The Ontario government’s recent announcement on tuition affordability has sparked passionate and engaging discussions among post-secondary education staff, students, and faculty. The lion’s share of the conversation has focused on the implications for OSAP recipients. However, there has been little coverage on a crucial dimension of the government’s announcement: the proposed ancillary fee opt-out.
The government will require universities to “provide an online opt-out option for all non-essential non-tuition fees,” according to the Ontario government. At first glance, this proposal may appear to directly alleviate the financial burden on students.
However, an opt-out on certain fees may have a negative impact on the financial viability of major university institutions such as clubs and societies, student unions, and campus newspapers and radio stations.
Although the government has indicated that essential services such as walksafe programs, health and counselling, athletics, recreation, and academic support will be exempt from the opt-out, there is a lack of clarity about whether the essential role played by student-led academic support organizations will be recognized by either the university administration or the Ontario government.
One of these essential bodies is the Carleton Academic Student Government (CASG)—the academic voice for undergraduate students at Carleton. With its mandate “to respond to issues affecting the quality and administration of education at Carleton University,” CASG has operated as the student pillar of the Academic Governance of the University since its creation by the university Senate in 1969.
The organization collects less than two dollars from each student per year, but uses that levy to provide academic support to advocate for substantial curriculum change, and to relay concerns about instructor misconduct to department chairs and Senate officers.
Since its foundation, CASG has enjoyed a productive partnership with the university administration in addressing academic concerns. Recently, CASG has championed initiatives to make course outlines available earlier in the semester, to include accommodations for survivors of sexual violence in syllabi, and to hold instructors accountable when academic policies are violated. The levy contributions from undergraduate students allow these objectives to become realized within the Carleton community.
CASG’s annual budget is comparable to the salary of a single Carleton University Students’ Association (CUSA) executive. Despite operating with limited resources, CASG successfully acts as an intermediary between the student body and the departmental, faculty, and Senate levels of Carleton.
Its strength is rooted in its democratic representation from the 100-plus members of the CASG council, with representatives from each program. These representatives play a critical role in the university community, by voting on changes to CASG’s policies and by airing academic grievances at department and faculty board meetings.
With the potential for an opt-out from essential academic support bodies like CASG, the student voice risks being muted by a compromised ability to deliver vital services and to advocate for students. It is important that Carleton and the Ontario government recognize the essential function that groups like CASG play to ensure that students have a role in shaping their academic experience.
