THE UPEI SUN,Thursday,March 8,1979,page 6

N A ’ | N” ' 0 P ERA TIL-N56 R ANTS

by Valerie Mansour Tuition fee increases

V and further cutbad<s in services will be waiting Nova Scotia students when they return to post- secondary institutions next fall.

The Nova Scotia govern- nent has announced an increase in operating grants of 5.5%, substant— ially less than the 9.5% recmnended by the Maritime Provinces Higher Education Commission.

The MPHEC made their recomendation after

considering the institut- ions' original request

of 17%.

The decision has disturbed nenbers of the academic commity and has prompted the resig— nation of one member of the MPHEC, Guy MacIean, Dalhousie University academic vice-president. He said the government has once again ignored the recomendaticns of the commission. "It makes

nedoubtfulastotheuse‘

of the MPHEC if the

government just goes ahead and applies to univers- ities the guidelines of every other department. "

The increase means almost certain substantial increases in fees. And there will be more cut- backs," Maclean said.

B.J. Arsenault, chair- person of the Students' Union of Nova Scotia (SUNS) said he was shod<ed at the funding level. "It contradicts what the provincial government said earlier. The Universities

are now under tremendous strain. Students are discouraged. 'lhey'll be paying more for less," said Arsenault.

' "The governnent is lead- ing universities do’m a path of self-destruction. Tuition will go up and ‘ enrolnent will decrease. This will lead to the death of our smaller institutions."

Arsenault feels the ~ MPHEC should abandon its practise of recomending grant levels. "Their research is a service to

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institutions, so perhaps that's all they should Cb, said Arsenault.

SUNS has not yet decided Mnat they are going to do ' about the government .announcerrent but will meet .March 3 and 4 to make their lplans.

i For two years'the NPHEC 'has called on institutions lto increase tuition fees :with the cost of living.

' l'Ihe only Nova Scotia ’ , ginstituticn to raise their

tuition last year was St. T-Francis Xavier in iAntigcnish. Rev. Greg 'MacKinncn, president of the ‘university, said his

is in a difficult 'situation. "We have to do everything possible to 'avoid anotlner increase,"

‘he said.

John Keys'tcn, executive "director of the Atlantic lAssociaticn of Universities, said the situation looks bad for the institutions. "But the picture isn't exactly Clear yet, he said. “We still need more information. Keystcn said the 5.5% is actually a \ decrease in the institutions' actual spending power. "It's not even equal to the increase in the cost of living." '

‘ 'lhe MPHEC lnas net and will 'soon be releasing the Specific grants to eadn university. Until then it is not know how much

. tuition will rise in the

various institutions . V'Ilerry

' Donahue, the province's

education minister, has said he hopes administrat- ions will nct increase tuition more than the cost of living. Sorre admmi' 's— tratiors said the increase could be in the range of $75-$200. ' Unlike last year the Maritirre Provinces did 7 not make a joint alnnOmeemen ‘Ihe governments of Prince

Edward Island and New 5

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Brunswick are expected to announce their decision

v within' the nextfew days.

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