U of M students say graduate school fee proposal is too steep

WINNIPEG – Graduate students at the University of Manitoba are upset about a proposal that could see fees jump almost 300 per cent.

Currently students pay tuition for the first year and a continuing fee every year after – at a cost of about $700.

The university wants to increase that to $3,000 by 2016.

The university said the fee increases are needed for better services and financial support.

“If you look at the expected cost of a masters or PhD degree at the University of Manitoba versus the U-15 group of research-intensive universities that we’re a member of, you’ll see that for universities outside of Quebec, the cost at the University of Manitoba is the least,” said Jay Doering, dean of graduate studies at the University of Manitoba.

“The ability to generate revenue from tuition and the ability to offer competitive supports to students is tied. If we collect the least tuition of both Univeristy of Winnipeg or U-15 institution, then we have less money to provide to graduate students.”

A provincial council on post-secondary education will decide on the  proposal Friday.