Calls upcoming consultations critical to the future of Ontario universities

 

TORONTO, October 1, 2004 -- York University President and Vice-Chancellor Lorna Marsden welcomed the second phase of the Ontario Government’s Postsecondary Review and congratulated the Honourable Mary Anne Chambers, Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities, on establishing such an open and transparent consultation process.   

 

“The Rae Review has done a good job of identifying the challenges facing postsecondary education in Ontario,” says Marsden. “The formal consultation process is an historic opportunity to plan for the future of higher education in this province. York will play an active role, working along with our students, alumni, faculty and staff, who share in our commitment to ensure that we absolutely get it right. Our priority must be to make certain that universities in this province are strong, open and accessible institutions, supported by stable and adequate funding.”

 

“York University has a huge stake in the outcome of the review,” says Marsden. “York is the second largest undergraduate and graduate university in Ontario, serving 50,000 students or 12 per cent of  Ontario’s university student population. We will continue to champion access to affordable post-secondary education for all Ontario students, which will ultimately help to realize the enormous potential of this province.”

 

Marsden listed the following priorities:

• Access to affordable higher education for all students, which needs to be embedded in government policy related to tuition and student assistance.
• Increased research funding to attract top-level faculty, enhance international collaboration and support a research‘ culture’.  York is ranked one of Canada’s fastest growing research universities.

• Greater clarity from the provincial government regarding its objectives for the university sector and a clear distinction of the role of universities versus colleges.
• Adequate, stable, predictable funding for universities. On a per capita basis Ontario ranks last among Canadian provinces in university funding. Funding has not kept pace with inflation and frequently universities do not know their respective grant funding in advance of the fiscal year. 
• A major overhaul of student aid policy aimed at simplifying the process, while ensuring that those who are vulnerable are protected -- as mentioned in the Rae Review Discussion Paper. 

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For further information, please contact:

Nancy J. White, Director, Media Relations, York University, 416-736-5603 / whiten@yorku.ca