North Island College (NIC) students will see a two-per-cent tuition and fee increase again this year.The NIC board of governors approved the Domestic Tuition and Fee Bylaw, which applies to domestic, (not international), tuition, lab and supply fees for all courses and programs leading to a credential, at last week’s board meeting.The two-per-cent raise is the maximum amount permitted under the Ministry of Advanced Education’s Tuition Limit policy for 2012/2013.Courses and programs with a start date after Aug. 15 will be affected, except for Adult Basic Education and Adult Special Education courses, which do not have tuition fees.Students in all university transfer and career technical programs — business, bachelor of science degree in nursing, human services, fine arts and tourism — will pay $263.28 for one three-credit course instead of $258.12 for one three-credit course. The raise adds up to $51.60 more in yearly tuition when taking 10 courses in the year.NIC director of college and community relations Susan Auchterlonie said the board didn’t want to raise tuition, but the hike was necessary.”While both the college and members of the board of governors would prefer not to raise tuition, the college does face a number of cost pressures each year as a result of inflation and increases to staff and faculty salaries due to step increases (salary increments based on length of service),” said Auchterlonie.According to Auchterlonie, the tuition increase will provide $68,000 more from programs funded by the college’s base operating grant, but faculty step increases for these programs are estimated at $97,000 for 2012/2013.While lab and supply fees will also rise by two per cent, Auchterlonie said the college expects no increase to its base operating grant from the Ministry this year. The college budget will be discussed at the March board meeting.Ironically, NIC students just took part in a nationwide rally against student debt and tuition fees on Feb. 1. North Island Students’ Union (NISU) organizer James Bowen called the raise in fees frustrating.”It’s extremely frustrating because I think what happened on Feb. 1 demonstrated, not just the students at North Island College, but the whole community’s desire for more affordable public education,” said Bowen, adding that lack of provincial funding to post-secondary institutions is the problem.”The colleges and universities are being completely underfunded so per-student funding in the province is way, way down.”Savannah McKenzie, Canadian Federation of Students representative on NISU, spoke at the rally and is a student representative on the college’s board of governors.She could not comment publicly on the board’s decision after the meeting, but Auchterlonie said McKenzie spoke at the meeting.”Board of governors student member Savannah McKenzie spoke eloquently about the students’ debt situation and the impact of a tuition increase on students,” Auchterlonie said. “Board members were very sympathetic, as are all members of the college community, but given the cost pressures facing the college, felt there was no other option but to increase tuition in accordance with Ministry policy.”writer@comoxvalleyrecord.com

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