In March, Student Union of Vancouver Community College (SUVCC) board members had the opportunity to meet with Vancouver-Strathcona MLA Joan Phillip (Amshen) and voice student concerns. Chairperson James Stansfield, Indigenous Students’ Representative Putłalas Hanuse, and Women Students’ Representative Alona Kolesnychenko expressed how the Post Secondary funding crisis is impacting their programs and fellow classmates.
Vancouver Community College (VCC) offers many accessible and community-serving programs. Students are concerned about how inadequate government funding will impact them and result in a less-equitable institution. James, a student in ASL and Deaf Studies, highlighted how VCC is the only remaining public institution in BC that provides both ASL and sign language interpreter training. Interpreters are in short supply across the province, and VCC is providing a vital public good not only to the Deaf Community but also to the community at large by maintaining these programs.
Putłalas Hanuse, a student in Adult Basic Education, recalled how different the ABE program used to be 20 years ago. There were more instructors, flexible class times, funding for fields trips, and a much larger student presence. ABE courses service mature students needing to complete high school, upgrade high school grades, or gain skills for employment. It is clear why these accessible programs are critical to the community, but their viability is uncertain as VCC faces a huge budget deficit.
VCC offers many programs that train skilled workers to support not only the local community but also the province and beyond. Alona, a nursing student in the BSN program, raised concerns over a possible pause in nursing intakes. Instead of the BC Government increasing provincial funding to post-secondary institutions, VCC was left to make difficult decisions due to budgetary constraints. This resulted in a pause in nursing program intakes, despite BC facing a nursing shortage.
Nursing students are dealing with increased stress due to high cost-of-living, loss of instructors, and looming uncertainty about program availability. It is important to remember that VCC trains 50% of all practical nursing students in BC, thus improved funding is critically needed for the education of future health care professionals.
SUVCC Board Members were able to relay the urgency of VCC’s budget cuts, and felt Joan Phillip was receptive to their asks: Keep the domestic tuition 2% cap, and provide Post-Secondary Institutions with permanent provincial funding.
It’s time for the BC government to step up, reinvest in our campuses, and properly fund post-secondary education. The BC Federation of Students and thousands of students across the province are standing up to say these cuts suck.
Follow this link to email the Minister of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills.