The Hard Tuition Facts
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BY DENNIS BROOKS, P.ENG., P.GEOPH.
Education Foundation Columnist
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In the November PEGG I quoted an Edmonton Journal article
headlined Alberta's Tuition Fees Going Up: Others Stay Put.
I went on to say that “there is a political element
to this about how universities manage under government constraints:
I'll dodge that bullet and just highlight the message that
it continues to be increasingly difficult for our students
to finance their education.”
I have had an article referred to me, authored by Mustafa
Hirji (Eng. Phys. 2003) that appeared in The Bridge, the engineering
student publication at the U of A. It is making me look that
bullet right in the eye!
The article is well written and researched, and it objectively
reviews how universities have been put under great pressure
because of reduced funding and increased costs in the last
10 years or so. It notes how, subsequently, upward pressure
has been put on student fees.
Although the remarks apply to all faculties, I think it is
relevant to members of our professions; it deals with issues
that we should be informed about and should be debating. The
call-out box with this article will allow you to read the
article online, and I encourage you to do so.
Meanwhile, I have asked for new information on donations to
give us some idea of how we will end the year. In the next
PEGG, I will give a more formal report on donations for the
fourth quarter of 2004 and year-to-date compared to 2003.
The news is encouraging: we have received $118,488. as of
Dec. 1, including a heart-warming $25,730 from life members!
We seem headed for the best year ever.
Another article I read recently was a column in the Edmonton
Sun describing an annual private contest some journalists
had amongst themselves. It was to see who amongst them could
produce the earliest article starting with the clichéd
phrase “Christmas came early this year for….”
The writer went on to decry how each year the Christmas season
was starting earlier and earlier and with increasing commercialism
— how he had seen Christmas sale displays cheek-to-jowl
with Halloween displays in some box stores.
This brings me to why I like to get an article together for
the Christmas season. And that is not because of the commecial
aspect — but because this a season of charity, giving
and goodwill to others, regardless of faith. And that is why
we have an APEGGA Education Foundation — and why Christmas
can never start too early in the year!
BRIDGE ARTICLE
www.ess.ualberta.ca/articles/2004_2005/high_tuition.html
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