CHANTING and singing, many with faces painted red, more than 100 University of Manitoba engineering students rallied at the Legislature on Thursday to demand higher government funding.
They poured off two school buses, lugging along placards and effigies of the faculty's red lion symbol.
University of Manitoba engineering students, one dressed as the faculty's red lion symbol, rally for more funding at the Legislature Thursday. The students want $3.5 million more from province.
The engineers-in-training applauded speakers on their side, and were relatively polite to those who didn't promise to deliver whatever they asked.
And they lustily bellowed "we can, we can, we can, we can demolish 40 beers," as though that would persuade the Doer government to unlock the provincial treasury.
The engineering faculty says it needs $3.5 million more in annual funding to maintain a quality education for its 1,100 students.
Engineering students have approved a 38.5 per cent increase in fees, which would cost each student about $1,000 a year, and provide an additional $1 million in revenue each year.
That proposal goes to the U of M board of governors April 24. If it passes the Doer government would decide whether to grant an exemption to its tuition freeze.
"We require a long-term solution," Steve Woodrow, head of the engineering students' society, told the rally.
Advanced Education Minister Diane McGifford touted the NDP's record in funding universities, but made no promises of even higher support than the five per cent minimum increase in operating grants previously promised for next school year.
Some students chanted "Not good enough" a couple of times, when McGifford was finished.
"The funding is needed now," U of M Students Union president Garry Sran proclaimed -- though a few students hissed, Sran and UMSU being outspokenly opposed to any tuition increase.
Tory MLA Ron Schuler (Springfield) accused the NDP of underfunding the engineering faculty through a seven-year tuition freeze and inadequate grants, but stopped short of being specific about how much money a future Conservative government might pump into the faculty.
Not all engineering students favour higher fees.
Parneet Mavi, speaking for Engineers Against Tuition Hikes, said she had not heard anything at Thursday's rally that leads her to believe there will be good news in next Wednesday's provincial budget.
"The faculty definitely needs more money. We definitely want more funding from the government."
nick.martin@freepress.mb.ca
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