Day of Action in 2 Days

Feb. 7th Day of Action

Is in TWO DAYS!!!

Day of Action is in 2 DAYS! I cannot bloody believe it! All I've heard about for the past eight MONTHS has been Feb. 7th or Day of Action! Please note, that at this precise moment I'm trying not to scream with excitement at the top of my lungs, as there's a good dozen students sitting around near me studying. Of course studying, what does a university student do aside from study, experience insomnia, and protest for reduce tuition?

So, today I found an interesting article - fresh off the press... or at least relatively fresh, it hasn't expired.

McGuinty Fails Ontario's College and University Students Access Undermined Despite Aggressive PR Campaign

TORONTO - Students are angry that the McGuinty government is still pushing forward with its plans for indefinite tuition fee increases of up to 8% per year. Minister of Training, Colleges and
Universities Chris Bentley held a media conference today at the Bloor Collegiate Institute announcing token measures to streamline applications for financial aid.

"Students are disappointed that the Ministry is launching yet another
self-congratulatory media conference to distract the public from the
detrimental effects of its Reaching Higher framework for higher tuition fees,"
said Jesse Greener, Ontario Chairperson for the Canadian Federation of
Students. "It is absurd for McGuinty to pedal bureaucratic government
initiatives as real improvements to access when at the same time they plan to
continue dramatic tuition fee increases."

Today's Ministry announcement took place at the Bloor Collegiate
Institute in downtown Toronto, an area where financial barriers to
post-secondary education are acutely felt according to Maria Rodrigues School
Board Trustee for Ward 9 in that area.

"I think 20-36% fee increases on a regular four-year degree, sends
exactly the wrong message to high school students who are hoping to go on to
college or university," said Trustee Rodrigues. "Many high school students
actually chose to dropout out because high tuition fees have already put the
dream of college or university out of their minds."

"Despite McGuinty's rhetoric, student financial assistance will not
mitigate the harmful impact of tuition fee hikes. If tuition fees rise by even
5% each year, then for every dollar allocated to student assistance, more than
$1.30 will be clawed back through tuition fee increases," said Greener. "In
effect, students will be borrowing to finance their own student aid
programme."

According to the Canadian Federation of Students' detailed analysis, even
if debt is capped at $7,000 per year, a student borrowing the maximum for a
four-year programme will graduate with $28,000 in debt or $3,000 more than the
current average debt for a four-year programme of $25,000.

"Students can see through the McGuinty government's PR campaign and
continue to plan to raise public awareness about its Mike Harris-style tuition
fee policy," said Greener. "Thousands of students will be present on February
7 to hold this government accountable for its track record of high tuition
fees and high student debt."