CASA concludes advocacy week
OTTAWA (CUP)—LAST WEEK, THE Canadian Alliance of Student Associations (CASA) conducted over 120 meetings with members of Parliament, senators, and bureaucrats.
Discussion focused on four main areas of concern: The Canada Student Loans Program and unmet student need, copyright legislation and digital locks, the Post-Secondary Student Support Program, and improved access to education for aboriginal Canadians, as well as international students and an easier visa process.
CASA’s national advocacy team will continue to work with MPs in their constituencies and lobby on behalf of their member student organizations to advocate for students’ rights.
—Briana Hill, CUP Ottawa Bureau Chief
Ontario tuition grant ready for January
WATERLOO (CUP)—A 30 PER cent tuition grant, which translates to $1,600 off a dependant student’s tuition whose parents make under $160,000, is to be set in motion January 2012. The Ontario Liberal Party promised the post secondary tuition grant if elected this fall—and they won a minority government Oct. 6.
According to Sean Madden, president of the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance, about 85 per cent of dependant students can expect to qualify for the grant.
The Ontario government considers an independent student anyone who has worked full time for two years, or has been out of high school for more than four years. According to this qualification, independent students won’t receive the grant.
“[To qualify,] your household income has to be less than $160,000 and you have to be a full-time student—or have 60 per cent of a full course load,” said Madden. “Anywhere from three to five [courses] is full time.”
—Amanda Steiner, the Cord
Activists launch Quebec government copycat website
MONTREAL (CUP)—STUDENT ACTIVISTS HAVE taken to more than just the streets in their efforts to halt tuition hikes. An unknown group recently created an anti-tuition hike website nearly identical to the Quebec government’s pro-tuition hike site.
The original website, Quebectuitionfees.com, was launched on the Nov. 10 Day of Action in an effort to counter the growing voices of dissent against the provincial government’s plan to raise tuition fees. The government website states increasing tuition will help “ensure the quality of teaching and research and contribute to maintaining the value of a university degree.”
According to Concordia University Student Union President Lex Gill, the Quebec government spent $50,000 on Google keywords like “CSU” and “FEUQ” so their website would be the first result in a Google search.
Gill was encouraged by the government’s website, saying it’s a sign they’re losing the battle for increased tuition fees.
“Trying to outsmart young people with technology is always a failed venture, and I don’t think this was any different,” she said.
—Jacob Roberts, the Link
Former interned Japanese-Canadian UBC students to receive honourary degrees
VANCOUVER (CUP)—AFTER MUCH HESITATION and public criticism, the University of British Columbia (UBC) has decided to give interned Japanese-Canadian students honourary degrees—a decision that Mits Sumiya, one of the recipients, said gives him closure on the dark incident from 70 years ago.
“With the presentation of this honourary degree, it feels like UBC has opened their arms and said, ‘You are part of our alumni, you’re welcome, come on in’,” said Sumiya, who was interned when he was 18 years old and not allowed to return to his studies at UBC. “It’s a great feeling of belonging.”
The university senate decided to present 76 former UBC students with degrees to recognize those who were interned and unable to complete their studies at the institution during the Second World War.
After hearing about similar cases at other universities, Mary Kitagawa of the Greater Vancouver Japanese Canadian Students Association has made the degrees a goal for their human rights committee for the past three years.
“It’s been a long struggle. It’s been more or less trying to educate people in power to understand the issue and it’s taken this long,” said Kitagawa.
—Micki Cowan, the Ubyssey
