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Province plans to codify university funding policy

By: Larry Kusch

Posted: 05/14/2012 1:00 AM | Comments: 0

The Selinger government plans to enshrine some of its university tuition and funding policies in law.

The province has introduced a bill that would keep future tuition increases in line with the rate of inflation.

Bill 2 (the Protecting Affordability for University Students Act) would also require the Council on Post-Secondary Education (COPSE), the agency that plans and co-ordinates the development of the post-secondary education system, to ensure universities know how much money they will receive in operating grants for three-year periods.

The council would have the power to review whether a course-fee increase reflects the university's costs. If not, COPSE could require the university to stop charging the higher fee and pay refunds to students.

"If a university increases tuition fees by more than the increase in the rate of inflation, (COPSE) is required to deduct from the grants it makes to the university the amount by which the increase exceeds the rate of inflation," according to an explanatory note accompanying the bill last week.

However, universities will be able to apply for a waiver to fee-hike limits for certain professional degree programs.

In a statement Friday, University of Manitoba president David Barnard said he welcomed the renewed commitment to stable, multi-year funding, which will help planning and budgeting.

"Combined with the flexibility on tuition, this will help ensure the University of Manitoba can offer the high level of competitive academic programming students in Manitoba expect and deserve," Barnard said.

Jeremy Read, senior executive officer and adviser to University of Winnipeg president Lloyd Axworthy, said an initial read of the legislation tabled Thursday shows it to be "pretty consistent" with existing policy. The university's corporate secretary and legal counsel will review the bill in more detail, he said.

Because of its power to approve budgets and set tuition, the university's board of regents appears to be the body most immediately affected, Read said.

"They are being relieved of a power that they currently hold, legally."

Read said the university will comment on Bill 2 when it reaches the committee stage at the legislature. The U of W will address "what the future of post-secondary education in the province should look like" in terms of quality, student access, current financial stability and future sustainability, he said.

larry.kusch@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition May 14, 2012 A5

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