Budget cuts across the board

In a single week, it has come out that Queen's has canceled Homecoming, a major source of revenue, is spending money to spy on its students conversations and will now cut departmental funding by 15% over 3 years. What is it that Queen's stands for now? It is not alumni, it is not freedom of speech, and now it doesn't seam like quality of education. I will still recommend Queen's to grade 12s I know, I will still tell my friends and family over the break that I love going to school here, but I will do so less enthusiastically.

I find this interesting, considering the number of new courses that have been added in the past few years. Instead of a handful of quality courses, we will now have a large array of under-funded, substandard courses.

All around, a truly brilliant move. Bravo to all those involved.

I'm not sure to what extent the University is permitted to do so, but perhaps it's time to re-evaluate tuition. I realize we're getting screwed already - that the provincial and federal gov'ts don't hold up their end of the funding, but in the end it OUR degrees.

I think most students at Queen's can afford a 10% hike or so. The university should consider raising tuition to cover the gap, as long as they expand financial aid so that those who can't pay for it don't fall through the cracks of debt.

First off, these cuts are from the Province, Queen's doesn't have ANY say whatsoever in the magnitude, which is why other schools are in the exact same boat.

Instead of directing anger at the school, do it at the provincial government. Everyone is crapping bricks right now due to the economy, but the Province holds the purse strings.

On that note, I'd like to ask the Province: how the hell are some departments, which are already extraordinarily efficient in terms of non-faculty staff, going to cope with 15% of cuts when payroll takes up >90% of the budget? Make a long term financial plan for Universities so that they can plan accordingly, don't shuffle on every year onto a new course of action.

... and yet we have a quarter of a billion dollars (and rising) for a fancy new gym to boost queens ranking in macleans magazine's university shopping guide.

To the student who suggested an increase in tuition - there is a provincial framework for tuition fee regulation in nearly all programs, and the university also tries to stay within a competitive range of similar programs at other universities so that it can attract top-quality students. If you check out the latest Senate agenda, you will notice that Queen's has in fact revised its original plans for 2009-2010 tuition to maximize tuition fee increases wherever possible.
If you will permit me a bit of ideological commentary on that, I will note that much of the increase will come from a change from sustained to increased fees for international students, who consistently state inability to plan for future tuition as one of their frustrations in paying to attend Queen's. Note also that the revised tuition plan increases tuition by 4.8% across the university, just under the provincial maximum of 5%, and that it will, in fact, bring in additional revenue of under $1 million.