Students frustrated
Published Friday November 14th, 2008
Student demonstrations were held at universities across the province Thursday, sending a message to government about student debt.
At a rally at UNB, Jon O'Kane, vice-president external of the University of New Brunswick Student Union, said he is frustrated with the financial aid system.
"A survey of debt accumulated to date by UNB's current student population totals more than $8 million and we're still hearing back from other students," O'Kane said. "The average debt of a New Brunswick student after a four-year program is $34,000. That's $10,000 more than the national average. This is unacceptable."
O'Kane said the New Brunswick Student Alliance, an organization that represents six universities and one community college in the province, is lobbying the government to replace the financial aid structure with a system that caps the amount of debt students can accumulate at $24,000.
Money from programs, such as the $2,000 bursary for first-year New Brunswick students and the $10,000 tuition rebate program, could be reallocated to cap student loans at $6,000, O'Kane said.
"Students requiring funding beyond that amount should receive a non-repayable loan from the government. This way we wouldn't be giving grants to every student, just those who need it."
But Neil Cole, vice-president external of UNB's graduate students association, said students shouldn't have to graduate with any debt.
"The student alliance is lobbying for student debt to be reduced to $24,000 and while it's good to challenge the government on this, I don't think $24,000 is reasonable either," Cole said.
"The graduate students association feels we should be putting pressure on the government to fund post-secondary education directly so that tuition fees can be reduced and eventually eliminated. That's a better alternative."
Anthony Secco, UNB's vice-president of academics, said he commends students for organizing demonstrations to put pressure on government.
He said making post-secondary education more accessible is something the university community supports.
"In terms of accessibility, the university is really doing all it can," Secco said.
"(UNB) really does want to get a handle on tuition fees, but providing the education students deserve requires some financial input.
"I do think it's a responsible move that students have taken - not only here but in other campuses - to have these rallies and bring this to the attention of those who need to know."
The UNB student union met with the new deputy minister of post-secondary education last week to talk about ways the province can move toward a more affordable education system.
O'Kane said he hopes the meeting was the first of many.
"The government has seen students across the province rally in support of a better financial aid system and now we need action on their part," O'Kane said. "We hope that the government will make this a priority and create a long-term plan to address student financial aid."
The provincial government released an action plan earlier this year for improving post-secondary education.
It said the government plans to announce measures to enhance student financing in time for the 2009-10 academic year.
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