OUSA is releasing a report entitled Ontario’s Knowledge Economy: The Economic Impact of Post-Secondary Education, that underscores how investment in Universities can stimulate the economy and help Ontario climb out of the current recession. The following organizations are joining with students to support the report: the Council of Ontario Universities, Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations, Ontario Chamber of Commerce, the Institute for Competitiveness and Prosperity, and the Ontario Association of Food Banks.
The document will be released at a media conference at Queen’s Park with the supporting organizations in attendance.
Date: Monday, November 30, 2009
Time: 10:00 AM – 10:30 AM
Place: Queen’s Park – Media Studio
The press conference is being held in conjunction with OUSA’s annual Lobby Conference, taking place from November 30 to December 2, 2009 in Toronto. During this conference, student leaders will be meeting with Members of Provincial Parliament and other key decision makers to explore solutions to the challenges facing Ontario’s post-secondary education system.
OUSA represents the interests of over 140,000 professional and undergraduate, full- and part-time university students at seven Ontario institutions.
Educated Solutions - Issue 6 (Fall 2009)
TORONTO, Nov 18. /OUSA/ – The Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance has released its 6th issue of Educated Solutions. Educated Solutions is an annual student-focused magazine that is designed to provoke thought, discussion and dialogue about higher education in Ontario.
This issue was themed around the future of post-secondary education, and features articles about the future of funding, teaching quality, e-learning, student advocacy, university differentiation, debt and grants, infrastructure and institutions. It also features such contributors as the Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities John Milloy, Brock University President Jack Lightstone, University of Western Ontario President Amit Chakma, and University of Waterloo President David Johnston.
Educated Solutions also features a photo essay, and commentary and perspectives from current staff and OUSA alumni. This issue was printed with mixed sources, approved by the Forestry Stewardship Council.
The magazine is available in hard-copy format from the OUSA office, or from your campus steering committee member or campus coordinator. To receive a copy, please email communications@ousa.on.ca. An online version is available via this website. Click on the image of the magazine to be sent to an online reader.
OUSA was recently covered in the University Affairs’ Margin Notes Blog, Canada’s university community magazine. Click here to read the blog post on OUSA’s submission. The blog author Léo Charbonneau calls OUSA’s submission “a well-reasoned report,” and that he was “impressed by the submission.” He concludes that “the report is eminently reasonable, especially some of the recommendations on quality and access.”
Academica, Canada’s leading education marketing consultancy, also posted about OUSA’s submission on its top ten post-secondary education news stories of the day email. Click here to read the news entry on OUSA’s submission.
In addition, student newspapers covered the submission in The Lance, Windsor’s student newspaper, as well as The Cord, Laurier’s student newspaper, and Waterloo’s Federation of Student’s newspaper Imprint. Click here for each story: The Lance, The Cord, Imprint.
To read OUSA’s Press Release and Submission, click here.
OUSA President Dan Moulton and Minister John Milloy
Waterloo, ON – October 23rd – During OUSA’s Fall General Assembly, President Dan Moulton presented Training, Colleges, and Universities Minister John Milloy with a copy of Ontario: A Province of Knowledge, OUSA’s submission to the provincial government for the new investment to replace the soon to be expired Reaching Higher plan. “As you know we have been working hard on this issue, and have come to OUSA to get your feedback,” said Milloy. “This is hard work what you do, representing your institutions and your students.” Dan Moulton, OUSA President added, “this is a very important time for government to recognize that students need better financial assistance, students are struggling and are asking their government for help.”
OUSA’s submission to the government is a 40-page document with three main priorities: student financial aid, student success (quality), and tuition. The document has been presented to the special secretariat to the Ministry of Training, Colleges, and Universities (MTCU) as well as to the Premier’s education adviser, the deputy minister for MTCU, and all assistant deputy ministers responsible for universities.
Click here to view the submission.
Click here to view the press release.
Click here to view the University Affairs ‘Margin Notes’ Blog about the submission.
Click here to view Academica’s news entry on OUSA’s submission.
Click here for The Lance’s (University of Windsor) news story.
Click here for The Cord’s (Wilfrid Laurier) news story.
Click here for Imprint’s (University of Waterloo) news story.
McMaster Street Team
OUSA spent its first two weeks of October traveling across Ontario visiting each of its 7 member campuses. Every campus had a presentation to its council/assembly/board which governs its student government. Many schools had information booths and meetings with university presidents/principals and campus media. Every campus also had the opportunity to participate in a focus group regarding financial aid, allowing OUSA to conduct primary research of its members. Additionally, a big effort was made at McMaster and Windsor where town-halls on post-secondary education, OSAP, and university issues were hosted. Much appreciation to all the committee members, campus coordinators and volunteers who made these two weeks of traveling across Ontario a successful venture.
OUSA Campus Visit Schedule:
September 20th – McMaster Students Union Assembly Presentation
September 27th – University of Waterloo Federation of Students Council Presentation
September 29th – Brock University Students’ Union Council Presentation, Information Booth, Focus Group
September 30th – University Students Council of the University of Western Ontario Council Presentation
October 1st – Alma Mater Society of Queen’s University Assembly Presentation, Information Booth, University Principal Meeting, Campus Media Meeting
October 5th – Wilfrid Laurier University Students’ Union Board Presentation, Research & Policy Volunteer Training, Campus Media Meeting, University President Meeting
October 6th – McMaster Students Union Town-Hall on OSAP, Focus Group, University President Meeting, Information Booth
October 8th – University of Windsor Students’ Alliance Town-Hall on PSE, Council Presentation, Information Booth, University President Meeting, Local Media Interviews
TORONTO, Oct. 20 /CNW/ – Ontario university tuition is now the highest in Canada averaging $5,951 per student according to Statistics Canada’s university tuition study released this morning. Universities in Ontario saw the largest increase in tuition in Canada, forcing more students to take on significant debt just to stay in school.
“Being number one in the country is nothing to be proud of when it’s for the cost of an education. This is a wake-up call for the provincial government,” said Dan Moulton, President of the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA). “We should be number one in quality, accessibility, and affordability, not setting new records for highest tuition.”
Ontario universities are in need of significant financial support, but Ontario students already pay a greater percentage of the cost of their education than their counterparts elsewhere in Canada. OUSA is calling on the provincial government to bring per-student funding up to the national average and for the federal government to take leadership on a nation-wide problem that is seeing tuition rise across the country.
The Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance stands with the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations, the College Student Alliance, the New Brunswick Student Alliance, the Alliance of Nova Scotia Student Associations, the Council of Alberta University Students, and the Alberta Student Executive Council, together representing over 600,000 students across the country, in asking the federal government to increase funding for post-secondary education to $4 billion per year.
“Given the current economic climate, it’s unreasonable to charge more tuition to students who already can’t afford it,” said Moulton. “It’s crucial that the Ontario and Canadian governments show leadership on this issue through serious new investments in higher education.”
