VOL. CXXXIV, NO. 22
UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO’S STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1880
24 MARCH, 2014
How we take our coffee
Exploring the culture of caffeine in Toronto from to-go cups to gourmet cappuccinos Feature, pg 12
International students a “source of profit” More than 50 per cent tuition increase for incoming international students draws sharp backlash from students James Flynn
ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR
Incoming Arts & Science international students are being charged $35,280 next year — an increase of 9.2 per cent. U of T is proposing an increase of more than 50 per cent over the next five years. In the past, university administration has claimed that the differential tuition fees for international and domestic students reflect the higher cost of education for international students. This increase, however, is bringing back persistent student concerns that the university sees international students as a profit source. “International students are absolutely seen as a source of profit by the university,” said Yolen Bollo-Kamara, current vice-president, equity, of the University of Toronto Students’ Union (utsu) and president-elect. “I have participated in many meetings at which senior members of the university administration
INSIDE
EDITORIAL
identify targets for increased international student enrolment as a way to generate revenue and compensate for gaps in government funding. The discussion always revolves around the money international students bring to the university, as opposed to their academic and social contributions,” she added. The utsu and the Canadian Federation of Students (cfs) have both lobbied for a cap on international tuition fee increases for a number of years. At present, there are no per-student operating grants for international students. In any given year, the federal and provincial governments subsidize approximately half of the fees incurred by a domestic student, while international students receive no subsidy. Still, the difference between domestic and international tuition fees is expected to expand in the coming years. Afirst-year domestic undergraduate student entering the Faculty of Arts & Science in 2013 pays $5,865. A first-year international undergraduate stu-
dent entering the Faculty of Arts & Science in 2013 pays $32,075. Tuition fees for new incoming international students are set to increase by 9.2 per cent next year. Fee increases for existing international students are set to increase by five per cent. On average, tuition fee increases are assumed to be three per cent for domestic students and 6.5% for international students each year of the fiveyear budget cycle 2014–2015 to 2018–2019. The increases come against the backdrop of U of T budget increases — U of T’s total budget is set to cross the two billion dollar mark for the first time in 2014–2015. Domestic and international tuition fee schedules are regulated under the new Ontario Tuition Framework, introduced in 2013. Under the new framework, domestic tuition fees are capped at three per cent per year for most programs. Under the previous framework, domestic tuition fees were capped at five per cent per year for most programs. University administration estimated the impact of lowering
the regulated rate of increases at $15 million in 2014–2015, growing to $56 million by the end of 2019. On the other hand, international tuition fee increases are unregulated. To that end, some allege that the university continues to increase international tuition fees to make up for funding shortfalls. The increases in international tuition fees come against the backdrop of a rapidly increasing international student population. In 2002–2003, international students represented 6.5 per cent of the total student population. Today, that number stands at 15.2 per cent. “As the number of international students has increased over the years, the need to provide additional and specialized services for international students has also grown,” said Laurie Stephens, U of T’s director of media relations. Stephens cited a number of specialized services provided for international students, including immigration and transition advice,
ARTS & CULTURE
SCIENCE
SPORTS
Neil deGrasse Tyson speaks at U of T
Patrick Chan to study at U of T
CFS’s response to defed Exploring street art in is self-defeating Toronto
CONTINUED ON PG 6
The cfs would be better served by adopting a conciliatory approach. By addressing the issues at hand and engaging students in a genuine conversation, it might still be able to keep the federation intact.
Toronto’s urban atmosphere translates just as well onto the city’s walls as it does onto the radio. Venturing into the west end, you’ll encounter Graffiti Alley, a place where a blank, brick wall becomes a canvas.
Heavy clouds prevented a clear view of the sky on Friday evening, but Convocation Hall was host to its own star when Neil deGrasse Tyson delivered the inaugural Dunlap Prize Lecture.
After deferring his acceptance to U of T’s social sciences program in the Faculty of Arts & Science, Olympic silver medalist Patrick Chan will swap hitting the ice for hitting the books this fall.
PG 11
PG 14
PG 19
PG 21