U of C proposing tuition hikes for three programs

CALGARY – Students at the University of Calgary are calling for more notice and more consultation in administration’s proposed tuition hikes.

The university is asking the province to increase tuition to three faculties: engineering, law and business.

Course fees could increase by as much as 31.5 per cent.

The U of C is using a controversial measure for the process, called market modification.

Tuition is usually tied to inflation, which raises rates by about one or two per cent each year.

Market modification, however, allows the university the ability to submit a so-called “market modifiers” to the province.

Essentially, it allows universities and colleges to push their tuition closer to what other similar institutions are charging.

The program was scrapped by the provincial government in 2010.

In July, however, Dave Hancock told institutions they could send in up to three proposals for modifications by October 15^th.

Proposed increases (per course):

• Law – $250
• Haskayne School of Business – $300
• Schulich School of Engineering – $170

Officials with the U of C claim the hike will bring fees closer in line with the University of Alberta and will benefit the university by $3.85 million annually.

The U of C’s Student Union, meanwhile, says it only found out about the increases two weeks ago and hasn’t had enough time to properly consult affected students.

Union representatives caution against the hikes, saying increased fees won’t attract better students.

“There’s some programs at other institutes across the country that do much better than we do and they get less government funding per student and less tuition from the students,” says Levi Nilson, vice-president external for the Students’ Union.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "There's some programs at other institutes across the country that do much better than we do and they get less government funding per student and less tuition from the students," says Levi Nilson, vice-president external for the Students' Union.

“It’s very disappointing to see that the university isn’t trying to figure out what they do and try to incorporate it or figure out other ways of improving program quality without looking at it through students’ wallets.”

U of C officials say there will be town halls Thursday for the law and engineering department where deans will discuss the process with students.

They say consultation is part of the process and must be submitted to the provincial government as part of the application.

A decision could be rendered as early as November 17^th.