by Dan Keeton Canadian University Press In the face of increas- ing cutbacks in government spending~on post-secondary education, student unions across Canada are plan— ning their "day of Discus- sion" on the issue and‘ its ramifications . "November 9 is National Student Day" is the slogan for the locally—initiated, but provincially and . nationally—coordinated action on risingttuition, decreasing student financial aid and record unemployment. The plan was adopted at eh May conference of the National Union of Students; at the urging of the NUS Central Committee who claimed the "historical Contextfi was favorable for a nation—wide student action. NSD activities will mostly consist of seminars and work— shops on the indi- \ vidual campuses, with little emphasis placed on some pro— vinvial levels, meetings with cab- inet ministers are planned by student leaders. , The national and provincial student or— ganisations have concentrated on promot- ing NSD through extensive poster and leaflet campaigns, and through a series of background papers which will form the basis of discussion of

the four major themes: cutbacks ingOvernment

funding, tuition fee

hikes, regressive changes in student aid, and high unemployment. ' Students in every province have experienced or will experience rises in tuition fees this academic year. Post-secondarykin- stitutions in Alberta have increased‘fees 20 to 150 per cent, and further rises of 25 per cent are expectd next' academic year.‘ The- minister of colleges and universities in Ontario will likely announce an anticipated 15 per cent hike soon,‘ Province's colleges and Universities starting January 1977; ‘ .Nova Scotia plans to ellminate the difference in

tuition at its various post— ,

SeCondary institutions and raiSe them to the level

of Dalhousie University's, atheihighest in Canada.

»

C/l

nelated“

.,

‘ In all provinces where tuition varies from in— stitution to institution,, One or more—school have, . hiked fees. The University of New Brunswick raised

’fees 10 per cent-this year

while fees increased an

average of 9 per cent at

the University of Manitoba.

In Quebec the Universite de

Montreal raised its fees

2 to 8 per cent and

McGill University charged

agriculture students 15 per

cent more, in the face of

a province—wide increase

expected soon. ' Increases were 10 to 32

‘per cent at the University of

PrinCe Edward Island and between 9 and 12 per cent across Saskatchewan.

Notre Dame University in British Columbia charges

_4l;2 per cent more for

internationl student. Fees were recently hiked at ’ Memorial University in Newfoundland.

The provincial and national student organization have argued for sOme time now that rising tuition, coupled with regressive changes in already in— equitable student aid programs, act as a de— terrent to the government's

' professed desire to see

universal accessibility to post—secondary education a reality.

While fighting tuition increases and increased loans over grants in the various student aid schemes, the organizations all have as their long—_ term goal the abolitiOn

*of tuition and the in—

stitution of grants for living stipends. :

Chris Allnut, a re— searcher with the Ontario Federation of Students, argues for the abolition of tuition on the grounds that it acts as a financial barrier to many who desire a higher educatidn and

,a type of 'regressiveV

taxation.

Tuition is regressive, he argues, because all students, regardless of their financial cirr— cumstances, pay the same amount.’ Rather than set up student aid structures which aim at increased financing for "poor" students, governments should abolish tuition, and replace it by a reformed tax system which ensures that those who

,,benefit most from post-

secondary education pay

for it through their

increased incomes. Allnutt's main argument

’ i

is that an increased share of tha costs of higher ‘education should be born by the sector that , benefits most from a skilled labor force: .private corporations. ‘His paper shows_that while corporate profits ‘rose 250 per Cent during 1967—74 — the "boom", years for education —— the corporate contri— bution to public revenues through taxation dropped from 11.3 per cent to .10.7 per cent: Personal income tax contributions rose from 16.2 per cent to 18.3 per cent. .The figures show that "the corporate sector depends on a constantly

yincreasing level of ed— ucation in society as a'

th‘ein-eéon National Student Day

whole to maintain its relative position in the

world economy..." -

Rather than respondin with demands that tuition be increased to lighten

the tax burden on working people, organized labor

'has joined student groups

in demanding the abolition of tuition, Allnutt notes,pOinting

‘to the recent support

‘

for this position from

the 2.3 — million member Canadian Labour Congress.

While social and enviormental

,.factors also determine who

gets a higher education and who doesn't both students and labor see the abolition~ of tuition fees as the first important step in eliminating social in;

“equities, says Allnutt.

‘Student Federation,

Endorses NSD

Sackville “ (CUP)-—'With only nine days to go the

Atlantic Federation of Students endorsed National Student Day as an opportunity to inform students and the general public as to the complexities of the common problems of students.They hope that "the grass roots of Canada's studentpopula -tion.will develop a height -ened awareness of their situation" through educat - ional work being done by student organizations in theregion. ,

Delegates to the October 31 conference of AFB were urged to return to their respective campuses and hold general'meetings on the, day of concern where commonv issues and proposals could

be discussed.This would give student leaders the mandate

they need to confront

the governmentwith the con cerns of students

heHuva haHIo

Once again the festive student body of UPEI turn— ed out in full fOrce to enjoy a little bit of good 01' fun.

At least thirty people crowded into the barn Sat-

Vurday night to show off

their costumes and join in

-Ha little revelry.

I p The merrymaking continued well into the night while those amongst us to mature for such antics must have been off in the pursuit of more intellectual occupations (throwing eggs perhaps). Faculty too proved their interest in promoting a better link with students

,by being conspicuosly

absent.

done enough homework on

, Unfortunately,too few student

leaders in this region had NATIONAL STUDENT DAY and at this conference they were forced to admit that very little work had been done on their campus to prepare for the day of concern. These delegates were urged to return to their campus and organize for the day as best as they can within the short time remaining. They were told_"at‘the very least, a general.meeting of all students should be called and the students informed of the issues."

National Student Day is November 1 and is being observed by students across the country as a day for educational work about the fundemental issues facing Students: the rising coSt of education, government cutbacks in education, student unemployment and the quality of education.

e’en Wt was indeed another evidence that we do have something in common we are equally uninterested.

eng. hook wanted

Attention students who have taken English 381— American Literature to 1860. One of the texts for the course is out

of stock and there are several students in the class without copies. The book is American Literature Survey Volume 2, 180071860, edited

by Stern and Gross.

If you have this text, the bookstore will buy it from you, or you can take it to the course professor, Brendan O'Grady Main 101. ' l

D