Western University student groups prepare for budget cuts

Students and campus groups at Western University are voicing concerns about the province's incoming ancillary fee opt outs that take effect starting next week.

In January, the Ontario government decided to let students opt out of services considered non-mandatory, such as campus newspapers, clubs and events. 

Those changes to tuition fees have Martin Allen, the Western Gazette's editor-in-chief, worried. He's been preparing for cuts to the student newspaper since the announcement in January, he said. 

"There's an enormous problem for our budget. The extent of the damage we're going to see is not yet clear," said Allen. 

Last year, the Gazette received $700,000. Ancillary fees covered $500,000 and advertising accounted for $200,000. The funds from ancillary fees act as a subscription fee and keep the newspaper running for students, he said.

Right now it's unclear how much money the campus newspaper will receive for the school year. 

"People are paying fees currently. We know this very second, someone is making a decision about whether or not to pay for the Gazette. The question is how many of them," said Allen. 

To compensate, Allen and his team reduced 31 per cent of their resources to prepare for incoming cuts. However, the total number of students who opted out of the ancillary fees won't be released until October. 

"Basically, we're creating headroom for ourselves," he said. 

Students at other campus groups, such as the University Student Council (USC), are also concerned about potential cuts. 

In anticipation of the opt out, they also cut back on their spending. 

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Western's USC President Bardia Jalayer says that they wanted to inform people how funding is used. During the summer, student council ran an "Opt In" campaign, urging students to understand what their ancillary fees pay for.

"We have highlighted programs like orientation week, Purple Fest and Club Week. They're great examples of how the USC can positively impact the lives of thousands of undergrads at one time. We're trying to make sure that we keep up that level of commitment to our students," he said.

Jalayer is worried about how cuts could impact student experience and culture on campus.

Ancillary fees fund important services for international students and people with disabilities. They fund daycare, club administration, the marching band and student advocacy. 

Starting next week, student groups like The Gazette and the USC will be meeting students around campus to encourage them to opt into the ancillary fees. By putting faces to the fee, they hope to explain to students why these services matter on campus.

Allen says that it's more than just about having clubs on campus. It's about ensuring that services that give students the support they need remain.

"I can't stress enough that it's not just about The Gazette. It's about student services in this province. There's a student refugee program, there are services for students with disabilities. We have legal aid clinics that provide pro bono representation to students with landlord issues, and so on."

"There is a crisis going on here," he said.