U of R increases tuition 3.6%
Another consecutive tuition increase at the University of Regina prompted one student to ask: What other direction would tuition go?
“I didn’t expect tuition to go down,” said Shae Therrien, a second-year kinesiology student.
On Wednesday, the U of R released its 2015-16 budget, which included an average 3.6-per-cent tuition hike. The past two budgets introduced tuition increases of 3.8 per cent each.
The increase keeps the U of R in the top third of the 59 English language universities in Canada in terms of affordability for students. But for students like Therrien who work while taking classes, the rising cost of postsecondary education could become a heavy burden.
“I’m sure the cost keeps a lot of people from going to school,” Therrien said.
However, Provost Thomas Chase believes the U of R is still financially accessible for students, even after the string of increases.
“While we never like to raise tuition, we feel that we have struck a balance with this budget in trying to keep that increase as modest as possible while returning as much of it as possible to students in the forms of scholarships,” Chase said.
The university will be directing 61 per cent of new tuition revenue generated in 2015-16 back to students through financial support at both the undergraduate and graduate level. Chase said the U of R ranks second in Canada among comprehensive universities in total financial support available as a percentage of tuition and fees.
Devon Peters, U of R Students’ Union president, had been expecting the hike since the Sask. Party government released the provincial budget in March. All things considered, he’s content with the tough decisions the university had to make after receiving a one-percent increase from government. The university had requested a four-per-cent increase.
“If you’re a student and you want to come here, you still can because of the generous scholarship packages we got,” Peters said.
“But it’s frustrating because it feels like the province just isn’t listening.”
He pointed out that the university was able to avoid layoffs through its voluntary incentive plan for retirement. It is estimated to save $1.1 million through the elimination of positions vacated as a result of retirements in 2014.
“If we see one per cent again next year, it’s layoffs for sure,” Peters said.
The U of R expects to save another $2.15 million across academic and administrative units by eliminating vacant positions and the reduction of discretionary spending.
Chase said the university leadership team, people like himself and president Vianne Timmons, deans and associate vice-presidents, have a freeze placed on their cost of living adjustment. He said the freeze is “a sign of restraint and a sign of the challenging financial times in which we find ourselves.”
The U of R’s total operating budget for 2015-16 is just over $207 million.