Student Day Of Action

Wednesday, February 07, 2007 04:43 AM

The calm before the protest at CNC today

Students at the College of New Caledonia are being urged to turn out in force for today's National Day of Action - a cross-country campaign aimed at improving access to post-secondary education.

CNC Students Association Chair, Valentine Crawford, says students here, and around B.C., will be calling upon the provincial government to reduce tuition fees by 10-percent, increase operational funding for colleges and universities, and eliminate tuition fees for Adult Basic Education programs. Crawford points out that ongoing pressure from students has led to a number of victories over the last several years, including tuition fee increases capped at the rate of inflation in B.C..

On-campus events begin in the CNC Atrium at 11am this morning where students will be invited to add their financial load to the Debt Wall. At 1:45pm, there are plans to gather at the offices of MPs Dick Harris and Jay Hill on Quebec Street and march to MLA and Advanced Education Minister Shirley Bond's office on 5th Avenue for a rally.

Last week, UNBC announced 50 jobs would be cut at the university over the next three years in a bid to reign in its growing deficit. CNC Interim President John Bowman has said projections are for a balanced 2007 budget.

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Posted on Wednesday, February 07, 2007 04:43 AM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Posted by: Marty on February 7 2007 8:53 AM

I agree, stop raising fees....just kep cutting staff and programs.
Look at UNBC for any needed examples on how to budget...lol

Posted by: zoom on February 7 2007 10:27 AM

Good Instructors demand good salaries. If these students want subpar instruction and education, I am sure that CNC could find less expensive replacements.

Posted by: pablo222 on February 7 2007 12:46 PM

Let me get this straight - so the working class of Canada should shell out 4 billion a year so that individuals can recieve good education and thus get good jobs (out of the country in alot of cases). No way - Should be all on the students backs take out the loans get the job and pay the loans back ! - Welcome to the real world.

Posted by: Free Enterprise on February 7 2007 3:26 PM

It is sad that students do not think! They do not seem to realize that Universities and Colleges are big business. They are in the business of educating, selling books, selling all that goes with higher education. It is up to the student to make sure their investment is going to pay off. Some of the students that are crying will one day be teachers that will expect good pay. Well good pay comes from tuitions. You can not have good teaching and low fees. I for one will not subsidize others education.

Posted by: Dozer on February 7 2007 4:27 PM

This whole fiasco is set up by the left wing teachers and their fellow teachers who in most cases have been brainwashing these students since they were very small chidren.It is the communist way to take from the rich and give to the poor.They have been taught since kindergarten that it is their god given right to have food and education and the govey should pay.It is time that both the students,parents, and the teachers wake up and face reality. Nothing in this big bad world is for nothing. Good hard work and honesty are what cuts the mustard....

Posted by: anniemartin on February 7 2007 6:22 PM

A highly educated country raises the social standards for all. 20 years ago a grade 10 was sufficient for most jobs. Those jobs now require a 2 year college diploma. Why do we work so hard if we don't want our children to have more and better than we did? In Canada we set up a system to help all achive not only those who have money, hopefully I will not have to experience living in poverty and stats indicate that the majority of us are one paycheque away from that. By making education accessible we will be assisting those who will one day run this country. If they start out bitter at the obsticles - unlucky us. I am not against hard work, only making tuition too expensive so that kids don't go to college.

Posted by: REALIST on February 7 2007 7:29 PM

Thanks Anniemartin. I was starting to think that the air polution we breath was sarting to effect the intelligence of people in Prince George! Good to hear that there are others out there who are capable of thinking beyond their own noses! Perhaps if education was not so expensive some of the above might have developed the ability to think critically!! They inadvertantly prove the point that ignorance is caused by lack of education. Viva le thinking person.

Posted by: charles on February 7 2007 7:52 PM

One common thing in today's society, is that more and more people want a free ride.

Posted by: Chadermando on February 7 2007 9:59 PM

Education, as Lou Dobbs says, was the great equalizer in our society. High tuition fees change all that.

It is to the point today where good jobs go to those who can afford to pay for an education up front and thus are certified to work. The great equalizer is broken. Today it is mainly women and immigrants with strong family support units that have the opportunities for post secondary education.

Student loans barely cover tuition, then one has to think about the cost of living, as well as the opportunity cost of not working full-time towards a career while attending and paying for school.

IMO $600 per course plus another $100-200 for books per course is simply to high a cost when one considers it takes 40 courses to get a degree.

Tuition has gone up over 200% since the BC Liberals took office, not to mention they outsourced pay parking to a for profit multinational.

Posted by: Jigga on February 7 2007 10:42 PM

If you want to go to college the options are there...getting a student loan and working in the summers is a viable option for everyone (rich or poor). The exception is if you have dependents or other responsibilities such as children. Then your options become severely limited...but that is true for many things, not just college or university.