Uncertainty prevails amongst student groups at the University of Guelph about how the Student Choice Initiative program will affect their campus activities.
On Jan. 17. Ontario’s government announced the Student Choice Initiative - a program which gives students an option to opt out of campus programs so they can choose where they want their fees to be allocated. Health and safety programs are excepted.
"Student fees in Ontario can range as high as $2,000 per year and, too often, force students to pay for services they do not use and organizations they do not support," said Minister of Training for Colleges and Universities Merrilee Fullerton in a press release.
"We will ensure students have transparency and freedom of choice regarding the campus services and organizations which get access to their money."
Members for many students union groups heavily disagree with the governments initiative because it denies them their rights to advocate and provide a university experience.
Students held a rally at the Branion Place on Feb.4.
Director of campus radio station CFRU 93.3 FM Andrea Patehviri said this initiative is very vague in what it aims to achieve.
“I think that that was done on purpose by the government,” said Patehviri.
She says activities on campus, such as the student radio, give students a voice and to lose that is very serious.
“We are what makes up the vitality of campus life. We provide the student experience to students and without us and without any of these other organizations, it’s going to be going to school and coming home again,” said Patehviri.
“There's not going to be anything to experience on campus and there's also going to be nobody to advocate for the campus,” said Patehviri.
Patehviri says the radio station asked its supporters to write testimonials of its benefits and received over 30 in three days.
She says the testimonials will be going to Guelph MPP Mike Schreiner’s office for him to take to Queens Park to emphasize the importance of student run programs that rely on student fees.
The university's student newspaper, The Ontarion, is also at risk of shutting down by this initiative.
Ontarion board president Heather Gilmore said without student fees they will have great difficulties paying staff and affording production. She adds that the university does not have a journalism program so the student newspaper is a way to provide a journalism experienece for students.
Central Student Association President Jack Fisher, said it's hard to tell how the university will be affected because the system to incorportate this initiative is still in effect.
“Everybody is in a position right now where we can't guarantee anything really. We dont know what percentage will opt out. There's no way of really truly predicting that until it happens,” said Fisher.
