OUSA

Ontario tuition grant

TORONTO, January 5 / – Students welcome the new Ontario tuition grant as a significant step forward for the affordability and accessibility of post-secondary education in Ontario. This new program is going to immediately help thousands of students across Ontario meet the costs of attending post-secondary education.

“Targeted grants that reduce students’ up-front costs have been a top priority for OUSA in its work with the government, and we are extremely pleased to see the government come through with the one of the largest investments in grants in the province’s history,” said Sean Madden, President of the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA).

The new program launched today will be available to full-time domestic Ontario undergraduate and college students out of high school for four years or less with combined parental incomes of less than $160,000. For this winter term, eligible undergraduates will receive $800. Going forward, the grant will be tied each year to 30% of the average fees for first-entry non-professional students. Unlike other grant programs, students will not need to take out a student loan to access the new grant. The government also announced the phasing out of three other financial assistance programs: the Ontario Trust for Student Support; the Textbook and Technology Grant; and the Queen Elizabeth II Aiming for the Top Scholarship.

“It’s unfortunate to see that the new program is being paid for in part by the cancelling of student aid programs and offsets in student support elsewhere. However, OUSA is pleased to see that its recommendation to extend eligibility for students with disabilities has been welcomed by the government,” continued Madden. “We are hoping to find ways moving forward to strengthen the program and to help other high-need students, such as mature Aboriginal students and older students with children.”

“This government understands that the path to prosperity starts by putting students first. We look forward to working with them on the next important step: developing a new tuition framework for September that sustains the value of this investment and is fair, predictable and affordable,” said Sam Andrey, Executive Director of OUSA.

TORONTO, November 2 / – As the Ontario government gets set to review its regulations on university tuition fees, students are asking what their money is being used for. To help answer this question, the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA) today released Rising Costs: A Look at Spending at Ontario’s Universities, a research report outlining how university expenditures changed from 2005 to 2010.

“Per-student funding increased more than $3,000 over the last five years due mostly to increases in government contributions and student fees well above the rate of inflation. Students wanted to know how much went to improving the quality of their learning experience,” said Sean Madden, President of the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA).

The report finds that salaries, benefits, merit-based and graduate scholarships, demand for support services, indirect costs associated with research and new capital projects were the system’s primary cost drivers. More than 70 per cent of the increase in funding from 2004-05 went to salary, pension and benefit costs largely for existing full-time academic faculty and administrators, as well as increased use of part-time instructors.

“The affordability and accessibility of our post-secondary education system is at risk if students’ costs continue to rise at double the rate of inflation. Increased government investment in post-secondary education is a critical and necessary component of a sustainable way forward. However, the system is also going to have to demonstrate an ability to contain costs in a fair and progressive manner,” continued Madden.

“It is our hope that this report will spark some discussion on how government, institutions, faculty and students can work together to improve quality with current resources and ensure a sustainable, affordable, high-quality university system for years to come.”

To view the report, click the image below. Click here to read it online.

Download to Read

OUSA will be hosting a roundtable discussion on the Rising Costs report and on innovative ways to improve quality of the undergraduate learning experience. The event will be held on Thursday, December 8th, 2011 from 9:30am – 11:30am at the Sutton Place Hotel, in the Amsterdam Suite. Please register each individual below, and contact info@ousa.ca if you have any questions or concerns.

To register for the public event, go to: bit.ly/risingcosts

Student Roundtable Series: Rising Costs

New Minister of Training, Colleges & Universities Glen Murray

TORONTO, October 20 /OUSA/ – The Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance welcomes Glen Murray as the new Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities, and is calling on the new Ontario cabinet to prioritize building a stronger post-secondary education system.

“University education in Ontario is at a turning point, and students are eager to work with the new government and Minister to see through many important initiatives,” said Sean Madden, President of the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA).

The Liberal government committed in the recent election to several important measures, including a tuition reduction grant, three new quality university campuses, financial aid enhancements and funding for new spaces. There are a number of other critical initiatives in progress, such as the launch of the Ontario Online Institute, a youth mental health strategy on campuses, a credit transfer system that removes unnecessary barriers, a renewed focus on teaching quality and a strategy to better support a growing number of international students.

“There will undoubtedly be some challenges in implementing many of these programs. Students urge Minister Murray to not let progress slip and work with the post-secondary education sector to build a more affordable, accessible, accountable and high quality system,” continued Madden.

“OUSA would like to thank outgoing Minister John Milloy for his years of service. Minister Milloy was always willing to listen to students to improve higher education, and we wish him the best of luck in his new role as Government House Leader and Minister of Community and Social Services,” said Sam Andrey, Executive Director of OUSA.

Minister John Milloy at OUSA's Partners Dinner

TORONTO, October 7 / – The College Student Alliance (CSA) and the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA) congratulate the Ontario Liberal Party on their re-election and encourage them to quickly deliver on their commitments to students. College and university students are looking forward to working with all of the newly elected Members of Provincial Parliament to build a stronger post-secondary education system in Ontario.

“The provincial election highlighted the importance of post-secondary education to Ontarians. Students were pleased to see our priorities and proposals addressed throughout the campaign, and now we look forward to seeing these develop,” said Sean Madden, President of the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA).

Premier McGuinty proposed a number of positive changes for students, the most important of which is the introduction of a new tuition grant for this coming January. The grant will reduce tuition for full-time dependent college and undergraduate students with family incomes under $160,000 by 30% of average fees. The party also promised to keep the cap on student debt frozen, extend interest relief for graduates who work in the not-for-profit sector, fund 60,000 new spaces and build three new undergraduate campuses. Students also anticipate that the government will continue its implementation of the Putting Students First plan for post-secondary education which contains many important student priorities.

“Post-secondary education is a central piece of the engine that will continue to drive the economy, and students are confident that the newly elected government will continue to put a high priority on the needs of students,” said Brian Costantini, President of the College Student Alliance (CSA). He adds, “College and university student leaders worked tirelessly to ensure that students were informed and participated in the election through the It’s Your Vote campaign, and these leaders must also be congratulated for a job well done.”

Both CSA and OUSA are eager to work with all MPPs in the development and implementation their proposed initiatives, which address issues of quality, accessibility, transferability and affordability for students.

 For a more complete breakdown of party post-secondary education commitments, see the chart below:

Click to view larger version of the complete comparison chart

For an interactive version with links to each of the parties specific commitments, go to ItsYourVote.ca.

Toronto, September 15 / – This morning, the Ontario New Democratic Party unveiled its commitments to post-secondary students, which included eliminating provincial interest on student loans and freezing tuition fees. Students are encouraged by the plan that will immediately increase the affordability of higher education.

Student debt and tuition fees are high priorities for students and Ontarians alike. In a poll released yesterday, three in four Ontarians were concerned that students have to borrow too much to pay for their post-secondary education.

“Average college student debt is over $13,000 for nearly half of college students, while undergraduate debt exceeds $26,000” remarked Brian Costantini, President of the College Student Alliance. “Eliminating interest would not only help reduce the long-term cost for these students, but send a positive signal to prospective students that those costs will be manageable.”

The NDP platform also promises to freeze tuition fees for college, undergraduate and graduate students for the next four years. “A freeze will save students over $300 annually, while beginning to shift the cost of higher education back to the public,” noted Sean Madden, President of the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance.

This plan will necessitate that universities and colleges receive increased government funding to make up the lost tuition revenue. “OUSA and the CSA look forward to working with the next government to ensure that institutions have the resources to offer a quality experience to all willing and qualified students,” continued Madden.

As part of the It’s Your Vote campaign launched in August, college and university students released a joint platform, Our Vote, Our Future, which called on parties to fund a tuition freeze and reduce interest on student loans. Now that all parties have released their post-secondary education platforms, CSA and OUSA encourage students to visit itsyourvote.ca to learn more about each party’s plans and make an informed choice on October 6^th.

Click to view announcement on NDP website

Click to view report

Toronto, September 14 /CNW/ – More than nine in ten Ontarians believe post-secondary education is important to the economic prosperity of the Province, according to a recent poll released today. The majority of respondents are concerned about the cost of college and university for students and are willing to pay more in taxes to address this.

The poll, conducted by Abacus Data Inc., was commissioned by the College Student Alliance and the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance as part of the It’s Your Vote campaign to engage students and the public about the importance of post-secondary education to the October 6^th election.

“Making higher education more affordable is a clear priority for Ontario’s voters,” says David Coletto, Chief Executive Officer of Abacus Data. “Several of Ontario’s political parties have already addressed this concern to varying degrees through their platforms, and this survey suggests they would fare well to continue building on this.”

As found in the study, over 70% of parents are worried about their ability to help pay for their children’s post-secondary education, and 68% of Ontarians think that the cost of tuition prevents some willing students from attending. Over half of those surveyed agreed they would be willing to pay more in taxes to reduce tuition fees and improve student aid.

“Post-secondary education is top of mind for students, but this poll clearly shows it is also a priority for Ontarians,” added Coletto.

The results of this study are based on a poll of 1,002 Ontarians over the age of 18 conducted between September 9 and 12, 2011. The margin of error for a sample of this size is +/- 3.2 percentage points within a confidence interval of 95%.

The College Student Alliance and the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance represent over 280,000 college and university students at 34 student associations in communities across Ontario.

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For more information about this poll, please contact:
David Coletto, PhD
Chief Executive Officer, Abacus Data Inc.
613-232-2806 x248, david@abacusdata.ca

Toronto, September 9 / – With the 2011 Ontario Election now underway, college and university students have released a tool to help compare the political parties’ commitments to improve post-secondary education. As part of the It’s Your Vote campaign launched last week, students released a joint platform, Our Vote, Our Future, which each party’s higher education platforms are being evaluated against.

“College and university students have voiced that affordability, accessibility, quality and mobility are priorities for them,” says Brian Costantini, President of the College Student Alliance (CSA). “We’re hopeful that political parties will continue the discussion of post-secondary education throughout the campaign and take advantage of engaging with this untapped population.”

“What we want to provide is a comprehensive guide to help students get informed about each party’s plans for higher education,” said Sean Madden, President of the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA). “We want to cut the jargon and let students judge for themselves which party’s plans best reflect their priorities.”

The platform comparison is just one of many tools for students found on the collaborative website ItsYourVote.ca. The comparison will be updated throughout the campaign as parties make any additional commitments to students. The student platform, along with videos and blogs that will be released throughout the campaign, can also be found on the site.

TORONTO, September 5 – College and university students welcome a proposed new grant that would significantly reduce the cost of accessing post-secondary education in Ontario. The Ontario Liberal Party announced today that, if elected, they will provide a new grant to full-time college and undergraduate students with family incomes under $160,000. The grant will be available to approximately five out of six dependent students and will be equal to 30% of average tuition fees.

“Access to post-secondary education is the single greatest investment for the future of Ontario” said Natalie Cockburn, Vice President of the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance. “By providing more grants and reducing students’ up-front costs, this plan will help hundreds of thousands of students afford a higher education.”

The new grant will be available this January and will automatically provide $1,600 to eligible undergraduate students and $730 to eligible college students each year. This commitment of over $400 million will be tied to tuition increases and will dramatically increase the funding available for need-based grants.

“This proposal should bring the cost of accessing post-secondary education in Ontario below the national average. This represents a significant and positive shift for students” added Anthony Boland, Vice President of the College Student Alliance.

In addition, the party has committed to target funding for three new satellite campuses that will concentrate on quality for undergraduate students. Students have long called for a renewed focus on teaching quality at our institutions, and today’s plans demonstrate a willingness to address both growth and quality moving forward. The Ontario Liberal Party has also indicated that the student debt ceiling will remain in place and that tuition increases will continue to be regulated.

As part of the It’s Your Vote campaign launched last week, college and university students released a joint platform, Our Vote, Our Future, which called for significant increases in need-based aid. Students are eager to work with all stakeholders toward enhancing the affordability, accessibility, quality and mobility of the post-secondary education system.

The College Student Alliance and the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance represent over 280,000 college and university students at 34 student associations in communities across Ontario.

ItsYourVote.ca

TORONTO, September 1 / – As the writ drop of the 2011 Ontario General Election approaches, more than 600,000 college and university students across Ontario are also preparing for the 2011-12 school year. To help students stay informed and encourage them to vote on October 6^th, the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA) and the College Student Alliance (CSA) have collaborated to launch the province-wide It’s Your Vote campaign.

“Voter turnout in the last Ontario election was an all-time low. College and university student associations are working together to increase student participation in this election and remind the parties and all Ontarians that post-secondary education must be a priority for the Province,” said Sean Madden, President of OUSA.

The campaign website itsyourvote.ca was launched today. The website will have videos, blogs and information updated throughout the campaign to help students find out how and why they should vote. It also includes a joint platform entitled “Our Vote, Our Future” which contains students’ electoral priorities for post-secondary education.

“Post-secondary education has and will continue to drive Ontario’s economic recovery. We know that 70% of all new jobs will also require post-secondary education, and continued investment is necessary,” added Brian Costantini, President of CSA. “Students will be looking for commitments from all parties to enhance the affordability, accessibility, quality and mobility of the post-secondary system.”

College and university students look forward to seeing all political candidates on their campuses this September, and hearing more about each party’s plan for investing in Ontario’s post-secondary education sector.

The College Student Alliance and the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance represent over 280,000 college and university students at 34 student associations in communities across Ontario.