Students Freeze to Freeze Fees: Students at Ryerson camping out in protest of high tuition fees and departmental budget cuts

TORONTO, Nov. 17, 2014 /CNW/ - Around the world, students have been invited to take action today to mark the International Day of the Student and bring attention to issues like access to post-secondary education and student debt.

Ryerson students have erected a Tent City on campus in protest of the University's refusal to work with students and Ryerson community members on a budget that does not include budget cuts and tuition fee increases for the tenth year in a row.

"Students in Ontario already pay the highest tuition fees in the country, and are graduating with record levels of debt. Students are increasingly using the campus food bank, living in poverty, and unable to find work," said Jesse Root, Vice President Education at the Ryerson Students' Union. "We know a university budget that freezes tuition fees and maintains program funding can be a reality. We have tried having meeting and working within the process, but it is time for some drastic action."

Students from across campus and programs will be camping out in front of Ryerson University's administrative building until the university cooperates to present an alternative budget to be considered at the Board of Governors Meeting in April.

"Last year the university wasted $200,000 to paint Gould Street blue and our university president got an $80,000 bonus. All this while our departments are asked to make budget cuts and students asked to take on yet another tuition fee increases," said Mohammed Zidan, a Ryerson student in his fourth year. "We are tired of being treated like cash cows. We are tired of having to take on two or three jobs simply to get an education."

Ryerson Tent City
Date: Monday November 17, 2014
Time: 4pm
Location:
Rally Starts: Student Centre, 55 Gould Street
Rally Ends: Outside Jorgensen Hall, 380 Victoria Street

The Ryerson Students' Union is the central students' association at Ryerson University, representing over 30,000 full-time undergraduate and all graduate students.

SOURCE: Ryerson Students' Union

Jesse Root, Vice-President Education: 647-782-5519 (cell) or [email protected]