Please find below and attached the OCUFA media release regarding the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives report on the impact of higher education funding on Ontario families. The report was commissioned by the Ontario University Coalition, consisting of organizations representing students, faculty, academic librarians and staff in the province.
Please also note that OCUFA’s provincial election campaign website — Quality Matters — is now up and running. The website allows you to send a letter to the candidates in your riding about the need to invest in the quality, accessibility and affordability of our university system. The Quality Matters website can be accessed here.
Best regards,
Mark
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Ontario professors and academic librarians concerned about the affordability of higher education in Ontario
TORONTO – The Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA) is
concerned about the findings of a new study released today about the cost of university
education in Ontario. The report, published by the Canadian Centre for Policy
Alternatives (CCPA), indicates that rising tuition fees are putting pressure on families
across Ontario.
“The report shows that Ontario’s high tuition fees are disproportionately affecting lowand
middle-income families,” said Constance Adamson, President of OCUFA. “This
regressive policy is making it harder for young Ontarians to afford a university education
and access the many benefits that higher learning provides.”
The report examines the number of days a family would have to work to pay for a fouryear
university degree, if they were to put all of their after-tax income towards this
purpose. While higher-income families can cover this cost quickly, it takes middle and
lower-income Ontarians many more months – and sometimes years -to pay for their
child’s education. This is up dramatically from the early 1990s, and reflects the huge
increase in tuition fees over the last two decades. Ontario now has the highest tuition
fees in Canada.
The report also demonstrates that, contrary to the opinion of many policymakers, a high
quality and affordable university system can be sustained by public funding. A few
simple policy changes could help freeze or even reduce tuition fees while ensuring
universities have the financial resources they need to provide a world-class learning
experience.
“Ontario’s professors and academic librarians want an equitable, accessible and
excellent university system,” said Adamson. “If you want the same thing, then I
encourage you to visit Quality-Matters.ca and send a message to Ontario’s politicians.
Together, we can make the university system we all deserve.”
Founded in 1964, OCUFA represents 17,000 faculty and academic librarians in 27 faculty
associations across Ontario. The CCPA report can be accessed at
http://www.policyalternatives.ca/publications/reports/under-pressure.
More information on the Quality Matters campaign can be found at http://www.quality-matters.ca
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Mark Rosenfeld, Ph.D
Executive Director
Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations
83 Yonge Street, Suite 300
Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5C 1S8
Tel: 416-979-2117 x229
Fax: 416-593-5607
E-mail: [email protected]