30% tuition hike rumoured for some MUN students
MUN has not confirmed any increase to student tuition
An editor with Memorial University of Newfoundland's on-campus paper says it's rumoured graduate and international students will soon pay 30 per cent more for tuition.
Memorial University has suffered a $20-million cut to its operational budget grant as outlined in the provincial budget.
While the university has not confirmed any change to tuition, Laura Howells news editor with The Muse, said she has been told there will be a tuition hike of 30 per cent for graduate and international students.
Howells said that figure was mentioned during a meeting between student union representatives and MUN president Gary Kachanoski earlier this week.
In the House of Assembly Thursday, NDP education critic Lorraine Michael suggested any increase to student tuition will jeopardize the university's ability to attract new students.
Howells said international students already pay more for tuition than their Canadian counterparts.
"They are also the students who make the most use of the campus food bank, so I think any rise in tuition is going to hit international students hard," she said.
Even if the hike is 30 per cent, Howells said, the changes still need to be passed in the university's budget.
'It's a bit disappointing'
Mohammed Rahman, who came from Bangladesh to study business administration, said cheaper tuition was the main reason he came to MUN.
Rahman said he has recommended people from his home country to come to the province to study but will rethink that if MUN does indeed increase tuition.
While it will be a struggle, he acknowledges that tuition would still be cheaper at MUN, even with the tuition hike.
Memorial University could not confirm on Friday that a 30-per cent increase to tuition is being proposed.