tails

 

 

 

 

 

Are university degrees
less valuable than Scotty’s
toilet paper?

Not according to a multi-
tude of students who, in an
incredible turn of events,
have managed to push up
enrollment figures across
the country this year.

Administrators at Mem-
orial University in St.
John’s are scratching their
heads in amazement after
student population rose al-
most 13 per cent.

At the University of Win-
nipeg first year enrollment
increased a staggering 20.8
per cent while student re-
gistration climbed an ave-
rage of 10 per cent at the
three Alberta universities.

This has reversed a trend
of the last few years when
university © administrators
gazed in panic at empty

   

Volume IX

classroom seats. The excep-
tions to this have been the
prestigious institutions such
as Queens. University and
the University of Western
Ontario whose hallowed re-
putations have been enough
to attract student line-ups
to their doorsteps.

Why is there this renew-
ed interest in post-seconda-
ry education?

Harry Duckworth, presi-
dent of the University of
Winnipeg says intensive
high school students re-
cruitment by his institution
has helped create ‘‘increas-
ed awareness’’ about what
universities have to offer.

Large multi-media adver-
tising recruitment cam-
paigns seem to be having
some effect as well. At
Guelph, where the contro-
versial _jingle, ‘““Gonna
check out Guelph, Myself
and Guelph”’ filled the radi-
o airwaves, enrollment has

Issue IX

Steve Shallhorn, fieldworker for the British Columbia

 

Students Federation laughs at the proceedings at the
multi campus council meeting Monday night.

photo by Tory Matson

Constitutional forum

A public discussion will
be held on the Canadian
constitution on Nov. 20 in
the New Westminster Pub-
lic Library.

According to Lillian Zim-

merman, Douglas College
convenor, there is a lot of
confusion in people’s minds
and the meeting will ‘‘shed
some light on constitutional
debate.’’

increased 6.2 per cent for
the first year students.

The University of Mani-
toba, which features large
advertisements in local dail-
y newspapers explaining
the ‘‘all-compassing cam-
pus’’ registration has jump-
ed 6.1 per cent.

However U of M presi-
dent Ralph Campbell would
rather play down the effects
of the ad campaign, and
attribute registration suc-
cess to other factors.

‘‘People are now realiz-
ing,’’ he says, ‘“‘that by
going to university - and the
Statistics show this - the
chances of getting employ-
ment are far greater than
the average person who
doesn’t go to university’’.

Campbell attributes prev-
ious enrollment declines to
an over-reaction on the part
of people who were filled
with panic at the prospect
of not having a job directly

by Dan Hilborn

Steve Shallhorn, field-
worker for the British Col-
umbia Students Federation
(BCSF), told the Douglas
College student society
Monday night that a tuition
hike is likely at this college
before next year.

Shallhorn told council
that a memo was passed at
a bursars meeting dated
Sept. 9, asking community
colleges to consider raising
their students fees.

Shallhorn said that the
bursar at Capilano College
where tuition hasn’t been
raised _in ten years, is
currently trying to increase
fees as much as 83 per cent.
A much smaller increase is
expected at Douglas, he
said.

Bill Morphy, Douglas
College bursar, was at the
Sept. meeting and stressed
that the memo was only a
suggestion. He stated that
the ministry of education
has no jurisdiction over
college tuitions, however,
Gerry Della Mattia, dean of
student services, says that a
subcommittee to review tui-
tion at Douglas has been
formed.

‘‘There is no real need
for them to do it,’’ said
Shallhorn.

out of university.

If universities wish to
maintain levels of enroll-
ment they will have to
convince a greater propor-
tion of high school gradu-
ates that university is for
them. Hence, such things

as the advertising cam- _

paigns.

While figures are sket-
chy, Don Kydon, dean of
arts and sciences at the
University of Winnipeg,
says early statistics there
show more students than
ever are considering them-
selves ‘‘university materi-
al’’, and are registering
rather than going directly
into the workforce.

Jeff Parr, researcher for
the National Union of Stu-
dents, is one who has
difficulty understanding the
enrollment increases. He
says the kinds of new uni-
versity entrants, must be
considered. Parr believes

   
    

Tuition hike predicted
at Douglas College

Shallhorn said that stu-
dies in the US have proven
that there is a proportional
decrease in the number of
people in lower income
brackets enrolled in post
secondary institutes as tui-
tion fees increase.

Shallhorn stated that stu-
dents should organize early
to prevent tuition hikes,
however, Kevin Hallgate,
student society president,
said that council will take
no action until the college
board has a concrete pro-
posal.

Shallhorn also told coun-
cil about the role of BCSF.

He explained that the

federation is working to-
wards a better deal for
students in areas such as
student aid, housing and, of
course, tuition.

BCSF, along with their
national affiliate NUS, is
currently writing a student
bill of rights as well as
trying to publicize the find-
ings of the federal provin-
cial task force on student
aid.

Housing, which is a ma-
jor problem in the lower

. mainland, is a priority of

the organization which the
provincial government re-
cognizes yet doesn’t accept
the responsibility for.

ationwide enrollment up

by Mike McEvoy of CUP

many people may be going
to university not because of
“increased awareness’ but
because of an inability to
find a job. He believes
another reason might be
that students who were
previously unable to enter
for financial reasons are
now coming back after find-
ing temporary employment.

But whatever the cause of
rising enrollment the trend
cannot continue. Not only
are government and’ busi-
ness leaders openly discour-

aging young people from

entering university in fa-
vour of trade schools, but
demographic studies say
the university age group
will decline by 20 per cent
between 1982 and 1994.

It is quite unlikely in view
of these figures that even
the most intensive recruit-
ment can stem the inevita-.
ble tide of declining enroll-
ment.

Friday, Nov. 7, 1980.

Shallhorn said that they
are asking for low ‘interest
housing loans for housing
and are. hopeful that
“‘something will break in
the next few months.’’

BCSF is an organization
representing 11 BC student
councils and over 30,000
students.

 

 

Inside

 

Employment ....pg 2

SS Budget........pg 3

Editorial... .ccseccsccesss

Letters...........pg 5

Bruce Springsteen
wo pg 8

Sporis.......pg9&10