Watch above: Most students at the University of Saskatchewan will pay more for their education next year. The board of governors has approved a tuition hike for the 2015-16 school year. Meaghan Craig has reaction from students.
SASKATOON – Most students at the University of Saskatchewan (U of S) will have to pay more for their education next year. The board of governors has approved a tuition hike for the 2015-16 school year.
“I think that there would never be a time when a tuition rate increase would ever be something that students would want but I think that students have come to expect that that tuition rates will continue to increase as cost of education increase,” said Ernie Barber, interim provost and vice president of academics at U of S.
Collectively student tuition provides approximately 24 per cent of the university’s operating budget according to Barber and is used to ensure program enhancements are made.
“When we increase tuition we also hope that the government grant will increase as well, when we increase tuition at a rate of this year on average about 2.4 per cent all we’re doing is keeping up with the cost of inflation or in fact barely keeping up with the cost of inflation,” added Barber.
“The average of 2.4 is certainly a lot closer to manageable than we’ve seen in the last few years so that is something positive to be seen,” said Desiree Steele, vice-president of academic affairs for the University of Saskatchewan’s Students’ Union (USSU).
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To put things into perspective, 42 per cent of students are enrolled at the U of S College Arts and Science. Those students will now have to pay $5,790 in tuition in 2015-16.
“The tuition fees that they pay here is about 10 per cent or 11 per cent below the median of our comparator institutions so a student in arts and science here is paying less than they would pay at most other similar institutions in the country,” added Barber.
The announcement comes two months earlier than in previous years to allow students more time to prepare financially.
“Having a few extra months to do that budgeting, to apply for the loans that you need, to figure out the kind of work placements you’re going to need to do that’s something that definitely helps students,” said Steele.
Meanwhile, the USSU is calling on the campus to implement tuition forecasting for the following school year.
“Aside from a ‘manageable’ hike year over year upon year it’s great to know what that hike will be so within in the course of your degree you can actually tell how much money you will need to have,” explained Steele.
“As a matter of principle it would be the nice thing to do,” said Barber.
“We’re going to continue to have those conversations this year and see if we can find a way to give a little bit more predictability to tuition.”
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