University of Calgary tuition hikes spark naked student protests (Canada)

[Danee]

Madi Wozny comes to the forum with barely the clothes on her back as University of Calgary Provost Alan Harrison drew of crowd of hundreds to address students in council chambers as well as in a simulcast in the MacEwan Student Centre on tuition increases February 2. She is a Music Education student.

University of Calgary tuition hikes spark naked student protests
 
Official says tuition hikes are necessary
 
By Deborah Tetley, Calgary HeraldFebruary 3, 2010Comments (14)

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From: http://www.vancouversun.com/news/University%20Calgary%20tuition%20hikes%20spark%20naked%20student%20protests/2517167/story.html

and, http://www.collegenews.com/index.php?/article/university_of_calgary_students_hold_naked_protest_of_tuition_hikes_0208201029463/

CALGARY - Roughly 500 University of Calgary students, some wearing little more than underwear and garbage bags, capped a day of protests against proposed tuition hikes with a raucous face-to-face meeting with a top university official.

The meeting comes days after the university confirmed five professional programs could see double-digit tuition fee hikes -- including up to 47-per-cent-increases for some courses.

Amid repeated booing from the crowd gathered at the MacEwan Student Centre, provost Alan Harrison explained that administration sees little choice but to consider raising fees now that the province has tabled a "one-time offer" when the university is facing deep, across-the-board budget cuts to stave off a deficit.

"It's not correct to say we are trying to solve these problems on the backs of students," said Harrison, who was a guest at the students' union council meeting Tuesday night.

Pointing to millions of dollars in cuts to government grants and investment losses in a troubled economy in recent years, Harrison said the university needs to find the money somewhere. He also said officials aren't expecting any financial aid from government in next week's budget.

"We feel it's best for us to prepare for a worst-case scenario."

The meeting was broadcast on a screen to an audience of about 500 students. They weren't buying it.

"I am sure there is room to cut at the top, or somewhere else on campus, but it seems it's easier to use students because they think we won't do anything about it," said Jacqui Lathrop, 18, a first-year business student.

"This is supposed to be a public institution. It won't feel public when students can't attend because they can't afford it."

Lathrop was wearing a ripped shirt, while many other students were wearing garbage bags to stress that they were too broke to afford clothes.

Harrison said top university officials have agreed to a wage freeze for next year.

Business is one of five professional programs facing tuition hikes under a draft bid by the U of C to the province ahead of next week's budget.

The pitch to allow hefty increases in its medicine, law, business, education and engineering programs hasn't been approved, but includes a $4,000 hike in medicine and would see business courses jump from $516 to $763.

dtetley@theherald.canwest.com