Students can get refund, compensation after strike
Those who dropped out can see tuition money back, others can apply for aid
Students who quit college because of the five-week strike can get full tuition refunds, and those who are staying enrolled can apply for up to $500 in “hardship” aid, says Ad- vanced Education Minister Deb Matthews.
The help for full-time students will cover unexpected costs such as child care, rebooked plane, train and bus tickets home for the holidays and January rent. It’s the first time in recent memory that post-secondary students have been offered compensation after a strike.
But opposition parties slammed the $500 as too little.
“I think this was the right thing to do. If it sets a precedent, I think it’s a good precedent to set,” Matthews said Monday as 12,000 faculty at colleges across the province reported for work following the passage of back-to-work legislation on Sunday.
The aid money will be paid out by colleges from their net savings, given that they did not have to pay striking workers for more than a month.
“I listened to students very carefully. I didn’t think it was right that colleges would actually financially benefit from the strike,” Matthews added.
About 500,000 students return to class Tuesday and will see their semesters extended to Dec. 22, which wreaks havoc with travel bookings for many.
Others may have to find accommodations for courses that will now continue into January.
The College Student Alliance praised the tuition refund policy, and said it is waiting to see how helpful the financial aid is.
“It’s great that the option to withdraw is available, although we’d like to see students in class learning and getting what they paid for,” said alliance president Joel Willett.
Progressive Conservatives urged the government to match the $500.
“Students have had their lives turned upside down over the last five weeks,” Conservative Leader Patrick Brown said.
Students will apply to their college for the money.
Any student deciding to quit college has two weeks to get a refund.