On February 1, 2012, the Canadian Federation of Students held a nation-wide protest against the high cost of higher education in Canada. OCUFA President Constance Adamson wrote a letter of support to Ontario Chairperson Sandy Hudson, and OCUFA was a featured speaker at the press conference launching the Ontario event.
In her letter, Adamson highlighted the negative consequences of high tuition fees, and the urgent need for investment in Ontario’s universities. In her words:
We know that the high cost of tuition fees in Ontario – currently the highest in Canada – place a serious burden on students and their families. It is also unacceptable that many students graduate with punitive levels of debt, making it difficult to pursue their chosen careers, purchase a home, or start a family. With the province struggling to reinvigorate its economy, we literally cannot afford to saddle young Ontarians with such a large financial liability. While some promising steps have been taken, there is still much to be done to ensure our universities are accessible to every qualified student.
We also share [the CFS’] concerns with the quality of higher education in Ontario. Rising enrolment and stagnant government funding have left our institutions struggling to provide a high quality experience for every student. Ontario currently has the worst student-to-faculty ratio in Canada, meaning less interaction between professors and students, large class sizes, and reduced course choices. We need to invest in our universities to ensure we have the resources to create the best possible results for our students.
While the Government of Ontario has recognized the high cost of higher education, and taken important first steps to correct the problem, we agree with our student allies that much more is needed.
For more information on the Day of Action, please visit the CFS website.
This article originally appeared in the OCUFA Report. To receive stories like this every week in your inbox, please subscribe.