NDP Government Announces Yet Another Funding Cut to Universities

HALIFAX, Oct. 12, 2012 /CNW/ - The Nova Scotia government announced today that they would be cutting funding to universities by three percent for the 2013-14 academic year. These cuts are on top of a three percent cut in 2012-13 and a four percent cut in 2011-12.

"This funding cut will be passed directly onto Nova Scotia students and their families through fee increases and a diminished quality of education," said Nick Stark, Nova Scotia National Executive Representative for the Canadian Federation of Students. "This funding cut is unfortunately just another example of the Nova Scotia NDP turning its back on university students in this province."

According to the government's Report on the University System in Nova Scotia per student funding for universities in Nova Scotia is still lower than it was in 1990 in constant dollars, leaving Nova Scotia dead last in per-student funding compared to other provinces. Currently government funding makes up less than 47 percent of university operating revenue in Nova Scotia, while it makes up nearly 75 percent of university operating revenue in Newfoundland and Labrador.

"Over the years students have presented the NDP government with numerous alternatives to cutting funding to universities and increasing tuition fees, which have all been ignored," said Stark.

Recommendations include: eliminating the ineffective $11 million tax credit program, redirecting the $25 million dollar "Innovation Fund" aimed at giving universities incentive to make budget cuts and devoting less university resources to senior administration salaries and bonuses.

"This funding cut directly undermines the NDPs recent commitment to reducing tuition fess in their next mandate," said Stark. "If the NDP plans to honour its promise to reduce tuition fees they need to start prioritize funding for post-secondary education."

The Canadian Federation of Students is Canada's largest students' organization, uniting more than 500,000 university and college students from all ten provinces.

SOURCE: Canadian Federation of Students

Nick Stark, Nova Scotia National Executive Representative
Canadian Federation of Students
Cellular: [phone]

Rebecca Rose, Maritimes Organiser, Canadian Federation of Students
Cellular: [phone]