Opposition says provincial government short-changing Saskatchewan universities

REGINA – The Opposition says the Saskatchewan government is short-changing education and underfunding universities.

New Democrat Warren McCall raised the issue in the legislature after the University of Regina announced that undergraduates will pay 4.4 per cent more for tuition.

Masters and PhD students will pay 10 per cent more.

McCall said the province is responsible for putting costs onto the shoulders of students.

Advanced Education Minister Don Morgan said the University of Regina has received a 36 per cent funding increase to operate since 2007.

The University of Regina had hoped to see an operating increase in this year’s provincial budget of between four and five per cent – it got 1.94 per cent.

Universities and regional colleges got an overall 2.1 per cent increase.