By Greg Fry

TRU on board with Faculty Association’s call for funding formula change

Jan 15, 2018 | 2:09 PM

KAMLOOPS — Thompson Rivers University has reacted to its Faculty Association’s campaign calling for “fair funding” from the provincial government.

Last week TRUFA President Tom Friedman said they wanted the province to provide TRU with its full legislated mandate as a comprehensive research university with a regional mandate and noted the roughly $70 million the school gets annually isn’t enough.

He said the funding has fallen in the last 15 years to covering about 70 per cent of the operating costs of the institution to this current year of about 42 per cent.

Friedman added the funding pressure has forced the school to find other sources of revenue, including student tuition, which he calculates has gone up 400 per cent when one includes not just the cost of courses but also ancillary fees which have also gone up “significantly.” Friedman says those include lab fees and other fees which are charged to students.

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He said it’s also forced TRU to seek money from private donors, which he said the Faculty Association is not in favour of, noting “as a public institution we should be funded by the government.”

“It wasn’t surprising that they had this campaign. It’s very similar to what our student union came out with a couple of years ago,” said TRU Vice-President Administration and Finance Matt Milovick. “So, it’s encouraging, they’re basically lobbying government in the same way that we’ve been having discussions with our provincial government for a number of years.”

CFJC Today asked him about Friedman’s contention that student tuition has gone up 400 per cent when ancillary costs are added to the equation the past 10 or 12 years to deal with the funding shortfall, and had this to say:

“Yeah, I haven’t gone back to look over the last 15 years or so. With respect to tuition, there’s been a two per cent cap from the government on all tuition and fees so how that translates over time I’m not sure,” Milovick said. “What I do know right now is our problem is somewhat compounded. We have the third lowest tuition in the province and one of the lowest grant per FTE’s (Full Time Equivalent). So, it can be challenging for sure.”

He also didn’t argue with Friedman’s argument TRU hasn’t been getting a fair shake when it comes to funding, noting “we know that our grant per FTE is quite a bit lower and when it’s looked at as the grant per actual FTE, it’s an even different story. Our operating grant per actual FTE is the second lowest in the province, UNBC being the highest.”

Milovick argues what’s needed is “a fulsome review of the funding formula,” as recommended by the provincial government’s Standing Committee on the budget that toured B.C. last fall.

“In my personal feeling, that’s what it takes. A review of the funding formula.”

One area he’s at odds with is the Faculty Association’s call for an end to private donations to the school.

“I think philanthropy in post-secondary accounts for a lot of things that we would otherwise not be able to do. I’m not sure it’s fair the taxpayers bear the complete burden of post-secondary and I think there’s a lot of people that like to give to post-secondary education.”

Meantime, TRU Student Union Vice-President External Cole Hickson said his group supports the “fair funding” campaign, noting it’s similar to their own “Fund the Future” campaign.

He also said there’s no doubt it’s had a definite impact on rising tuition costs, consequently making it more difficult for students.

“Tuition, the rising cost of living, it’s very difficult for a lot of students to maximize their education both inside and outside the classroom because of the rising costs of education,” said Hickson.