UASU and GSA sign open letter calling for post-secondary funding

On February 11, 25 Alberta post-secondary institution (PSI) student associations released an open letter to the provincial government calling for the restoration of “operating grant funding for the province’s public and non-profit post-secondary institutions.” The University of Alberta Students’ Union (UASU) and the Graduate Students’ Association (GSA) are among the signatories.

The Alberta Students’ Executive Council (ASEC) is a student advocacy organization that represents the student associations not listed separately as signatories of the letter.

According to the letter, provincial cuts to PSI funding since 2019 have caused Alberta to drop “from being Canada’s third-most educated province to its sixth.”

Because of provincial cuts, the U of A’s operating grant has seen a decrease of over $222 million over the past three years. According to university administration, the U of A now has the lowest per-student funding of all major universities in Western Canada.

“Budget cuts impact every aspect of university life,” Glock says

Between tuition raises and deferred maintenance, these funding cuts “impact our quality of life as students,” according to Lisa Glock, UASU president. Glock cited the 600 per cent increase in Campus Food Bank (CFB) usage over the last five years as an example of student affordability pressures.

The reduction in provincial post-secondary funding is impacting the student experience across the province, according to Glock.

“That Alberta advantage that is promised to students who come here — whether they’re from Alberta, the rest of Canada, or from international countries — it’s not looking like they’re getting it.”

The student associations behind the letter represent “a staggering six per cent of Alberta’s population,” Glock said. Glock said she is hopeful that the unified message will convey student solidarity to the government.

“We hope that this tells the ministry that we’re all united on this and we’re not going to budge.”

“The province needs to realize that investing in post-secondary education is important,” Arshad says

For Haseeb Arshad, GSA President, the letter highlights a need for continued investment in post-secondary education. He cited the 2024 Alumni Impact Report as evidence of the “significant contributions” U of A alumni make to the Alberta economy. 

“The province needs to realize that investing in post-secondary education is important because it allows the university to serve as a catalyst for innovation.”

While tuition increases are a significant concern, students are also raising concerns with reduced services and the need for mental health support, Arshad said.

“If our standards of services are going down, ultimately, the overall student experience will go down too.”

According to Arshad, “the time is right” to release the letter as the 2025 provincial budget is soon to be released.

“I think all the associations joining together to sign off on this will make a significant impact,” Arshad said.