Government Submissions

The following report will explore, in detail, what changes, alterations and overhauls need to be made in the next three to five years in order to build upon the great strides made in the Reaching Higher plan. The recommendations made by the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance are geared towards a continued transformation of the post-secondary education system in the province. The areas of focus will be student financial assistance, student success, and tuition.

In this submission to the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs, the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA) recommends targeted investments in several priority areas for investment in Ontario’s post-secondary education system. Many important improvements to higher education in our province can be accomplished by using resources more efficiently, getting support to the students who need it the most, or through regulatory changes to improve access and persistence.

Our belief is that this document can be an important starting point in the discussion around the extension and expansion of the ‘Reaching Higher’ plan for post-secondary education. The ‘Reaching Higher’ plan was an excellent step in the right direction, but there is much to be done to make Ontario’s post-secondary system the envy of other jurisdictions, and we hope that the many recommendations contained in this document will help along that path.

As the provincial government develops Ontario’s 2007 budget, important choices must be made around how to strategically invest the province’s resources to bring about the greatest benefit to Ontarians both now and in the years to come. As representatives of over 125,000 undergraduate and professional students at seven universities, the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA) will outline why post-secondary education should be one of the government’s priorities in the 2007 budget, and propose educated solutions on how to utilize public funding to maximum benefit for Ontario’s students and universities.

In the following submission, we outline recommendations from the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA) for performance measurement and accountability in the province’s post-secondary system. Our response is structured following the discussion questions provided by the MTCU at consultation sessions. However, prior to addressing the discussion questions, we review our overall approach to quality improvement and measurement, as well as discuss some of the main themes that emerge in our responses to the questions.

In this submission to the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs, the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA) recommends targeted investments in three priority areas for the upcoming provincial budget.

Over the past year, Ontario embarked upon a journey to review its higher education system, led by former Premier Bob Rae. Its main goal was to develop a long-term plan that would provide recommendations on system design, funding, access, accountability and quality for implementation by the current provincial government. That journey is now complete.

The Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance (OUSA) recommends investments in the four following areas for the upcoming provincial budget: ensuring access and affordability, providing institutions with the resources they need, providing high quality opportunities, charting a clear and accountable direction.

This year, one of the boldest investments in post-secondary education in a generation is coming to an end. Over the past five years, the Ontario government’s Reaching Higher Plan has invested $6.2 billion into the sector, yet much is left to do. As the government designs a new plan, it is crucial that steps are taken to improve the quality and accessibility of higher education. For students this means serious commitments to student financial assistance, student success initiatives, and the overall financial health of our institutions.