Flat fees tuition proposal passes; students outraged at decision and blocked from meeting by excessive police presence

TORONTO - Students at the University of Toronto are outraged at the Governing Council's decision to implement a flat tuition fee payment structure in the Faculty of Arts and Science. The new payment structure will require students to pay for five courses - even if they only take three. This is a 66% increase in tuition fees.

The new fee structure was proposed to address a severe deficit within the Faculty of Arts and Science. "The University has lost over $1.3 billion in risky investments this year," said Adam Awad, Vice-President University Affairs of the University of Toronto Students' Union. "This transfer of debt from the public university to individual students is unethical and will impede access to post-secondary education. Having this institution become a place for the rich is contrary to its commitment to equity and diversity."

The University has acknowledged that there is little benefit to students besides an incentive to enter the workforce faster. One governor noted that the proposal likened the University to a factory, producing individuals for the workplace as efficiently as possible, rather than an institution of higher learning.

Students organized themselves to be a presence within the Governing Council chambers as the vote was taking place. Although the University of Toronto is mandated by law to have meetings open to the public, students were shocked to be met with dozens of police officers, blocking students' access to the meeting. "The police presence is ridiculous," said Awad, addressing the Governing Council. "Why are you so afraid for students to be here?"

Students raised concerns about other institutions that also have a flat tuition fee policy such as the University of Guelph. "Nine programs of study this year have been cut at the University of Guelph," said Sandy Hudson, President of the University of Toronto Students' Union. "Flat tuition fee structures are nothing but a repulsively unethical band-aid solution to the persistent underfunding of Ontario Universities. Our University has let the government off the hook, at the expense of thousands of students."

Students have taken the University to court to stop the flat fee proposal from moving ahead. "This is not over," said Awad. "We will continue to fight this regressive policy."