Students dish on U of M

MICHAEL OLSON STAFF

Its students’ fees are rising and it has low participation in extracurricular activities, but the U of M is a great school overall, according to its students.

Every three years, the Canadian Undergraduate Survey Consortium (CUSC) issues surveys to thousands of students attending 28 universities across Canada. As part of the 2005 survey, 1,000 surveys were issued to students at the U of M. Of those, 509 were returned, generating a response rate of about 51 per cent, nearly six per cent above the national average. As of February, three of six reports on the student surveys have been released.

The second survey report highlighted such areas as student involvement on campus, particularly student involvement in extracurricular activities.

According to the report, only about 30 per cent of students at the U of M participate in extracurricular activities, compared with 40 per cent at other comparable universities such as the University of Alberta, Dalhousie University and York University.

“We’re a commuter campus; a lot of our students have extraordinary work hours,” said Lynn Smith, executive director of student services at the U of M. “It’s something that the university as a whole suffers from, because if students did participate in more campus activities, then we’d have a more vibrant campus.”

Of course, a student survey would not be complete without questions regarding student fees. According to the first survey report, graduating students’ debts are, on average, over $5,000 less than at other comparable universities. According to UMSU president Garry Sran, this is true for all universities in Manitoba.

“The main factor is most likely that most students in Manitoba do not have to leave their community or family home to attend university, thus substantially reducing moving and living expenses, and the amount borrowed,” said Sran.

Smith said that “students at the U of M have a large aversion to having student debts.” However, according to Smith, one-fifth of U of M students are working as many as 21-30 hours each week to obtain money to pay their fees.

Furthermore, according to the same report, in 2006 U of M students borrowed over $4,000 more from their family to help pay fees than students did in 2003. “The increase in student loan borrowing limits by the federal government explains the increase,” said Sran. “The province matched this, but also increased debt remission to reduce the impact of the provincial debt load increase.”

In regards to student opinion of the university itself, the U of M emerged from the survey with flying colours.

According to the survey results, the majority of students at the U of M believe that their faculties have contributed to their own personal growth.

“I think it goes without saying,” commented Dan Mahon, a third-year arts student. “If you’re in a faculty for so long, you’re going to be influenced by it personally.”

On another note, 91 per cent of students said that they were satisfied or very satisfied with their choice to attend U of M, and 89 per cent said they were satisfied or very satisfied with the overall quality of their education at the U of M.

“I’d definitely agree with the 91 per cent,” said Raf Richichi, a U1 student. “I came here to get a quality education, and that’s what I’m getting — and I’m enjoying it as well.”

Furthermore, 87 per cent said they would recommend the U of M to other people, with the majority of respondents saying that this was because of the quality of their professors.