| Six myths about tuition fees |
1. Saskatchewan cannot afford to reduce tuition fees. If we reduce tuition fees, we will have to raise taxes. All government budget expenditures are about priorities. But since the federal government promised Saskatchewan $120 million, another $50 million, on top of their fiscal improvement of $835 million, you would not only be able to afford a tuition fee freeze, but also tuition fee reductions for years to come. 2. Lower tuition fees don’t improve access. Common sense indicates that this is simply completely wrong. Furthermore, a recent study from the University of Indiana indicates that for every $1,000 increase in tuition fees there is a 19 per cent drop in re-enrolment rates of low-income students. The tuition fee freeze in Manitoba has resulted in an increase in enrolment of close to 20 per cent, whereas due to tuition hikes in British Columbia enrolment is down. 3. As a result of their education, university and college graduates earn $1 million more over their lifetimes, therefore they can afford to pay higher tuition fees. Although it is sometimes true that university graduates earn more, it is certainly not always the case. A study done by the Department of Learning revealed that the return on investment in some programs is actually negative. Moreover, university and college graduates also pay higher taxes. Recovering the cost of public education through income tax instead of higher tuition fees ensures that everyone pays their fair share without being burdened by the up front cost of an education. 4. Tuition fee freezes eventually cause dramatic increases in tuition fees when the government changes hands. The only thing that causes tuition fees to increase is an irresponsible government. Public opinion, lobbying, economic impacts, social benefits, and party policy will ensure that post-secondary education is an important platform of any government. 5. Non-financial barriers are more important than tuition fees. There is no denying that improving access to post-secondary education is complicated and socioeconomic barriers are a reality. But high tuition fees do not help the problem at all; in fact they make it much worse. A study done by Statistics Canada indicates that 70 per cent of high school graduates who had not pursued post-secondary education named financial barriers as the primary obstacle. 6. Higher tuition fees mean higher quality. The only factor that has or ever will determine the quality of higher education is the level of public funding that government is prepared to invest. No U of R student can honestly say their quality of education has increased 20 per cent, as tuition has, in the four years that they have been at the U of R. And no one can say that education in Saskatchewan has improved 227 per cent in the last 15 years either. 7. The students’ union does not put up a good fight for students. Here at URSU, we spend all year engaging in dialogue with MLAs, MPs, national organizations, and local organizations to make sure that students’ voice is heard about post-secondary education. We hold a rally in February, yes, but that is certainly not all. The fight for accessible and affordable education continues all year long! Hillary Aitken, vice-president of external affairs for URSU |