By Gariné Tcholakian
RyeSAC has made a tuition freeze its main priority, but not even five students attended a discussion on the impact of federal and provincial cuts, last Wednesday at Oakham House.
Alex Lisman, v.p. education at RyeSAC, said it’s too early too gauge how many students will support the Feb. 6 protest.
“You can’t judge at this point because you just don’t know,” he said. “I walk up to students and they’re just overwhelmed, but on Feb. 6, it might be a totally different situation.
Ryerson professor Bob Argue blames the university for not making a stand against raising tuition fees.
“I want to see one university president — preferably my own — say enough is enough,” said Argue, a sociology professor. “We have to create a political movement.”
Amanda Quance, a fourth-year early childhood education student, said students have come to accept rising tuition fees.
“It doesn’t click for them because we’re being taught and told over and over again that of course you have to pay tuition,” she said. “Of course it has to go up. It’s only logical.”
Last month, Queen’s University asked the provincial government to extend deregulation to all undergraduate programs. The university wants to increase undergraduate fees by 60 per cent over the next four years.
“If the provincial government allows Queen’s to do this, there’s going to be a domino-like effect at every other institution, college and university in Ontario,” said Lisman.
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