Tuition to be tied to inflation

Page 11

The Alberta government has released a framework designed to make post-secondary education more affordable for students, but the Alberta College and Technical Institute Student Executive Council (ACTISEC) said the18-month review of post-secondary education is mediocre effort that lacks detail. They say, however, it is a step in the right direction.

A key component of the framework, said Advanced Education Minister Denis Herard, is a new tuition fee policy that will limit annual tuition increases to inflation starting in fall 2007, saving the average two-year diploma student $1,600 and the average four-year undergraduate student more than $3,800 during the course of program, says government.

With increases tied to Alberta's Consumer Price Index (CPI), said ACTISEC, the bottom line is tuition is still going to increase at a significant rate. The organization reports that Alberta's CPI is the highest in the country.

"The minister announced that this would be a landmark day for students, but these announcements fall short of expectations," said Jon Hoffman, ACTISEC chair. "We are worried about the longevity of this plan." He was referring to the political uncertainty in the province with the resignation of Premier Ralph Klein.

"Frankly, the new premier could scrap the entire framewok and we've seen several candidates who have very different visions for post-seconday education.

"While the plan is a step in the right direction, it may only exist for the next 20 days, said Johathan Hill, vice chair of ACTISEC., which represents more than 120,000 students.

The Alberta government will invest an additional $136 million over the next three years to support the new tuition policy. Those dollars will flow to post-secondary institutions to make up for lower tuition revenue.

"This affordability package was carefully designed-based on the input of students and stakeholders," said Herard. "It will make post-secondary education more affordable for students and do it strategically. It will encourage more Albertans to pursue education in whatever career path they choose, and it will engage the private sector and communities in the post-secondary journey. It includes measures that lower tuition, improve student assistance, make more scholarships and bursaries available and target financial support to those that face greater challenges in pursuing post-secondary studies."

Designed as a long-term way of addressing the full range of costs faced by post-secondary students, the affordability framework includes several changes that will begin to be implemented immediately:

? tuition rolled back to 2004 levels and future increases limited to the Alberta Consumer Price Index

? more financial support for part-time students

? no longer requiring students to make payments on their student loans while on parental leave or completing an internship or residency program

? lifetime student loan limits extended for students returning to post-secondary studies who have repaid their previous student loans

? expanded eligibility for the Rutherford Scholarships

? expansion of programs that encourage Albertans to pursue post-secondary studies

? the continuation of the rural incentive bursary beyond the year 2008/09.