Student Association approves fee increase for 2016

Canadian Bank-Bills Made out of Plastic | Photo: Rélie / Flickr CC

On Sept. 28, the Student Association (SA) of George Brown College’s board of directors voted to approve a $31 increase ($15.50 per semester) of the Enhanced Technology Fee next year.

LGBTQ representative Murray Rowe voted to increase the fee, saying one of his concerns previously was that the SA was increasing the fee without having the total package of information in front of them.

“The last thing I would want to do is add additional costs to post-secondary education. It is high enough,” said Rowe. However, he said the increase was not an unreasonable expectation given all the enhancements that have been done.

Thomas Hadwen, the SA’s director of operations, who was also the only SA member to attend a Q&A meeting regarding the fee increase, said  he was vocally opposed to the idea at earlier stages. He reviewed the technology fee expenditure plan that includes new open access labs, more laptop sign-outs, iPads, longer hours and flexible learning. Although  Hadwen said he’s generally opposed to increasing fees, in this case he said he feels the benefits outweigh the disadvantages.

With only four board members voting against it, the resolution to increase the fee to $189 was approved in minutes.

He also mentioned that as a student of the behavioural science technology program, he struggles to pay tuition. “I only use two pieces of technology in college, and so does everyone else. I don’t see the point of increasing the fee unless I start seeing students bringing three devices everyday to school. Then I may vote for it.”

Coty Zachariah, the First Nations, Métis and Inuit representative, also voted no to the fee increase.

“I think it is our job here not to raise fees for students,” explained Zachariah. “I think the fact that we charge them less for IT than other schools do is a bonus. I think this is something we are doing right. Trying to match provincial standards is a mistake.”

The increase of the Enhanced Technology Fee is part of the Student Computing Strategy for 2014-2020. The strategy aims to “keep students current with emerging trends in technology and the learning environment” as well as “identify and support the college’s IT learning needs and requirements in an increasingly digital learning environment.”