NANAIMO - Students are pleased that VIU's Board of Governors has not proceeded with a planned 2% tuition fee increase. The proposed increase was presented for ratification at the March 26 Board meeting but failed to receive the 2/3 support necessary for adoption.

"Fees at VIU have skyrocketed over the past 10 years as the BC government continued to offload the cost of the university's operation onto students and their families," said Nicole Lewis, current Students' Union Director and student member of the VIU Board of Governors. "The BC government wants students to pay an additional 2% more for education when the government has actually cut funds to the university," said Lewis.

Throughout the past decade, the BC government has expanded the post-secondary system in the province without the necessary funding. According to figures produced by the Canadian Federation of Students-BC, per student funding has declined by 15% since 2001, with the shortfall being made up through drastically higher fees. Since 2001, fees at VIU (formerly Malaspina University-College) have increased by more than 300%. In the 2009/2010 year, the BC government clawed back more than $1 million in funding to VIU to cope with shortfalls within its own budget.

"When most of the members of the BC Liberal Caucus were at university, their education was highly subsidized by government, meaning they could achieve their educational goals without being saddled with a huge student debt upon graduation," said Mikael Jensen, Students' Union Chairperson. "It is Gordon Campbell and the BC Liberals who aren't willing to pay their fair share, cutting tax rates and passing the buck onto the current generation of students is both unethical and hypocritical," said Jensen. 

Though the proposed fee increase failed to pass at the March Board meeting, it is speculated that the issue will be brought back to the table.

"The BC government has placed the VIU administration in a tough situation with every possible outcome resulting in layoffs, less access for low- and middle-income citizens and a lower quality education being offered," said Jensen.

The Vancouver Island University Students' Union represents over 10,000 students studying at VIU in Nanaimo, Parksville, Powell River and Duncan. VIUSU is Local 61 of the Canadian Federation of Students and the Canadian Federation of Students- BC.

VANCOUVER-- The Canadian Federation of Students expressed support today for the BC government's announcement of new campus gathering spaces for Aboriginal students. The Federation also noted that due to tuition fee increases and underfunding at the federal level many Aboriginal students are unable to access post-secondary education and will never benefit from the gathering spaces.

OTTAWA-- The Canadian Federation of Students is arguing in federal court today that the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) erred in its dismissal of research misconduct allegations pertaining to a drinking water experiment with human subjects.

OTTAWA-- Finance Minister Jim Flaherty should take a page from the Government of Ireland's economic strategy by providing funding to reduce tuition fees. The Minister is scheduled to speak to the Ireland Canada Chamber of Commerce in Toronto later today.