Memorial getting 5% fee cut

Reduction will be last step in three-year 25% reduction By Steve DURANT, The Muse ae

ST. JOHN"S, NFLD. (CUP) -- Newfoundland"s premier has announced the government will deliver on its promise of a five per cent tuition reduction, dispelling concerns that the government might be unable to com- plete their promised 25 per cent tuition reduction.

“We've had a 10 per cent tuition reduction in [each of] the past two years, and we'll reduce it again by 5 per cent." -Roger Grimes

Roger Grimes first made the announcement at a Board of Trade function this past Wednesday. He repeated it while introducing prime ministerial hopeful Paul Martin at a

breakfast hosted by the Memorial University Liberals Thursday morning, saying the government will implement the last stage in a three-year initiative to reduce tuition by 25 per cent.

""We''ve had a 10 per cent tuition reduction in [each of] the past — two years, and we'll reduce it again by 5 per cent,"" said Grimes, who announced last year that he will call an election in 2003.

Grimes also says the govern- ment remains committed to continuing its freeze on tuition at the College of the North Atlantic (CNA), which has been in effect since 2000. He did not make any announcement regarding tuition levels at Memorial's medical school, which was not included in the 2001 and 2002 reductions.

Although Memorial's Board of Regents officially sets tuition levels for Memorial's 16,000 students, for the past two years the province has made extra money available to the university with the understanding that it be dedi- cated to reducing fees. In both 2001 and 2002, the Regents honoured the province's request to drop tuition fees 10 per cent:

Fees per course at Memorial have dropped from just under $330 two years ago to the present $267. In September 2003, that will fall a further $13.35 to $253.65

The province is expected to make the same sort of funding com mitment for the 2003 tuition cut.

Fees per course at Memorial have dropped from just under $330 two years ago to the present $267. In September 2003, that will fall a further $13.35 to $253.65, although the gov- ernment might round that figure to an even dollar amount as they have in the past. The changes mean a full course load will cost about $2,536.50, which comes to $2978.50 after student union fees and the university's $40 per semester recreation fee.

Memorial has some of Canada"s lowest tuition levels, espe- cially as universities in most other provinces continue to raise their rates. - About two-thirds of the direct costs of post-secondary are paid for by the provincial government, Minister of Youth Services and Post-Secondary Education Sandra Kelly said.

FEBRUARY 5th

Sick of being left out in the cold when it comes to education funding? ,

Make a statement by joining the freeze.

On Feb 4th students spend the night outdoors

followed by a march to the office of the Minister of Peas

on Feb. Sth. A day of awareness and fun, to represent the needs of students.

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