Due to an oversight, the following message from OISE students was not placed into the education supplement on Monday. The Varsity offers its apologies to all OISE students.

O.I.S.E. FACES FUNDING EXCLUSION

At the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the U of T, the FACTS are:
Average funding of our graduate students is only about $5,000 annually.
Student debt loads force students to drop out, undertake outside work, deal with extreme stress.
Access to high quality education is lost
Poverty results.

FULL FUNDING FOR OISE STUDENTS NOW!!!

OISE/UT students make up approximately 25% of all graduate students at the University of Toronto. However, they are not receiving the funding packages at par with most other faculties at the U of T. The Orchard Task Force recommended a level of funding for PhD students to alleviate the extreme levels of poverty that graduate students in many departments were facing. This fall, University of Toronto announced “package funding” for PhD graduate students to the press, claiming to support candidates in Years 1-4 at the rate of $12,000 plus the cost of tuition. This claim by the university, which appeared in Macleans magazine, the National Post and the Toronto Star, that the university was providing for all its graduate students, is a misrepresentation of the truth. Deliver on the promise!

NO MORE TUITION INCREASES!

At a time when five provinces have frozen tuition fees, the University of Toronto is acting irresponsibly towards its students and the community at large by continuing to raise tuition. As Canadians, we are at a key juncture whether or not to preserve our country’s commitment to accessible Higher Education.

Students are suffering!

Students are forced to take on work both inside and outside the University, which prolongs their time to completion. The level of scholarship—and U of T prides itself on this—declines as students are unable to focus on their academic work. The stresses of financial burdens become the dominant discourse…the “ACADEMIC BLUES.”

WHAT’S THE HUMAN COST?

At OISE, we witness daily the stress and the toll that increased costs are having on our students.
C.G., a single mother with two dependent children:
“After racking up a huge OSAP debt, I felt it would be irresponsible to continue to amass debt to pass on to my children. So I took a half-time job outside the University and continue with a T.A.ship here. Now, I can’t find any time to work on my thesis. By the time I pay full tuition, it feels like extortion to have the honour of attending this institution.”
E.H., dealing with debt load:
“A couple of years ago, there was a big mix-up with OSAP, who closed on a loan even though I was still in school. I had to drop out for a year. It’s been nothing but complicated ever since. I should have been finished by now. I have support from my professors, but it’s just dealing with debt that eats up my time and energy.”
W.N., international student:
“When I arrived in Canada years ago, it seemed possible to study and return to my country with a degree in the near future. Now, I wonder why it has taken so long and why do I pay more each year? With tuition going up, attending university in Canada seems to be out of the reach of more and more International students….except those from wealthy countries.”

B.R., colleague of graduate student who committed suicide:
“The stress of being here was taking a toll. I know that she tried to reach out to one of the student organizations to discuss her situation. Money was one issue and the lack of support because, let’s face it, professors don’t have time anymore.”
This university isn’t what it used to be. The Administration ignores

DROPOUT, DESPAIR, and DISILLUSIONMENT!

We call on the university to:
Stop treating oise students differently
Make oise students’ funding commensurate with that of other graduate students
Honour your commitment to accessible higher education
Stop hiking tuition
Start telling the provincial government to maintain funding
Stop deregulation of tuition, making some professions inaccessible
Start telling the press & the public the true story!!

For information about the realities facing OISE students, please call the Graduate Students’ Association at 416-926-4724

Graduate Assistants at OISE are members of CUPE 3907, which can be reached at 416-926-4728.