Grad studies proposes flat-term fee for fastre graduation

Change from continuing fees to a possible $1,000 term fee has GSA president worried

JENELLE PETRINCHUK STAFF

Although a change to the fee structure for the University of Manitoba’s faculty of graduate studies has been in the works since mid-2005, after comparing U of M to other universities across Canada, it’s just surfacing now, leaving some graduate students worried about more potential costs to finish their master’s or PhD program.

Currently, graduate students pay a program fee — for the first year in a master’s program and for the first two years in a PhD program — and then pay what’s called a continuing fee for each year thereafter.

The faculty of graduate studies is now proposing that the fee structure change to a term fee model, charging graduate students a flat rate for each term they enrol in throughout the year (up to three per year).

Dean of graduate studies John Doering said that the change has two main purposes: to encourage the timely completion of programs, which therefore would improve accessibility to both the faculty of graduate studies and the U of M in general as students finish in a more timely manner.

Doering stated the change should be basically cost- and revenue-neutral for students who finish within the time they are supposed to finish.

Meghan Gallant, president of the U of M Graduate Students’ Association, isn’t convinced that students will be paying the same amount if the new fee structure is approved, whether or not they finish in the time they are supposed to.

“The faculty is saying that this is revenue-neutral but it’s actually not. They’re basing that on times to completion that nobody is expecting as students right now,” said Gallant.

In 2005-06, tuition fees cost full-time master’s students $4,177 per year (excluding dental and M.B.A programs), whether in a one or two- year program. For each additional year until completion, students had to pay a continuing fee of $674.

She added, “They’re assuming that imposing harsher fee deadlines will mean that students will move through more quickly,” and then brought up a 2004 study by the Canadian Association for Graduate Studies entitled “The Completion of Graduate Studies in Canadian Universities,” which states that one of the main reasons students are taking too long or not finishing their degree is financial concerns.

“One of the things in the back of our mind was that this is in no way, shape, or form intended to be a cash grab,” said Doering. reiterating the idea that it is supposed to be revenue-neutral for students that finish in the allotted time.

According to Doering, evidence from Ontario universities that have switched to the term fee model shows that it does encourage more timely degree-completion. He added that in some disciplines, he could see why some students might think it would take them longer because of part-time jobs, but said he wasn’t convinced that it is true. “I think it’s a statement, I guess I’m just not convinced it’s a substantive statement.”

Gallant said that the change could greatly affect the quality of education for students and the U of M.

“Even if students do rush their degrees to meet these fee deadlines . . . that could compromise the quality of research at the university, it could mean that students would be less likely to write up their results and try to publish them in academic journals, it could mean that students would be less likely to attend academic conferences.”

“If you’re in a program where the expected time of completion is two years, you should be finishing in two years,” said Doering.

The current recommendation for the flat rate is $1,000, however that number has not been confirmed, according to Doering.

“It is simply a fee that has been put forward as one that is probably as close to revenue-neutral as we’re likely to get for students who finish in a timely manner,” he said.

The decision as to whether or not the change should be made and how much the term fee would essentially be rests in the hands of the university president Emöke Szathmáry, who then will make a recommendation to the board of governors to finalize it.

Gallant and the GSA are working on an official response to the proposed change that will outline potential problems with the term-fee model as well as the impact they foresee it having.

Right now, it is possible that the new fee structure, if approved, could be in place by September 2007, but at this point it depends on when the president addresses the issue and makes her decision.