After another year of strong advocacy on behalf of the undergraduate students of Ontario, OUSA can be very satisfied with the results of the recent 2010 Provincial Budget and the accompanying announcements on tuition and financial aid. Not only did the government allocate over $300 million to fund the growth of our colleges and universities, it also announced an $81 million package of changes to financial aid, directly addressing a number of long-standing student concerns.
From the beginning of the year, we at OUSA have focused our advocacy on the link between post-secondary education and a prosperous and competitive Ontario. This initiative culminated in the December release of an OUSA research paper entitled Ontario’s Knowledge Economy: The Economic Impact of Post-Secondary Education. Joining us on this project were our partners at the Council of Ontario Universities, the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations, the Institute for Competitiveness and Prosperity, the Ontario Association of Food Banks, and the Ontario Chamber of Commerce. The paper was circulated throughout government, most notably to the bureaucracy in the Ministry of Finance and to MPPs of all political stripes.
With the government’s announcement that they will continue to invest in post-secondary education – to the tune of $310 million next year – we can be confident that our message was accepted. Considering the record deficits facing Ontario, a new investment of this size is remarkable.
Adding to this success was the government’s recent announcement of an $81 million package of changes to financial aid. Over half of these changes were included in OUSA’s financial aid submission from last fall, demonstrating again OUSA’s unparalleled leadership on core student issues.
I also wish to report that OUSA’s sixth annual Partners in Higher Education Dinner was a tremendous success. The dinner brought together students, faculty, administrators, bureaucrats, politicians, researchers and many other education stakeholders to discuss important issues facing post-secondary education. To open the evening, the Honourable John Milloy, Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities addressed the guests. Following him, Dr. Joy Mighty and Dr. Julia Christensen Hughes of the Society for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education delivered the keynote address on the need to improve teaching and learning on Ontario’s universities. It was a fantastic way to end OUSA’s 15th year as a leading voice for the students of Ontario.
Finally, I’m pleased to announce that OUSA has selected Sam Andrey, a recent graduate of the University of Waterloo, as our new Director of Research and Policy Analysis. Sam brings with him many years of experience working with OUSA at the campus level and a keen interest in improving the experience of all undergraduate students in Ontario. Welcome, Sam, we’re lucky to have you.
