Student concerns:
- Debt a massive problem for student body. Beyond simply being a large financial burden for years, it also narrows career choices and impacts our mental health & general well being.
- Financial aid has not kept pace with tuition increases
- Higher faculty salaries have not stopped Professors from leaving the school for higher paying jobs
Student petition demands that:
- Admin and student body find viable solution other than 8% annual increases
- Close gap between rate of tuition increase and rate of financial aid increase
- Tuition fees not increase until such a plan is in place
Dean Duggan responds – we must start dialogue from informed basis
- There has been zero growth in provincial funding since 2006
- Faculty costs have increased 4.6% every year
- Faculty cannot stop salary increases for professors, which are negotiated through collective agreements on university-wide basis
What happens next?
- Joint Administration & SLS town hall on tuition & financial aid – March 4th, BLH, 12:30
- SLS continues to take student input – send your concerns to [email protected]
Timeline:
1995
- U of T law tuition is $2451 per year
1998
- Tuition in Ontario law schools deregulated
- Dean Daniels (1998-2005) supports tuition increases, claiming they will improve school and fund financial assistance
2004
- Province freezes tuition for two years
2005
- Mayo Moran becomes dean
2006
- U of T first year law tuition is $17,280
- Tuition unfrozen, first year tuition normalized at 8% increase per year, the provincial maximum
2013
- U of T first year law tuition reaches $30,000
January
- Students organizers begin drafting petition & gathering support
- First public meeting on tuition petition
February
- Student organizers finalize petition text
- Petition released, gathers 250+ signatures on first day
- Second public meeting held. Student organizers decide plan to deliver petition to Dean Duggan
- Tuition website launched (tuitionpetition.ca)
Monday, February 11
- Students gather to hand petition, now with 400+ signatures, to Dean Duggan
- Ben Alarie defends increases in Canadian Lawyer Magazine
Wednesday, February 13
- Students organize teach-in with Professor Schaffer
- Dean Duggan makes official response to tuition petition
Thursday, February 14
- SLS and Faculty announce joint town hall on tuition and financial aid
Friday, February 15
- Students organizers attend welcome day, make materials on tuition increases available
