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Kristina Chayipova, Maggie Leahy, Shamus Reid and Grayson Lepp took part in UBC Okanagan's part in a provincewide protest against high tuition fees.
By Kathy Michaels
An impending graduation into a depressed job market isn’t giving UBC Okanagan student Grayson Lepp much cause for celebration.
“I keep thinking, I have six months before I have to start making payments on my student loan, and I am not sure I can find a job that will sustain me, let me pay off my loan and allow me to do what I want to do,” said Lepp, a fourth year business student, and service co-ordinator for the student union.
It’s a concern he’s not alone in expressing, says Shamus Reid, B.C. chairman of the Canadian Federation of Students.
Tension is building at B.C. universities as students start to look at the path of higher learning as a “debt sentence.”
Reid joined Lepp and other UBC Okanagan students yesterday afternoon as they kicked off a provincewide campaign intended to prompt the government to take action on reducing student debt in time for the next budget.
“We want to ramp up the pressure on the government. If we are strong they will have a hard time ignoring what we and the community have to say,” Reid said, noting they’d managed to collect 400 signatures on a petition as well as a banner drop over the highway that garnered tons of honks of support.
Specifically they are looking for reduced tuition, textbook, parking and ancillary fees.
Since 2001, B.C. tuition rates have tripled while the province also clawed back grant funding. That’s leaving the average student graduating with a four-year degree a debt load of $27,000. That, said Reid, is an unfair burden to put on those who are just entering the working world, not to mention a major deterrent for those who don’t have the means to pay for their education upfront to enroll in university in the first place.
It’s the type of condition that will make higher education exclusive to the wealthy.
“The government now collects a billion dollars in tuition fee revenue,” said Reid. “Next year they will receive more money from tuition fees than corporate taxes— the fact that those two numbers are even close, let alone tuition fees being higher, is unbelievable.”
While the government’s choices boggled the minds of those participating in yesterday’s rally, the more personal strains on their finances were top of mind as well.
“This campaign deals with issues that affect students at UBC Okanagan in particular,” Reid said, noting that of particular concern is how a weak infrastructure is affecting students’ bottom lines.
“We’re stuck with nowhere to park and no access to transit,” said Lepp, noting that this year parking rates rose to as high as $420 a year from last year’s $120.
“There’s no transit for people who live in Quail Ridge, and in Glenmore you’re waiting an hour to get a bus,” he said. “The city is trying, but they haven’t done enough yet.”
kathy@kelowna.com
250-575-0761
2 Responses to “UBC Okanagan students rally against their ‘debt sentence’”
Tags: Kelowna, shamus reid, student loans, UBC Okanagan
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Four people constitutes a rally? If they each brought a friend would that be considered an out of control mob?
When everyone who shows up at your rally is able to drive home together in a toyota echo then it has to be considered somewhat of a disappointment. Too bad about the apathy since this is an important issue.
Did the guy on the right in the photo really use a megaphone to communicate with the three others?
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Andy, I think it is more likely that there was an event and the reporter requested a picture of the organizers/spokespersons.
Please continue discussion on the forum: link