3% tuition hike at University of Windsor approved, protested
University of Windsor students crammed into the school's board of governors meeting Tuesday to protest increasing tuition fees.
The students made their way into the boardroom to listen to the proceedings.
They were hoping to speak, but were told by the chair of the board of governors they had to make arrangements prior to the meeting.
Iftekhar Ibne Basith, president of the graduate students society, says some of the fees are rising by $2,000 a year for international students.
"Which is just, in simple words, brutal and insane to those students who are coming from abroad for a better, high-quality of education here," Basith said. "They're just pissed off by this increase every year, eight per cent, 10 per cent, 11 per cent increase - there is no limit. There is no stopping them."
University president Alan Wildeman says increases in tuition fees can be blamed on reductions in grants from the province.
Student representatives on the board of governors recommended that the proposal to raise the tuition fees be defeated to send a statement to the province. In the end, the board approved the increases.
Mohammad Akbar, one of the protesters, says it's disappointing the board did not listen to the students.
"As students have said, it's already unaffordable for most students," he said. "Tuition fees have risen past the levels of inflation. No reasonable amount is fair at this point. Tuitions are too high and students face huge amounts of stress."
The average annual tuition hike for all students enrolling in the 2014-15 year will be three per cent.
