Tuition fees too high: poll
[2007 11 22]The Harris-Decima poll, jointly sponsored by the Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT) and the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS), also found:
• 72 percent of Canadians say the issue of education will be critical or important in helping them decide their vote in the next election
• 55 percent say the single most important step government should take with respect to PSE is lowering tuition. That figure is 77 per cent in the Atlantic provinces
“Tax cuts do not make education more affordable, and they do not reduce student debt. These polling results suggest that the government is out of step with Canadians’ priorities for social spending,” says Amanda Aziz, National Chairperson of the Canadian Federation of Students.
Representatives of CAUT, along with more than 40 professors, librarians and academic staff from across the country are meeting with MPs and Senators today to discuss how the federal government can improve the quality and accessibility of post-secondary education and research in Canada.
CAUT representatives are highlighting the challenges faced by Canadian universities and colleges, including:
• Funding
• Tuition fee levels
• Recruitment and retention of top-quality teachers and researchers
[Source:CAUT]