Tell the AB Government and U of A to STOP RAISING OUR TUITION!

The University recently informed us that they’re going to ask the government to approve gigantic exceptional tuition increases for new domestic students. If the increases take effect, they’ll ultimately impact at least six thousand students. 

This plan isn’t consistent with the rules in the Tuition and Fees Regulation. We urge the Ministry and U of A Board of Governors to reject the requested increases.

The Tuition and Fees Regulation also requires the University to consult with the UASU about exceptional tuition increases. However, we weren’t informed about the proposed hikes until days after law students were informed in a mass email. Many other students in the affected programs may not have learned about the proposed exceptional increases until now.

There is almost no time left to faithfully engage with students about these increases while we are writing exams, going to summer jobs, and off-campus due to a global pandemic. No acceptable consultation process would find that students are fine with these gigantic hikes on top of the drastic tuition increases they’ve just faced.

UNDERGRADUATE
● JD (Law): from $11,701 to $16,967 (+$5,265, 45%)
● PharmD (Pharmacy): from $11,431 to $16,461 (+$5,029, 44%)
● DDS (Dentistry): from $23,109 to $32,352 (+$9,243, 40%)
● APDDS (Dentistry): from $57,093 to $79,930 (+$22,837, 40%)
● BSc in Engineering: from $7,309 to $9,100 (+$1,790, 24.5%)
● BComm (Business): from $8,012 to $9,775 (+$1,762, 22%)
● BSc in Radiation Therapy: from $6,091 to $7,309 (+$1,218, 20%)
● BSc in Medical Laboratory Science: from $7,512 to $8,789 (+$1,277, 17%)

GRADUATE
● Master’s in Counselling Psychology with Thesis: from $4,192 to $8,574 (+$4,381, 104%)
● Master’s in Counselling Psychology: from $4,287 to $8,574 (+$4,287, 100%)
● MBA (Business): from $14,380 to $24,015 (+$9,635, 67%)
● MEng (Engineering): from $7,345 to $9,034 (+$1,689, 23%)

The government only allows exceptional tuition increases if their purpose is to increase program quality. But so far, the minimal documentation we’ve received from the University has no reference to quality: it only justifies the increases with comparisons to some of the most expensive universities in the country. This is not consistent with the Tuition and Fees Regulation.

Tuition for these programs is already rising, and is consistent with other major universities.  These huge increases will make our Business and Law programs some of the most expensive in Canada for new students. We strongly support the Indigenous Law Students Association’s arguments that the proposed increases will have severe impacts on access to education for Indigenous and marginalized students.

--

MORE ACTION

• Support the Indigenous Law Students Association’s case that these increases will harm access to education for Indigenous and marginalized students.
• Support the petition from the University of Alberta’s law students.