Advocacy Update: Graduate Student Tuition and Fee Increase

The GSA has been involved in the tuition and fee increase consultation process since the first Tuition and Fees Consultation Committee (TFCC) meeting in early October 2022. The GSA has presented a tuition and fee increase proposal on October 20, 2022, at TFCC meetings and was invited to submit recommendations.

The GSA Advocacy team evaluated the feedback from the Graduate Representative Council meeting, advocacy survey, bursaries application data, and graduate students’ concerns on the Wellness Centre. We made recommendations and asks to the Provost’s team, which was also shared with the GRC on October 30. The counter-proposal was then presented to TFCC on November 1. The tuition and fee increase proposal was due for an approval vote by the University of Calgary’s Board of Governors on December 9; however, the negotiation period was extended due to insufficient consultation with students. The GSA had another consultation meeting with the Provost’s team on December 15. The outcomes of the meeting included commitments to increase funding for the GSA emergency and support bursary, mental health and wellness support, renew Quality Money allocations and initiatives such as internships for M.Eng graduate students.

Despite the GSA’s rejections of the proposed tuition and fees increases, on January 11, the University of Calgary Board Finance & Properties Committee, a subcommittee of the Budget Committee, recommended that the proposal to increase tuition and fees be moved forward for the Board of Governors vote on January 20, 2023. The GSA executives will like to reiterate the firm position of graduate students against the proposal by voting No during the Board of Governors special meeting. We will share more updates on commitments the GSA received from the University of Calgary.

Thank you all for showing up at the meetings and for sending your concerns directly to the Provost’s team.