Little to cheer about for universities in budgets

By Barbara Black

Promises by two levels of government to boost higher education have met with a mixed reception but little enthusiasm.

The federal government is looking to help the next generation of students. Canada Learning Bonds, one of the few new programs in a cautious federal budget announced March 23, would provide a kick-start for low-income families of $500 at birth, and a yearly contribution of $100.

Roger Côté, director of Financial Aid and Awards, said, “I recognize that a bond program of this nature does not solve the problems of current students, but many efforts, financial and non-financial, must be deployed.

“Generally speaking, the socio-economic profile of students attending universities has not changed substantially in 30 years either here in Quebec, Canada or worldwide. This program is a good first step in what I hope will be many more to help promote the valuing of and access to higher education.”

However, in comments to Peggy Curran of The Gazette, Provost Jack Lightstone made the point that money is not the only advantage middle-class parents can provide. He said governments should also look at other, less tangible ways to encourage parents to keep their children in school.

Loan program

The federal budget also made changes to the Canada Student Loan Program, including increases in loan limits.

This year, government aid in the form of need-based loans and bursaries disbursed to Concordia students totaled about $55 million. About 8,000 students receive government aid, 7,000 from Quebec, and about 1,000 from the federal program through other provinces.

Côté said that Quebec opted out of the federal student program back in the 1960s, and takes transfer payments instead. Provincial-federal discussions will sort out the amount owed to Quebec and how Quebec will use the funds.

The federal budget also makes a direct grant to help first-year students. However, it has been pointed out that because Quebec tuition is so low, students here may only see about $900 of the $3,000 provided.

Granting agencies

The Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC) welcomed the budget provisions, particularly the infusion of an addition $90 million to the granting agencies: $39 million each to the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), and $12 million to the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).

The funds paid to universities to cover their indirect costs of research will receive an additional $20 million from the federal government, but as the AUCC points out, that will only keep pace with the increased research that will likely result from the increased funding to the agencies.

The Quebec budget, brought down a week later, includes measures to promote the early detection of learning problems. Quebec’s dropout rate is the highest in Canada; fewer than 50 per cent of boys in the province achieve a high-school diploma.

However, the Quebec budget makes no increase in allocations to higher education.

CREPUQ bitter

CREPUQ, representing all the Quebec universities, bitterly denounced the budget, saying they will fall even further behind the other provinces.

Of the $11.8 billion currently allocated for education, $309 million will be added in 2004-05, an increase of only 2.7 per cent. As they promised students, and to the disappointment of those looking for increased revenue, the Liberals did not lift the tuition freeze.