Increase the bacon and cut the fat for universities:CFS

PSE poll finds Manitobans favour tuition fee freeze

VERONICA CARR STAFF

The message is clear from student lobbyists: cut tuition fees and start to put more money into postsecondary education. This notion is what the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS) is trying to get across to provincial and federal governments with the help of a public opinion poll on the issue released Jan. 18.

The CFS commissioned Viewpoint Research and Decima Research to poll Manitobans and students between October and December of 2006, finding that 92 per cent of polled Canadian students want lower tuition, and 82 per cent of Manitobans support the tuition fee freeze.

A 3.5 per cent margin of effort was reported for the poll. Rachel Gotthilf, an UMSU representative for CFS, admitted, “Obviously these numbers are a lot less scientific, we’re not a professional polling company . . . but it gives us a really good hint of what students are thinking.”

Three different surveys were included in the results: a public opinion poll for which people all across Canada were polled, a “Student’s Say Consultations” poll that talked to 2,000 random students from the University of Winnipeg, Collège universitaire de Saint-Boniface, the University of Brandon and the U of M, and and a 2006 Graduate Students’ Association (GSA) plebscite in which three-quarters of graduate students supported the current system of paying continuing fees for additional years of graduate study.

“I think the poll shows that everyone sees the importance of postsecondary education and making sure that we don’t differentiate students coming into it based on socioeconomic background — not only as an economy but Manitoba as a whole,” said Gary Sran, UMSU president.

The poll found that 92 per cent of students “feel everyone benefits when tuition fees are progressively reduced.” But some students, like Amrit Deol, a fourth-year arts student, are actually wishing for the opposite.

“I realize it’s almost taboo to say, being a student, but I honestly want tuition fees to be risen. Think of what our university could do with more money — how much more it could give us. Plus Manitobans have it pretty good compared to other provinces when it comes to tuition costs — not to mention it would seem we can get in with a C average,” he said.

Among other things, Viewpoint’s research found 82 per cent of middleincome Manitobans support the continuation of the tuition fee freeze, while 78 per cent reported that they believe the federal government should increase funding for post-secondary education.

“With this year being a potential election year, we want to get issues out there and let our elected officials know that Manitobans really care about the issue and it’s something that could make or break their campaign,” stated Gotthilf.

According to the poll, 45.8 per cent of Manitobans “are more likely to vote for a party that makes accessible post-secondary education a priority,” while 48 per cent of those polled are indifferent.

The provincial government would not give specific details about how the poll may or may not effect government policy. “As for this specific poll’s impacts on the budget, you’ll just have to wait until it’s brought down in the spring,” said Naline Rampersad, spokesperson for the Minister of Education in Manitoba.

On Feb. 7, students from across Canada will be protesting for lower tuition fees in the CFS organized Day of Action.

“With the results being what they were in the polls, we are definitely given more encouragement for going out on the 7th,” said Sran.

— With files from Jenelle Petrinchuk