The provincial money belt may be tighter this year but the Ontario government isn’t shying away from support for post-secondary education.
Within a budget focused on fiscal restraint, the post-secondary sector appeared to be one of the few winners.
Ontario universities called the investment a signal, highlighting the crucial role post-secondary education plays in rebuilding the province’s economy.
“It takes vision and courage to invest in the young people of today when looking towards the future health of Ontario’s economy, especially at a time when the government is facing such significant fiscal challenges,” says Western President Amit Chakma.
As a follow-up to the Reaching Higher Plan, the new ‘Open Ontario Plan’ is designed to make Ontario a leading jurisdiction for post-secondary education in the world.
The Open Ontario Plan will support the province’s goal of raising the post-secondary attainment rate to 70 per cent.
The government wants to increase international student enrolment by 50 per cent, while also guaranteeing spaces for qualified Ontario students.
To meet the goals of the Open Ontario Plan, the 2010 budget includes measures to:
add 20,000 new spaces to colleges and universities in 2010–11, through a new investment of $310 million;
aggressively promote Ontario post-secondary schools abroad;
provide additional resources to support a credit transfer system; and
create a new Ontario Online Institute.
More student spaces
There is a growing belief that a majority of future jobs will require post-secondary credentials.
“Students and their parents continue to see the career benefits of a university education in higher rates of employment and income than other levels of educational attainment,” says Bonnie Patterson, president of Council of Ontario Universities. “We share the government’s vision that higher education is critical to the future of the province.”
Increasing student spaces requires base operating and capital funds to meet the growing demand for facilities, notes Patterson.
The Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA) says the budget addressed some short-term problems but left many larger issues unanswered.
“We are pleased that the premier resisted pressure to cut higher education funding,” says Professor Mark Langer, president of OCUFA.
“However, there is no mention of hiring additional professors required to teach these new students. University education depends on the connection between faculty and students. That connection simply does not exist in a lecture hall with over 500 seats.” Recruiting international students
Chakma was pleased with plans to aggressively promote Ontario post-secondary institutions abroad, a cornerstone of Western’s future plans.
“One of our goals at Western is to produce global citizens and leaders for generations to come,” says Chakma. “Having the best and the brightest students from around the world coming to Western only enhances that objective.”
OCUFA raised concerns that international students may be used to fund the expansion of Ontario universities without provision of adequate support systems to ensure their successful transition to a different academic environment. Focus on sustainability
As part of its Open Ontario Plan, the government is developing a wide-ranging water strategy that will build on the province’s expertise in clean-water technology.
This commitment ties in with Western’s joint collaboration with Trojan Technologies and the City of London to develop a Wastewater Treatment Technology Centre, a unique test-bed facility for researchers.
The budget also signaled the government’s desire to see restraint in compensation increases within the broader public sector. Student tuition rates, financial aid
On Monday, the provincial government announced the current tuition fee framework will be extended for two more years, limiting increases to an average of five per cent annually.
Colleges and universities will be required to contribute 10 per cent of additional revenue from tuition fee increases to bursaries and other student assistance programs that provide financial aid to students most in need. The government is providing $81 million in additional financial support for college and university students.
The Ontario Student Opportunity Grant threshold, which caps annual student debt, will increase from $7,000 to $7,300 for a two-term academic year. This is the first increase to the cap in 12 years.
The province is modernizing the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) and making changes to other financial supports, including:
Providing more assistance for tuition, living costs, books, supplies and equipment;
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Allowing students to keep more of the money they earn from part-time jobs;
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Providing a no-interest period on student loans for six months after graduation;
Introducing 1,000 new graduate scholarships; Providing additional support for married students and students with children; Introducing a new grant for part-time students; and Offering students more flexibility on repayment.
Shelley Melanson, Chairperson of the Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario, criticized the tuition framework, noting it will increase student debt to upwards of $29,200 for a four-year degree.
“Ontario is already the most expensive province in which to earn a degree, and this announcement means that the gap between Ontario and the rest of Canada for the cost of education will continue to widen,” says Melanson.
“The creation of 1,000 new graduate scholarships was a key demand of the federation’s Ontario Graduate Caucus,” says Ontario Graduate Caucus Chairperson Kimalee Phillip.
“An additional 1,000 graduate scholarships will finally address the gap that was created when graduate student spaces were increased across the province, and graduate scholarships were not.”