Vancouver, BC – The Alma Mater Society of UBC Vancouver (AMS), is greatly disappointed by the decision of the University of British Columbia’s (UBC) Board of Governors to approve an increase of ten per cent to international tuition fees for the incoming cohort of students.
“We are incredibly frustrated to see the UBC Board of Governors approve an increase to international tuition based upon a sub-standard consultation process and an incomplete proposal,” said AMS President, Tanner Bokor. “International students in a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science program, for example, will now be paying $2,400 more for their education in the 2015-2016 academic year. This is a substantial and unreasonable one-time increase.”
On October 14, AMS Council approved a resolution opposing the proposed tuition increase, as well as UBC’s recently announced 20 per cent increase to winter-term housing. At a historic quorate Annual General Meeting (AGM) on October 28, UBC students voiced their strong opposition to the proposed increases and overwhelmingly backed the decision of AMS Council, and further directed the Society to:
• Officially oppose the international tuition fee increase;
• Officially oppose the housing fee increase;
• Advocate to the provincial government to ensure tenant rights’ within university housing;
• Advocate to the provincial government to increase post-secondary funding;
• Support student groups opposing the fee increases;
• Organize student protests.
Over the course of the past two months, the AMS and other campus partners have met with the UBC Administration in a series of meetings to discuss the proposed increases, and students have been vocal in opposition through a series of demonstrations on campus, and at UBC’s official town hall consultation sessions.
