The province needs to increase post-secondary education funding or more cuts are inevitable, according to Capilano University students and the university itself.
That's the message behind a student-led "Where's the Funding" campaign launched this fall, which aims to call attention to education issues.
Funding for Capilano increased only $5,000 for the 2010/2011 budget after a $2.2 million increase the year before, and the province hasn't budgeted any further increase until at least 2014. That led to cuts last year, largely in adult basic education.
Without an increase in funding, more cuts are highly likely in the 2012 budget, according to the university.
"We're not even getting basic inflation," said Cindy Turner, university vice-president of finance and administration. That includes costs such as higher hydro bills, a new carbon levy and increased salaries, among other costs.
What's more, Capilano University receives less money per-student than all but three of the province's 25 post-secondary institutions.
Capilano receives $6,933 per student, compared to a provincial average of $10,000. Even universities of a similar size and course make-up receive more, such as University of the Fraser Valley, which gets more than $8,000 per student, and Vancouver Island University, which gets about $7,700 per student.
As well, when those schools and others were upgraded from colleges to universities, the province boosted their funding - but not so for Cap, said Turner.
That disparity is reflected in the classroom, she admitted.
"We haven't got the systems we'd like to have, the technology we would like to have, even compared to other universities. We're not even equal to other universities."
The school can increase tuition at two per cent per year, but that adds up to about $300,000, she said.
The school's student union has teamed up with Simon Fraser University, University of Victoria and the University of B.C. and others to call for increased provincial funding.
The campaign calls for the creation of a front-end grants program based on financial need. As well, it calls for the elimination of interest on student loans and an increase in base operating funding.
David Clarkson, president of the Capilano Student Union, estimated the cost of a grant program at $80 million to $100 million annually, while eliminating interest on loans would cost $30 million a year.
On top of that, however, he said increasing operating funds and making the distribution fairer are high priorities.
"If Cap were to receive that amount of money," said Clarkson, pointing to the provincial average of $10,000 per student, "we would get about $17 million more every year."
Minister of Advanced Education Naomi Yamamoto, who is also MLA for North Vancouver Lonsdale, admitted that Capilano University's funding is "still lower, yes," but she said the difference was not significant. She said part of the difference is based on the types of courses offered.
As well, she pointed to recent funding announcements for capital improvements at the school, including $35.2 million for a new film centre, that adds up to a total of $42.3 million - about half of that from the province.
On operating funding, she refused to speculate on when increases could be made.
"When there is more funding available, I can tell you I will be the first one there to fight for post secondary education," she said, arguing the government doesn't have the money yet.
As for the other demands, Yamamoto said there were no plans to change the grants program or student loan programs.
She pointed out the province already doesn't make money off of student loans, borrowing the money from banks at the same interest rates they apply to students, and in many cases they forgive student loans to those who work in the province. At the same time, she said there are specific front-end grants provided by the federal government, but no plans to expand that.
"The studies that show that if you increase the grants up front, completion is even less," she said.
