In mid-December, just after final exams had finished, our semester ended on a meaningful note as Chairperson James Stansfield and Women Students’ Representative Alona Kolesnychenko met with the Minister of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills, Jessie Sunner. In advance of the post-secondary funding review that the province is set to complete in March 2026, the ministry wanted to hear from students about their experiences in the post-secondary system, the challenges they are facing, and what they need to achieve success in their educational goals.
We highlighted how funding cuts, along with the decrease in international student intake, are negatively affecting domestic students, as the consequences of these cuts are already prominent. The high cost of living, combined with rising tuition fees, expensive textbooks, and competing personal responsibilities, is creating a significant strain on students trying to succeed academically. Students are not only having to work longer hours to meet the current costs of programs, but also the ever-increasing costs of food and shelter.
We found the meeting with minister Sunner to be productive, as we achieved our goal of presenting the major concerns impacting students. For board members of SUVCC, this experience was a powerful opportunity to advocate for students and amplify their voice at the decision- making table.
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