Moderation may be the way to fix the broken trust between Queen’s University and the student body.
Using their social media platforms to raise awareness against budgetary measures implemented at the university, Queen’s Students versus Cuts (QUSVC) sat down with Principal Patrick Deane and Provost Matthew Evans on Feb. 8 to present a proposal that will allow the University to regain the student body’s trust.
Spearheading the project, Ethan Chilcott, ArtSci ’24, told The Journal the proposal was based on the concerns that QUSVC has heard from students. The proposal headlined students’ wellbeing, transparency, and the quality of education as key concerns.
“Basically, the proposals were based on the concerns that we have been hearing most whilst speaking with students, and faculty, and staff, and then various representatives,” Chilcott said.
Chilcott argued students’ wellbeing is a major worry, especially with the increased cost of living. Both PSAC 901 and the Society of Graduate and Professional Students (SGPS)’s food security initiatives have struggled to provide help due to the number of graduate students seeking support.
READ MORE: PSAC 901 and SGPS close food insecurity funds
The proposal by QUSVC requests to reallocate $500,000, amounting to 1.24 per cent of the projected investment income for 2023-24, to tackle food insecurity on campus. This funding would support an initiative led through one of the many student organizations on campus such as PSAC 901, the AMS Food Bank, or the SGPS.
Chilcott claimed the University set aside away $20 million from investment income last year to fun capital projects. According to him, the University plans to do the same with $35 million this year.
“If the University is going to claim to be in this massive crisis, and then still put away tens of millions towards future building projects, that don’t have a name or land for it yet, they could at least give $500,000 so students are able to feed themselves,” Chilcott said.
The proposal included a demand to decrease the rent increase on subsidized graduate housing to adhere to the provincial limit of 2.5 per cent, rather than the 10 per cent increase currently pushed by the University.
During the meeting, Chilcott claimed the Provost said students residing in An Clachan and John Orr were considered “more privileged” due to their access to affordable housing and if they were unhappy, they could choose to live somewhere else in Kingston, a choice Chilcott labeled as Grinch-like behaviour.
READ MORE: Queen’s notifies An Clachan and John Orr residents of rent increase five days before Christmas
“Students there have budgeted for 2.5 per cent [as] the increase and to have it suddenly be a 10 per cent increase, which was slid under their doors during the winter break, that’s comically evil and Grinch behaviour,” Chilcott said.
Chilcott finds it reasonable for Queen’s to adhere to the provincial rent limit, making it clear it won’t jeopardize the University’s financial stability. Evans justified the rent increases for subsidized housing by suggesting they align more closely with market rates.
The proposal cites that charging residents at the maximum 10 per cent increase would generate an additional $551,000 in revenue, while the difference between 10 per cent and 2.5 per cent increase for the University’s income is less than $413,000.
“It seems so strange to call them privileged and then target them to be who you squeeze more money out of […] That shouldn’t be the first place you look to squeeze a couple more dollars out of people,” Chilcott said.
When it comes to transparency, QUSVC said they’re beyond disappointed in the lack of communication they’ve received about Queen’s austerity measures. Students are asking the administration to involve students in discussions about the budget and make information available about the University’s financial standing.
QUSVC proposed to have the Rector, the highest elected representative at Queen’s, join the “Strategic Implementation and Operation Task Force” to allow students to voice decisions being made about their education.
“The difference between how people speak when there is a student in the room is so significant, and if they genuinely do value students’ input on these issues, then having the voice of the students in that room during those meetings is incredibly important for them [the University] to do,” Chilcott said.
The final component of the proposal requests the Provost’s memorandum to the Dean’s office regarding class size minimums for courses to include a policy allowing for voting on exceptions to the rule. This policy would ensure those most knowledgeable about current pedagogical practices have a say in the decision-making process.
“We’re not saying, let there be 100 two-person courses in the Faculty of Arts and Science, we’re saying if you’re going to mandate that [the memorandum] then mandate it in a way that makes sense,” Chilcott said.
The Principal seemed to be interested in the proposal and seemed engaged with what students had to offer, according to Chilcott. He hopes the University considers their proposals and sees what they are being asked for is moderate and would allow them to repair the broken bond between the student body and the administration.
“We were hoping by presenting such a moderate set of proposals we would work easily within the University’s current structures. We hoped the Principal and the Provost might see these as simple and reasonable ways to begin rebuilding trust between the University and its students,” Chilcott said.
Corrections
A previous version of this article mischaracterized one of Chilcott’s quotes with respect to course enrolments and mischaracterized a statement on the use of investment income to fund capital projects. Incorrect information appeared in the Feb. 16 issue of The Queen’s Journal.
The Journal regrets the error
Tags
budget cut, Principal Deane, Provost Matthew Evans, Students versus Cuts
All final editorial decisions are made by the Editor(s)-in-Chief and/or the Managing Editor. Authors should not be contacted, targeted, or harassed under any circumstances. If you have any grievances with this article, please direct your comments to journal_editors@ams.queensu.ca.