To opt-in or opt-out, that is the question at Kingston’s Queen’s University

We’re getting a clearer picture of how changes to post-secondary tuition fees in Ontario are impacting student organizations at Queen’s University.

The Student Choice Initiative, announced by the provincial government in January, allows college and university students to opt out of fees that fund campus groups and clubs, including campus newspapers and radio stations.

Some fees remain mandatory for walk-safe programs, health and counseling, athletics and recreation and academic support.

2:18 Queen’s AMS bracing for optional fee funding cuts

Now weeks into the school year student unions and other groups are now getting the preliminary opt-out numbers.

Preliminary figures released today show that about 15 per cent of students at Queen’s University have chosen to opt out of “optional fees”. The numbers aren’t as bad at the Queen’s AMS had been fearing, with many groups preparing to lose up to a third of their budget this year.

“Our goal was 25 per cent, we budgeted for a 30 per cent cut because that’s what we see traditionally with the clubs and their yearly average in terms of opt outs, so we were aiming for that 25 per cent mark and we were pleasantly surprised to reach that 15 per cent. And that’s attributed to students and how much they care.”

The official numbers will be released tonight to the Queen’s Representative Assembly.