Carleton student association lays off staff ahead of possible cuts

The Carleton University Students' Association (CUSA) has laid off two employees and willclose a convenience store and Oliver's Pub and Patio for the summer as the provincial government allows students to opt out of some mandatory fees that pay for services the associationprovides.

CUSA is warningthat other services could also be affected, such asitsemergency food cupboard, support for disabled studentsand a centre for gender issues.

Students will also be asked to choose whether to support other student services such asthe campus newspaper, The Charlatan, and the communityradio stationCKCU93.1 FM.

To draw attention to the situation, student-run services held a "blackout" day on Wednesday closing all their facilities to show what life on campuscould be like in the future.

Carleton's "blackout" student services day

6 years ago

Duration 1:08

All of the major student-run service centres at Carleton University were closed Wednesday to protest the impact of Ontario's Student Choice Initiative.

'Freedom of choice'

Under the student choice initiativeannounced in January by the Progressive Conservatives, post-secondary institutions have to give students the choice to opt out of fees the government deems non-essential.

At the time,Training, Colleges and UniversitiesMinisterMerillee Fullerton said the change was about students deciding what they cando without.

"We will ensure students have transparency and freedom of choice regarding the campus services and organizations which get access to their money," she was quoted saying in a news release.

According to CUSA,the annual fees students can now choose to opt out of costabout $130annually.

But someservices students pay for will remain mandatory, including athleticsand walksafe programs.

'A targeted way of de-funding services'

Diana Idibe, CUSA's vice-president of student services, said the organizationprovides essentials forthe health and welfare of people studying at Carleton.

"Everything from pregnancy tests and emergency food services made meimmediately think of the long-term health of students if we are cut,"Idibe said.

"It really does feel like a targeted way of de-fundingservices and attacking student autonomyrather than a real move towards transparency."

CUSA provides jobs to several hundred students and Idibe saidsome could disappear.

"I will say that fora governmentthat isall about jobs, it'sunfortunate that students that are working part-time willnow be put in a position as to whether they will be working at all."

CKCU could face cuts down the road

CKCU, whichhasbeen operating since 1975,currently has four paid staff and relies on 250 volunteers to provide its diverseprogramming.

Dylan Hunter, the station's production manager, said nearlytwo-thirds of the station's $500,000 budget comes from student fees.

And while Hunter credits successful community donation drives for keepingtheir finances safe for at least next year, cuts could happen in lateryears.

"We provide alternative music, media and different opinions and voices for students and the community,"Hunter said.

"For the price of a food platter, we can offer studentsa chance for future job opportunities in media and music."

Not all students registered yet

Kenneth H. Aliuis in hisfourth yearof law and African studiesat Carleton.

He saidthe Ontario government's opting-out policy shows how out of touch some politiciansare about life for post-secondary students.

"Especially the racializedminority studentshere on campus, that need the key studentservices like the social justice initiatives that helpmarginalizedstudents like the women's centre and those who need food," he said.

CUSA saidit's still trying to clarify with the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universitieswhat itconsiders to be an essential student service hoping that some of the services itoffers could be made mandatory.

The associationestimates thatonly afterall students have registered for the next school year,sometime this summer, will it know which student services will be cut.

This isn't a one-time exercise, however,as students will be asked annually to choose what they don't want to fund.