New Brunswick’s minister of post-secondary education has announced a two per cent funding increase in each of the next two years for the province’s universities.
Jody Carr says the universities will have to report to the government on how they spend that money.
“There’s still going to be challenges for us but we’re up to the challenge,” says Robert Campbell, the president of Mount Allison University. “But two per cent in this context, over each of the next two years, I think is a pretty positive commitment from government.”
While the government pads university budgets, it’s moving to limit the impact on student budgets. Carr also announced on Wednesday that tuition hikes will be capped at three per cent for the next three years.
Pat Joyce, the executive director of the New Brunswick Student Alliance, says the government cap is somewhat self-serving.
“Predictable tuition increases or predictable tuition, whether there are increases or not over the next few years, allows government to plan when it comes to financial aid, so as tuition increases, so too does the need for students to access financial aid in order to pay those increased costs,” says Joyce.
Wednesday’s announcement follows on the heels of a separate five-year funding agreement between the province and St. Thomas University.
The agreement will see a tuition increase rolled back, and students refunded almost $200.
“That’s like, a few weeks of groceries,” says STU student Sam Wakefield. “That’s half my rent. That’s a lot of money. That will help me a lot.”
Next on the government’s post-secondary education agenda is a redesigned financial assistance program, which is expected to be unveiled soon.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Andy Campbell and The Canadian Press
