of $28,000 in debt when they graduate.

Student debt in Canada has been deemed a crisis by many. In 2018, Canadian students collectively owed over $28 billion in student debt. 

The McMaster Students Union is one of the student unions that have joined in to work on the Debt Free Degree campaign, advocating for more accessible and affordable post-secondary education in Canada. 

This campaign is led by the Undergraduates of Canadian Research-Intensive Universities and the University Students’ Council at Western University. 

Other student unions that are also taking part in the campaign include the University of Toronto Students’ Union, Students’ Society of McGill University, Waterloo Undergraduate Student Association and more. 

These nine student unions represent students of the U15 group of Canadian research intensive universities. Collectively, the student unions represent over 250,000 students.

The campaign is calling for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion Carla Qualtrough to take action.

Mackenzy Metcalfe, vice president of external affairs at Western’s University Students Council and chair of UCRU, said that this would put grants at a total increase of $1200 per student for the 2020-2021 federal budget.

Policy recommendations from the campaign include doubling of investments in Canada Student Grants from what was provided in 2019. Mackenzy Metcalfe, vice president of external affairs at Western’s University Students Council and chair of UCRU, said that this would put grants at a total increase of $1200 per student for the 2020-2021 federal budget.

This amounts to roughly $1 billion from the government. Metcalfe also noted that this was one of the promises made by the Liberal party during the 2019 election. This increase in grants would apply to all students eligible for financial aid.

“Investments in students are investments in the future. Students are really going to make up the workforce of tomorrow and increasing funding for student financial aid will undoubtedly see exponential return in the next couple of years,” said Metcalfe. 

“Investments in students are investments in the future. Students are really going to make up the workforce of tomorrow and increasing funding for student financial aid will undoubtedly see exponential return in the next couple of years,” said Metcalfe. 

MSU Vice President (Education) Ryan Tse declined an interview but wrote in an email statement that the MSU is excited to work on this campaign.

“The Debt Free Campaign [gives] students the opportunity to share their stories and call on the government to help make postsecondary education more accessible and affordable,” wrote Tse.

In previous years, UCRU had advocated for the transfer of federal tuition tax credits to student grants. Currently, the recommendation for the federal government to transfer tuition tax credit funds to upfront grants is also an MSU policy. 

However, the Debt Free Degree campaign had decided not to specify federal tuition tax credits as a source of funding for student grants, but simply advocate for an increase in grants.

“UCRU still believes that tax credits from tuition should be relocated to upfront grants for students, however, during our past few lobby weeks, UCRU received feedback from the government about the proposal. We heard from multiple sources in government that they were not interested in making this change to the tax credit system. However, we did hear that they were interested in supporting students through student financial aid,” Metcalfe explained. 

Although recommendations from the campaign ultimately do not eliminate student debt, Metcalfe said that having a larger proportion of financial aid as grants rather than loans will help decrease the amount of accumulated debt.

Aside from an increase in student grants, the campaign also recommends a two-year grace period on all federal student loans. Currently, federal student loans have a grace period of six months. 

In other words, students have six months following their study period with no accumulation of interest on their federal student loans. Aside from finishing their final school term, students are also required to repay loans six months after they leave school, take time off school, or transfer from full-time to part-time studies. After those six months, students are expected to begin payment and interests will accumulate. 

In Ontario, financial aid for students is regulated by the Ontario Student Assistance Program. OSAP incorporates both federal and provincial student loans and grants. 

On a provincial level, student loan requirements differ depending on the province. Students in Ontario are not expected to start repaying their provincial student loans until after the first six months, but their loans do accumulate interest during that period of time. 

Across social media, the campaign shares various infographics comparing the average amount of student debt to other various items of the same monetary value such as 112 pairs of AirPods, a Honda Civic, 233 years worth of Netflix subscriptions and 9 million cups of coffee. 

$28,000. That's the amount of debt an average student has when they graduate. You can buy a lot with $28,000. Paying off student debt shouldn't be one of those things. It's time for a change - alongside @UCRU_Can, we're pushing @JustinTrudeau & @CQualtro to take action. (1/2) pic.twitter.com/FbeJu13B5J

— McMaster Students Union (MSU) (@MSU_McMaster) November 6, 2020

Students were encouraged to join the movement by writing a postcard to their local member of parliament. A Google form at www.debtfreedegree.ca was available for students to fill out and UCRU will send the postcard on the student’s behalf. 

Students were also asked to spread the word by sharing posts with the hashtag #DebtFreeDegree on their social media and provide UCRU with feedback by emailing info@ucru.ca. 

The MSU is working alongside @UCRU_Can and Student Unions across the country to advocate for accessible, affordable post-secondary education in Canada, and a #DebtFreeDegree. Learn more about our fight for Debt Free Degrees at https://t.co/t0I4CFpbCP. (1/3) pic.twitter.com/5o9GvsngPy

— McMaster Students Union (MSU) (@MSU_McMaster) November 3, 2020

The campaign ended on Nov. 16 and Metcalfe stated that over 200 students had shared their feedback. These student concerns will be presented to federal policy makers during UCRU’s annual Federal Lobby Week. This year, the federal lobby week is scheduled from Nov. 23-27.

Inability to opt-out of certain fees spark student discussions and dissatisfaction

Following an unprecedented summer for many, students at McMaster University continue their studies via online learning and face adjustments made both within their classrooms as well as the university as a whole. The transition to online learning has resulted in several changes to supplementary fees students are required to pay.

One of the biggest changes students face this year includes the Hamilton Street Railway bus pass. In June 2020, McMaster Student Union President Giancarlo Da-Ré wrote to the HSR asking for amendments to the student bus fee.

In July, Hamilton councillors voted to temporarily suspend the transit agreements with McMaster University, as well as Mohawk College and Redeemer University.

As a result, the 2020-2021 undergraduate student bus pass has been suspended for the period of September through December 2020. Rather than the original fee of $223.92, undergraduate students will pay $120.98 in January 2021 for use of the bus pass in the winter term through to Aug. 31, 2020.

Graduate students’ bus passes are still available and are valid from Aug. 22, 2020 until Aug. 21, 2021.

In a video shared by the MSU, Jess Anderson, Vice-President (Finance), said that aside from the temporary termination of bus passes, the MSU is also advocating for a discounted monthly transit rate for students; however, there have been no further updates for a discounted rate. 

All undergraduate students are now required to pay adult fare when boarding the HSR.

It is not yet clear as to how the MSU will handle HSR bus passes for the winter semester now that the school has announced classes will continue to be online.

In addition to the undergraduate bus pass, the Athletics and Recreation fee has been a major concern within students’ supplementary fees for the 2020-2021 year. Although McMaster Athletics and Recreation have announced that facilities will be closed until at least Dec. 31, 2020, students are still required to pay an Athletics and Recreation fee with a reduction of 25 per cent.

Although McMaster Athletics and Recreation have announced that facilities will be closed until at least December 31, 2020, students are still required to pay an Athletics and Recreation fee with a reduction of 25 per cent.

Students are encouraged to participate in a variety of virtual fitness classes offered by the Pulse Fitness Centre.

The decision to keep a fee for Athletics and Recreation has sparked multiple student discussions on social media, most of which consist of dissatisfaction from students about having to pay a fee at all.

https://www.facebook.com/spottedat.mac/posts/2032560686879925

Speaking to the Silhouette regarding what the remaining 75 per cent of Athletics and Recreation fee will cover, Director of Athletics and Recreation Shawn Burt said that fees not only go to supporting facilities in a typical school year but also go to support the infrastructure and staffing of the department. As well, fees support the department’s ability to deliver programming, whether it be virtually or in-person.

As for why students cannot opt-out of the fee, even if they choose to not participate in the virtual programs, Burt said, “I certainly understand that not everyone uses the Pulse or will use our online programming, but we do have to make an investment into staffing and infrastructure to ensure that we are able to deliver these things, even if not everyone can use them. It’s really not a usage-based fee, and it wouldn’t be reasonable to do it that way simply because accommodating 30,000 students into a fitness space logistically is difficult even at the best of times.”

Following the school’s announcement that the winter semester will also be online, Burt expressed that it is not yet clear as to whether Athletics and Recreation will remain closed as well. However, Burt said that adjustments to fees would certainly be looked at.

“Not unlike the fall, our expectation is that fees will be impacted as a result of [the school’s] announcement, so whatever needs to be done from our perspective to accommodate students and student-athletes, those steps will be taken at the direction that we receive for sure,” Burt said.

Students are also required to pay the non-MSU and non-McMaster fees, colloquially known as the Bylaw 5 fees. These include the fees for OPIRG, McMaster Solar Car Project, Engineers without Borders, McMaster Marching Band and Incite Publication. Other fee changes include the MSU organization fee which includes the operation of student services, club structures, governance apparatus and MSU advocacy work. Originally $133.26 for the fall of 2019, the fee has been reduced by 10 per cent, resulting in a fee of $122.45.

A breakdown of all supplementary fees for undergraduate and graduate students can be found on the Registrar’s Office Supplementary Fees page.

Full-time undergraduate students have the option to opt-out of the MSU Health and Dental plan. However, the opt-out option is only available for those with extended external coverage. Both plans together come to a total of $232. Students have until Sept. 30, 2020 to opt-out of both plans and be reimbursed the fees.

When reached for an interview about the MSU’s involvement with the changes to student fees, VP (Finance) Jess Anderson declined a phone interview.

Correction: Sept. 24, 2020

Because of an error while collecting information, a previous version of this article misstated some of the fee changes for this year. The numbers have been updated accordingly throughout the article and the graphic.

This article has been edited as of Feb. 11, 2019

A previously published version of this article misquoted Ikram Farah. The quote has since been updated.

Students are often at a standoff with the MSU president. A commonly held belief is that the President cannot get things done, while presidents themselves often feel that they are misunderstood by the student body. Looking back at former presidents, we can see the difficult realities of their jobs. However, each MSU president has many opportunities to enact change, and it is their responsibility to work within their limitations.

It’s hard to keep all the eggs in one basket

“When someone is running for president they are running on 12-15 platform points, but that is not your only priority, you are a CEO, you are a manager of the whole institution,” said Ikram Farah, former MSU president for the 2018-2019 school year.

Every MSU president has and will continue to struggle with balancing priorities. Consulting past presidents and critically examining a previous year’s struggles is meant to help incoming presidents plan for the year ahead. New president-elects are given the opportunity to do this during their training period under the current MSU president, which lasts from February to April of each year.

Even with this transition process, neither Marando, Farah nor Monaco-Barnes were prepared for how much time would be taken up by priorities unrelated to their platform points.

“I didn’t realize how much of my time would be taken up with chairing various meetings, SRA, clubs, committees, events, and other things that you don’t really see the president do until you are in the role yourself,” said Marando.

During the transition period, outgoing presidents still have their own responsibilities and incoming presidents have their academics. It is unclear exactly how many hours are spent orienting.

“[After March] you’re out, and the new person’s in, and it’s up to them and their team to carry on their objectives but also carry on ongoing projects to full term,” said Justin Monaco-Barnes, former MSU president for the 2016-2017 school year.

Limitations of the transition period may negatively impact a president’s future ability to establish continuity, balance priorities and prepare for unpredictability. Farah faced the impact of the Ontario Student Assistance Program cuts and the Student Choice Initiative. Responding to these events took up much of her team’s time.

“You don’t know what you don’t know,” said Farah.

Continuity is key

Longevity, according to Monaco-Barnes, can be an issue with a one-year term. A president must continue previous presidents’ work while attending to their own platform points and responsibilities. Marando, Farah and Monaco-Barnes highlighted the added pressure that comes from students wanting tangible results.

“. . . A lot of people probably don’t know I sit on groups that improve the university IT plan, or work on mental health support in classrooms. People don’t see all the time and energy that goes into working with our full-time staff and supporting business operations of the MSU. I think that if there isn’t a big promotion of something, people think nothing is happening. In reality things may span over a years — such as our new student space expansion — requiring a lot more resources than one might think,” said Marando.

The student space expansion came from Monaco-Barnes’ platform, whose Pulse expansion plans eventually evolved to include a new student center, the Student Activity Building.

“And then here we are, two years later, and it’s being built which is pretty cool,” said Monaco-Barnes.

Monaco-Barnes took an unpaid leave of absence to run two student-wide referenda and help secure funding for the expansion plans. During the second referendum, Ryan McDonald, the VP (Finance) at the time, also took an unpaid leave.

While the Student Activity and Pulse expansion are underway, future MSU presidents must see them through. Not all projects will survive this process.

At the end of Monaco-Barnes’s term, plastic water bottles were replaced with boxed water in Union Market. Union Market reverted back to plastic water bottles the following year. 

“I don’t know how you control that. You hope that the continuity pieces that remain in the MSU leadership wise, you hope they will continue your original messages and ideas, but once you’re gone you can’t really control those things,” added Monaco-Barnes.

If this is a known problem, incoming and outgoing presidents should prevent it from happening as much as possible. Starting from scratch, as Monaco-Barnes noted, is a waste of time.

Who do you want in the room?

As Farah said, it can be easy to forget the significant impact that an MSU President can have in advocating for students. Advocacy could result in change that students may not link back to MSU, as such changes happen over the long-term.

“We need people with ideas and strategic vision. That’s where the Pulse expansion or student activity building becomes impactful. But we don’t always need that large action. Advocating for policies that enhance student life are incredibly important too; however, policy takes time though,” said Farah.

A president will have several opportunities to advocate for students. But it is not easy to get the job done. Monaco-Barnes said that higher-ups can wait out a president that they disagree with. There is also an intimidation factor at play, as the MSU president will interact with older and more experienced counterparts.

“It’d be very easy for a president to go in and do a lacklustre job if they are not motivated,” said Monaco-Barnes.

MSU presidents will make mistakes and struggle with their jobs. Their role is difficult to fully appreciate from an outside perspective. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t point out their mistakes and challenge them to work around limitations. If we do not hold them accountable, then we may see less work being done. Is being MSU president hard? Yes. Does that mean that they cannot accomplish anything? Absolutely not.

 

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Photos by Andrew Mrozowski / A&C Editor 

On Nov. 21, the Ontario Divisional Court struck down the Student Choice Initiative, a controversial directive introduced by the provincial government which required universities and colleges to allow students to opt-out of student fees deemed “non-essential.” Three judges unanimously ruled that the government did not have the legal authority to interfere with the autonomous and democratic decision-making process between universities and student unions. 

On Jan. 17, 2019, Ontario’s Ministry of Colleges and Universities publicly announced the SCI alongside a series of changes to post secondary funding, including cuts to the Ontario Student Assistance Program. When students were given the opportunity to opt-out in September 2019, services deemed non-essential such as food banks, student societies and campus media became vulnerable to funding cuts.   

On May 24, the Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario and the York Federation of Students launched a joint legal challenge against the provincial government’s SCI directive, claiming that the SCI was unlawful, proposed in bad faith and carried out in a way that was procedurally unfair. On the basis of the legality of the SCI, the Divisional Court of Ontario ruled in favour of CFS-O and YFS on Nov. 21.

The legal document explaining the judges’ decision cites previous Supreme Court rulings, which concluded that, while universities are regulated and funded by the government, “it by no means follows, however, that universities are organs of government … The fact is that each of the universities has its own governing body … The government thus has no legal power to control the universities even if it wished to do so.”  

"Student unions can confidently budget again ... For students to access the services of their student unions" - CFSO Rep https://t.co/c3XO2R6LOZ

— The Silhouette (@theSilhouette) November 22, 2019

The Ontario government attempted to defend themselves by arguing that the SCI was a “core policy decision” not subject to judicial review, and that they were exercising their prerogative power over spending decisions. However, the Court’s legal documents state that, “with the exception of narrowly defined powers in the MTCU [Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities] Act, policy-making and governance authority over a university is vested in its [university’s] Boards of Governors and Senates.”

 

THE DECISION

The Divisional Court found that by interfering with the agreement between student unions and universities, the SCI posed a threat to universities’ autonomy from the government.

Louis Century, an associate at Goldblatt Partners and lawyer for the CFS-O, sees the decision as proof of the importance of student unions.

“I would hope that student unions would read this decision as an affirmation of the central role that they play on campuses. That was a core part of the Court’s decision, is recognizing that . . .  they’re actually core to what happens on campuses at universities, so much so that the government overriding their affairs is overriding the autonomy of the university generally,” he said.

“I would hope that student unions would read this decision as an affirmation of the central role that they play on campuses. That was a core part of the Court’s decision, is recognizing that . . .  they’re actually core to what happens on campuses at universities, so much so that the government overriding their affairs is overriding the autonomy of the university generally,” said Louis Century, an associate at Goldblatt Partners and lawyer for the CFS-O. 

The YFS and CFS-O also argued that the government had implemented the SCI in bad faith, on the basis of a politically-motivated attack on student unions. While the Court heard this evidence, it did not end up being a factor in determining the legality of the SCI.

In a fundraising email sent to the Conservative party in February, Premier Doug Ford wrote, “Students were forced into unions and forced to pay for those unions. I think we all know what kind of crazy Marxist nonsense student unions get up to. So, we fixed that. Student union fees are now opt-in.”

Kayla Weiler, the National Executive Representative of the Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario, believes that the SCI was about silencing the organizations critical of the Ford government that advocate on behalf of students.

“This was never about choice. It was always about the Ford government trying to silence the exact bodies that hold them accountable and challenge them to do better,” Weiler stated during a press conference on Nov. 22.

“This was never about choice. It was always about the Ford government trying to silence the exact bodies that hold them accountable and challenge them to do better,” Weiler stated during a press conference on Nov. 22.

Since its introduction, the SCI has been widely criticized. Student union representatives have argued that, while the purpose of the SCI was to allow students to decide where their money would go, student unions already have democratic procedures in place that allow students to decide which services to fund. At McMaster, for example, undergraduate students have the opportunity to vote on fees during annual general meetings, referenda and other processes.

Weiler believes that the implementation of the SCI was to question the validity of student unions as valid democracies and valid organizations. 

“It’s about time for the government to recognize us as autonomous organizations. . .What we want is to be recognized as autonomous organizations that fight for student rights, and we don’t want to have government interference into our budgets or the work that we do and we don’t want the Premier to comment on the fact that we are crazy Marxists. What we want is legislation that protects us and not hurt us,” said Weiler. 

“It’s important for these conversations to be held in a particular campus because Doug Ford is not a student in 2019. The Minister of Colleges and Universities is not a student in 2019 at Algoma University or the University of Windsor or George Brown College, so why are they making decisions for the students on these campuses?” 

 

WHAT HAPPENS NOW?

Unless the decision is successfully appealed, the fee structure for student unions will return to normal.

“Any legal requirements that existed before this case was brought are now restored,” said Century. 

The MSU, however, will not implement the results of the Court’s decision until the appeal period closes.

“Until we have the appeal period, and until we have that final decision, we do need to operate in the most financially stable way, which is assuming that those agreements are still in place,” said MSU president Josh Marando.

“Until we have the appeal period, and until we have that final decision, we do need to operate in the most financially stable way, which is assuming that those agreements are still in place,” said MSU president Josh Marando.

If the decision is upheld in Court, the results of the SCI will still be felt at universities and colleges across the province. Some Ontario student unions had to cut entire jobs and services this year as a result of SCI.

MSU general manager John McGowan pointed out that McMaster was lucky to be able to rely on reserve funds this year. However, student services have still felt the impact. With their budgets uncertain, services have had to hold off on hiring and long-term planning. 

Furthermore, the MSU dedicated resources towards implementing the SCI and educating students about the process.

“There has been quite a bit of time and energy put into creating the fees, educating students on what those fees look like, as well as making sure that we're compliant with the framework and the new tuition and ancillary fee framework,” said Marando.

If the SCI decision is upheld in court, it will mean that an unlawful directive caused harm to campus services and student unions. Chris Glover, the MPP for Spadina–Fort York and the Ontario New Democratic Party’s postsecondary critic, noted that many campus services are currently struggling financially as a result of the SCI. Glover called on Ford to reimburse student services for the losses they incurred under SCI.

“I really think that the government should step up …  Their actions were unlawful and now students are suffering, campus services are suffering, and the government should make up for this shortfall, Doug Ford should make up for this shortfall,” said Glover during a press conference. 

If the student fee structure that existed before the SCI is restored, it is unclear how services and clubs whose funds have been negatively impacted may be compensated, if at all. Both CFS-O and YFS representatives emphasized that, at the very least, the Court’s decision should be a lesson as to the importance of engaging with and protecting the democratic processes at all universities and colleges. 

 

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Is technology a requirement or luxury in higher education?

By: Kayla Freeman, Contributor

University is an environment that can foster personal and educational growth. Many students rely on technology in order to support their academic success. However, some students do not have access to the necessary technology and this can pose barriers to them.

With the influx of students using laptops, tablets and/or other technology devices, many professors have kept up with this trend by using online services in class. Some examples of this are Kahoot, TopHat and AvenueToLearn. Moreover, many professors speak at a speed that is nearly impossible to keep up with through pen and paper note-taking, instead of posting their slides online so that students can follow along.

[media-credit name="Photo by Cindy Cui" align="center" width="2560"][/media-credit]

The problem with a reliance on technology is that those who cannot afford the newest technological devices may feel a sense of shame or isolation from those who can. The segregation between those who have access to technology or even wifi creates a disadvantaged environment for those who cannot afford it. This is called the digital divide. The digital divide can help us understand the hardship that those without access to adequate technology, software or internet experience on a daily basis.

The digital divide often targets marginalized and rural communities.

The digital divide often targets marginalized and rural communities.

It is important to shed light on these issues and speak for those that do not have a voice of their own. Additionally, the digital divide perpetuates the cycle of poverty by depriving many from achieving their full potential as they are unable to access online websites to access information related to education, employment or other crucial topics.

In school, especially university, technology is often a hefty expense. Even though it can be academically disadvantageous not to possess a laptop, it is also not economically feasible for many students. Many students cannot afford to buy laptops in “less-developed” countries. Even in Canada, the technological divide negatively impacts the quality of education.

As the costs of university seem to be ever-growing, government aid such as the Ontario Student Assistance Program is a necessity for many students. Since the Ford government made cuts to OSAP, many students are being left with much less financial assistance than in previous years.

Arguably, the OSAP cuts are disproportionately affecting lower-income students, many of whom may not be able to pursue post-secondary education without aid. It seems as if we are moving towards an era that relies heavily on technology in educational institutions, without taking into consideration the financial strain this will pose on those in higher education. Rather than cutting government funding, there should be increased financial support for students to go paperless, thereby helping students use technology to aid their studies.

In late 2017, Ontario experienced its longest college labour dispute when the Ontario Public Service Employees Union went on strike.

Representatives from the student associations of multiple colleges penned an open letter to members of provincial parliament, speaking on behalf of their respective student bodies.

One of these representatives was Nicola Lau, president of the Seneca Student Federation at the time. She led 2,000 students in a protest that gained attention from media outlets such as Global News and CBC — a fact with which she introduces herself in the Facebook description of “OSAP CUT 2019”, a group she created on Sept. 7, 2019 as a means of reaching out to students severely affected by the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) cuts.

Too bad your cuts to #onpse & #osapcuts will make it impossible for many students to experience the great opportunities offered by @McMasterU and other institutions across the province. Your funding changes in 2020 will make it even worse. #cutshurtkids #handsoffmyeducation

— AJ (@MacGirl2002) August 10, 2019

The provincial government announced their planned OSAP cuts in January 2019; this constituted the end of reduced tuition for low-income students and a change in the guidelines for OSAP grant and loan eligibility. In response, student advocacy organizations such as the Students for Ontario, March for our Education and the Ontario Student Action network hosted a march toward Queen’s Park, with student activists and MPPs expressing their intolerance for consequences stemming from OSAP cuts.

When the OSAP changes came into effect in the summer of 2019, another wave of outrage emerged across Ontario as students reported that their OSAP estimates were much lower than previous years. This led to an additional round of protests from several Ontario universities, with some taking to social media to show their frustration.

Lau, now a second year Health and Aging student at McMaster, points out that the protests have since trickled into near non-existence. She feels that the level of outrage has faded into a quiet reaction, a change that she does not believe adequately represents the struggles that students continue to experience every day as a result of the cuts.

“I think that the problem is that when Doug Ford came out last year [with the OSAP cuts], a lot of people were really angry, right? A lot of people were like, ‘Okay, I need to stand up right now. We have to do something about it.’ But quickly, all these actions and things just stopped,” said Lau.

As a student impacted by OSAP cuts herself, Lau is determined to provide a platform for students to voice their concerns. She started “OSAP CUT 2019” with the hope of raising awareness until she has gathered people for a protest similar to what she did as president of the Seneca Student Federation.

Since the beginning of the 2019-2020 school year, the Facebook group has amassed more than 100 members. Most members are students who cannot afford textbooks and school supplies or are on the verge of dropping out because they are no longer financially equipped to continue. The Facebook group has also attracted concerned parents, who are worried about their childrens’ future post-secondary experiences as the full extent of the OSAP cuts gradually become clearer.

Lau is particularly disappointed with what she perceives to be the lack of action on behalf of McMaster students and the McMaster Students Union.

“Why is McMaster, such a big school, not caring about [the OSAP cuts]? Why are we not having protests? I don’t get what they [the MSU] is doing. I don’t get what they’re doing with our student money,” said Lau.

However, Shemar Hackett, vice-president (Education) of the MSU, says that students have indeed reached out to the MSU with concerns about OSAP cuts. As a member of the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA)  steering committee, he has also encouraged McMaster’s participation in OUSA’s letter writing campaign, an initiative that calls for students to write letters to Premier Ford’s office to highlight how the cuts have affected them thus far.

“Students aren’t always aware of the issues that involve them, and what they can do about it,” said Hackett, when asked about the student-led advocacy scene in McMaster.

Financial accessibility is one of Hackett’s priorities for the school year, according to his year plan. Much of this, according to Hackett, revolves around gathering as a student community and lobbying for change.

Despite the overlap between her intentions and the MSU’s, Lau questions what has really changed. She does not believe that change is happening quickly enough, she noted that students are beginning to struggle with juggling multiple part-time jobs in order to stay in school and other students having to scavenge rent money on top of their academic responsibilities.

Lau fears it might soon be too late to change the new status quo.

As a response, she has taken it upon herself, as well as the many others involved in her Facebook group, to form a voice on behalf of all those affected by the OSAP cuts. Lau hopes for the group to continue growing and, through its growth, to persuade the government to listen to them before it is too late.

In the group’s Facebook description, Lau writes, “Let’s not [let] these politicians change what will not even affect them … Let’s make a difference together.”

 

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