By Jennifer Kwan
About 25 students complete with stickers and signs rallied outside Monday’s board of governors meeting to ask for the board’s support in their fight against private universities.
At the end of October, the provincial government introduced Bill 132, the Post-Secondary Choice and Excellence Act, that will allow for-profit universities and colleges to gain degree-granting status.
Student representatives introduced and emergency motion at the meeting asking board members to voice their opposition to the legislation. The board referred the motion to an executive committee meeting scheduled for January.
Most of the students who showed up at the meeting for support had to watch the meeting on a closed circuit television because the board room was full.
RyeSAC and CFS leaders initiated the motion in spite of a 14-page position paper Ryerson drafted in April offering recommendations as to how the for-profit schools should be regulated.
Some students feel the paper did not take a strong enough stance against private institutions.
“The position paper is something that you would expect,” said Cory Wright, RyeSAC president. “The university is not willing to take a stand even though it could have a major effect.”
Wright said students tried to have their motion added to the board’s agenda but the deadline — eight business days before a meeting — had already passed.
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