New student coalition confronts ‘trend’ of cuts to funding for education

Student unions representing more than 60,000 post-secondary students in Saskatchewan have joined together to present a united front to the provincial government.

The University of Saskatchewan Students’ Union and Graduate Students’ Association, the University of Regina Students’ Union, the Saskatchewan Polytechnic Students’ Association and the Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies Saskatoon Students’ Association have agreed to band together to create the Saskatchewan Student Coalition.

USSU president David D’Eon, who will chair the new coalition, said the move is not meant to be reactionary to the recent funding cuts for post-secondary education, but rather a way to better represent all students in the province.

“We feel like the circumstances have put a lot of pressure on students,” D’Eon said. “So we decided it would be a good idea to get around the table and talk about what we can do together.”

In a news release announcing its formation, the coalition said the student unions and associations banded together because they have “reached a tipping point” with the cuts to education this year.

The provincial budget released in March included $25 million in cuts to university funding and left post-secondary institutions scrambling to try to meet their new budgetary restrictions. Personal tax credits for tuition were also cut.

In a written response to a request for comment, the Ministry of Advanced Education noted scholarships and programs are still in place to help students.

“In this year’s budget, funding across government for post-secondary education and student supports is 52 per cent higher than it was in 2007-08,” the statement said.

Jermain McKenzie, president of the University of Regina Students’ Union, said he was willing to join the coalition because there is strength in numbers.

“For quite some time, the student voice hasn’t really been given the type of consideration it should get at the provincial level,” McKenzie said. “I think this organization will give us the ability to be able to better get in the ear of the government.”

D’Eon said he hopes the coalition will continue into the future, and members will meet regularly, in person and via phone conferences, to maintain communication.

In the short term, he said, it has two major goals: getting the government to take students’ concerns more seriously, and having a better chance to communicate to the public about the needs and goals of students.

“What concerns us is the trend, that this isn’t the only year we’ve seen an impact on post-secondary education,” D’Eon said.