Kathleen ZenithThe tuition freeze for Alberta’s post-secondary students may keep costs down for another year, but that’s not enough for the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS), who is protesting for free tuition.
The Alberta government’s recent extension of the post-secondary tuition freeze, and subsequent review of post-secondary costs seeks to guide the future direction of increased fees, while providing current and future students with some form of financial predictability for their educational planning. In the meantime, the CFS — the largest student organization in Canada — have spread posters and pamphlets around the U of A campus, advertising their #AllOutNov2 protest at the South Academic Building. Students involved in the movement are taking action for universal access to education, education justice, “public education for the public good,” and, ultimately, free post-secondary education. As a 29-year-old, mechanic turned second year Arts major, I don’t believe post-secondary education should simply be handed out to anyone and everyone for nothing.
Most young adults coming out of high school and entering into an undergrad program are looking at 50,000 dollars and upwards in student loans before their 25th birthday (provided they don’t have rich parents). While this might be the largest chunk of change these young folks have seen up until this point, the reality is that this amount of debt is minuscule in 2016. It’s the sort of cash that isn’t enough for a new truck, and you might be lucky to put a down payment on mortgage with 50 grand — hell, I was spending a semester’s worth of tuition on new tools at my old job. In terms of bang for your buck, vehicles rust, houses fall apart, but a good education is something that can never be taken away from you.
As for your experience in school, university will still be just as hard with or without the fear of accumulating student loan debt. Writing papers will still suck, mid-term studying will still keep you up, and your professors will still not know your name. Now imagine tuition is magically made free and every Tom, Dick, and Pumpkin Spice Princess can enrol in every entry level class. Class sizes would grow larger and that professor you have already have trouble tracking down will be drowned in floods of fresh and foolish first-years.
Even if a couple years into their undergrads some of these scrubs start dropping out after they figure “Hey I’ve got no debt and the price of oil is back up, I’m off to the patch,” there’s still a problem. Off to the oil field with them goes a chunk of valuable post-secondary resources wasted on dropouts who never had their hearts set on completing a degree.
When I paid for my first term, out of my own pocket, my choice to pursue a post-secondary education was made legitimate. The money being spent was hard earned and saved. I had no idea what my money was going to buy me, and it wasn’t the first instalment on a series of payments for my education. The money was, rather, a slap in the face to make sure I wanted to be in the class room — and after receiving that slap, I knew I was making the right choice.
My savings are depleted and I’m relying on student loans to get through the rest of an undergrad degree, but I’m okay with that. Student tuition and debt is a good thing, it serves as a reminder that you have to give a little to get a lot in the long run. I say, let the scrubs picket and wave their signs, because while their wasting time protesting outside the classroom, I’ll be inside getting my money’s worth, studying for my next class.
As someone who is going to graduate with massive student debt, I find this kind of entitlement disturbing. If you want free education go to a library, these people want free accreditation. That’s a very important distinction to make. As an adult, making sure that you’re an informed and critical thinking citizen is a personal responsibility and not that of the rest of society or even the University you’re attending.
finances don’t have to be the only way that students are held accountable to going to class/bing invested in their education/finishing their degrees. and, quite frankly if Rig Pig Ron was provided with a year of free university education and that made him a slightly less shitty dude bro and more of a critical thinker before he took off to the patch, I’d be glad. education isn’t just about an investment in your own future economially, it’s also about building a society that’s less terrible and i think this piece misses that.
Let’s just see how you feel when you go to get a mortgage for your first house.
John, I actually own a house in Rimbey and have been paying a mortage for the last 6 1/2 years.
+1
Very interesting read! There is a lot of stuff to digest here but Ive got a few questions if the author is around!
What I don’t understand, is given the option (lets say there is a choice, hypothetical and all) would you still prefer student debt or education at no cost? Seems odd to me to choose 50,000 in debt over lower costs or no cost to students education. Anecdotally I know I would choose the later.
For the Public Good is actually the tagline of the Strategic Plan for the university, the main guiding document for the University direction for the foreseeable future, does that not sit well with your vision for the University? Just because you put it in quotations and aligned it with the CFS, which isn’t totally straightforward.
A lot of your examples, such as trucks, debt, or slaps in the face are your personal experience, do you think the the majority of students at the UofA have the same experience? As I understand it, just by your demographic as a mature student with professional skills, places you outside the standard student. (which don’t get me wrong, sweet!)
Thanks for writing! Cool article and hope it generates some discussion.
Reed, I know that the majority of the students at the UofA do not even remotely have the same personal experience I have. I would have to agree with you: I am not the standard student, and thus, would have a different opinion.
As for the hypothetical question, I will have to reply that there is no such thing as a free lunch. So, even if something appears to be free, I feel you will still owe no matter what. I prefer, in the case of student debt, to know exactly what I owe and whom I owe it to.
And as for the ‘vision of the university’, well, I can’t comment on what ‘they’ have planned, but I will say ‘their’ vision and ‘my’ vision for myself are probably different.
Thanks for the reply Jonah! Your answers did clarify. If your interested I would say check out the strategic plan, its actually quite a read.
The only follow up I would have is that for the free tuition, you are correct. There is not such thing as free lunch or free tuition, someone has to pay or something might be owed (which is why you don’t see me holding free tuition signs haha). It is always better to know the exact costs of tuition and to whom you own the money as well.
I would say however that I would prefer a system in which their was no direct cost to students to get that education, such as tuition. If that means that we convince enough people that education is a public good and something that has value and returns for society that are greater than the cost of educating those students then maybe its something to pursue. We want our education to have value not because every student was forced to contend with 50000 in debt but instead because education is seen as a way to better yourself, to acquire skills to be a professional, and maybe contribute to the public good. I would ultimately agree that it is a tough vision and likely not practical for anyone trying to get into education now, however, I don’t think we should shut down such aspirations as students if its within the realm of possibility.
But ill leave it there haha if you want to have a chat I’m on campus daily! Cheers!