Ontario tuition grant falls short for province's private universities
ANCASTER, Ont. (CUP) — In
late December 2011, Ontario's
Liberal government announced the
introduction of the Ontario tuition
grant. The grant is intended to
reduce the financial stress on the
province's undergraduate population
and was designed to cover 30
per cent of the average tuition paid
by Ontario students.
However, the grant is not without its restrictions. Mature students, students restricted by the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP), students attending out-of-province schools and students attending Ontario's privately funded universities are not eligible.
Ontario's privately funded universities were not officially made aware of their students' ineligibility until January 12, and without formal explanation.
When asked specifically why students attending Ontario's privately funded post-secondary institutions do not qualify for the grant, Tanya Blazina, Spokeswoman for the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, simply stated that "the grant is only available to students attending Ontario's publicly funded colleges and universities." That information can also be found on the OSAP website.
Dr. Hubert Krygsman, President of Redeemer University College, and Dr. Gary Nelson, President of Tyndale University College in Toronto, offered puzzled explanations to their students.
"We don't know entirely why our students are being excluded, but it appears to be partly for budget reasons," said Krygsman. "Certainly Redeemer is authorized by Ontario legislation to grant degrees and to call ourselves a university, and our students were always eligible for OSAP. It seems unfair that our students do not receive the grant."
"My understanding is that private institutions are being excluded from the Ontario Tuition Grant proposal arbitrarily," suggested Nelson. "We seek to be publicly accountable and follow the Quality Assurance frameworks set out by the province. The bachelor of education degree at Tyndale has gone through a thorough evaluation by the Ontario College of Teachers. We do not wish to avoid this kind of accountability, and in fact believe that it is critical for our students and helpful in making us better at what we do."
Both Redeemer and Tyndale are seeking future grant eligibility. The universities are currently working with Glen Murray, Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities, to discuss grant eligibility further, and hope the efforts will urge the Minister to reconsider.
Krygsman hopes these decisions will be made by mid-March, when OSAP applications open. This would allow students to apply for the grant for the 2012/13 academic year.
"We are hopeful that the government will change their mind and make it possible for our students to be eligible," he said.
In efforts to cover the annual $420 million cost of the grant, which will aid over 300,000 postsecondary students across Ontario, the province will be reallocating funds from the Queen Elizabeth II Aiming for the Top scholarship, the Textbook and Technology Grant and the Ontario Trust for Student Support.
While privately funded Ontario universities were not able to participate in the Ontario Trust for Student Support program, a $25- million fund that matched donated institutional scholarships and bursaries, their students were able to receive both the QEII Aiming for the Top scholarship (a $35 million scholarship program that supported about 15,000 recipients) and the Textbook and Technology Grant (a $39-million grant program).
According to the Ministry, there are 34 students currently holding QEII Aiming for the Top scholarships at privately funded schools across Ontario. All current QEII recipients will be able to renew their scholarship for up to three years, provided they meet the eligibility criteria; however, no new QEII scholarships will be offered in the 2012/13 academic year.
In mid-January, the Liberals announced another post-secondary- related budget cut, slashing $42 million from the Ontario Research Fund. However, Blazina emphasized that "the government's decision about the Ontario Research Fund is completely independent of the the (tuition grant)."
And while confused students at both Redeemer and Tyndale are finding budget cuts, financial reallocations and lack of concrete answers frustrating, Krygsman and Nelson were careful not to make any direct assumptions.
"Redeemer is non-profit. Our offered supplemental financial aid does not come from the government, but from donors," explained Krygsman.
"This is not a question about whether or not private institutions legislated to offer undergraduate university education should receive public money," said Nelson. "That's a separate conversation."
What Nelson did note, however, is that the grant makes use of taxpayers' money, some of which was formerly available as grants or scholarships to the students of private universities in Ontario. The real conversation, according to Nelson, is seeded here.
"Should Ontario students, whose families have participated as taxpayers in the building up of civil society in Ontario, be excluded in the Ontario tuition grant because they have chosen to attend a private undergraduate university college?"
The Ministry of Training remains enthusiastic about the grant. "It will ensure post-secondary education remains accessible and affordable," said Blazina. "During (difficult) fiscal times, we remain committed to building the best educated workforce in the world and helping attract more jobs and new investment."
Redeemer University College and Tyndale University College are the only two private, government- approved and accredited universities in the province. There are 15 other not-for-profit private institutions that offer religious programs and degrees, and these are also excluded from the Ontario Tuition Grant.
However, the grant is not without its restrictions. Mature students, students restricted by the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP), students attending out-of-province schools and students attending Ontario's privately funded universities are not eligible.
Ontario's privately funded universities were not officially made aware of their students' ineligibility until January 12, and without formal explanation.
When asked specifically why students attending Ontario's privately funded post-secondary institutions do not qualify for the grant, Tanya Blazina, Spokeswoman for the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, simply stated that "the grant is only available to students attending Ontario's publicly funded colleges and universities." That information can also be found on the OSAP website.
Dr. Hubert Krygsman, President of Redeemer University College, and Dr. Gary Nelson, President of Tyndale University College in Toronto, offered puzzled explanations to their students.
"We don't know entirely why our students are being excluded, but it appears to be partly for budget reasons," said Krygsman. "Certainly Redeemer is authorized by Ontario legislation to grant degrees and to call ourselves a university, and our students were always eligible for OSAP. It seems unfair that our students do not receive the grant."
"My understanding is that private institutions are being excluded from the Ontario Tuition Grant proposal arbitrarily," suggested Nelson. "We seek to be publicly accountable and follow the Quality Assurance frameworks set out by the province. The bachelor of education degree at Tyndale has gone through a thorough evaluation by the Ontario College of Teachers. We do not wish to avoid this kind of accountability, and in fact believe that it is critical for our students and helpful in making us better at what we do."
Both Redeemer and Tyndale are seeking future grant eligibility. The universities are currently working with Glen Murray, Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities, to discuss grant eligibility further, and hope the efforts will urge the Minister to reconsider.
Krygsman hopes these decisions will be made by mid-March, when OSAP applications open. This would allow students to apply for the grant for the 2012/13 academic year.
"We are hopeful that the government will change their mind and make it possible for our students to be eligible," he said.
In efforts to cover the annual $420 million cost of the grant, which will aid over 300,000 postsecondary students across Ontario, the province will be reallocating funds from the Queen Elizabeth II Aiming for the Top scholarship, the Textbook and Technology Grant and the Ontario Trust for Student Support.
While privately funded Ontario universities were not able to participate in the Ontario Trust for Student Support program, a $25- million fund that matched donated institutional scholarships and bursaries, their students were able to receive both the QEII Aiming for the Top scholarship (a $35 million scholarship program that supported about 15,000 recipients) and the Textbook and Technology Grant (a $39-million grant program).
According to the Ministry, there are 34 students currently holding QEII Aiming for the Top scholarships at privately funded schools across Ontario. All current QEII recipients will be able to renew their scholarship for up to three years, provided they meet the eligibility criteria; however, no new QEII scholarships will be offered in the 2012/13 academic year.
In mid-January, the Liberals announced another post-secondary- related budget cut, slashing $42 million from the Ontario Research Fund. However, Blazina emphasized that "the government's decision about the Ontario Research Fund is completely independent of the the (tuition grant)."
And while confused students at both Redeemer and Tyndale are finding budget cuts, financial reallocations and lack of concrete answers frustrating, Krygsman and Nelson were careful not to make any direct assumptions.
"Redeemer is non-profit. Our offered supplemental financial aid does not come from the government, but from donors," explained Krygsman.
"This is not a question about whether or not private institutions legislated to offer undergraduate university education should receive public money," said Nelson. "That's a separate conversation."
What Nelson did note, however, is that the grant makes use of taxpayers' money, some of which was formerly available as grants or scholarships to the students of private universities in Ontario. The real conversation, according to Nelson, is seeded here.
"Should Ontario students, whose families have participated as taxpayers in the building up of civil society in Ontario, be excluded in the Ontario tuition grant because they have chosen to attend a private undergraduate university college?"
The Ministry of Training remains enthusiastic about the grant. "It will ensure post-secondary education remains accessible and affordable," said Blazina. "During (difficult) fiscal times, we remain committed to building the best educated workforce in the world and helping attract more jobs and new investment."
Redeemer University College and Tyndale University College are the only two private, government- approved and accredited universities in the province. There are 15 other not-for-profit private institutions that offer religious programs and degrees, and these are also excluded from the Ontario Tuition Grant.
