Post-secondary to see less funding in 2018
Provincial support for colleges and universities cut by 0.9 per cent
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As part of Manitoba’s $17.4 billion budget for the 2018/19 fiscal year, unveiled March 12, support for postsecondary institutions will be cut by 0.9 per cent, or $6.3 million.
The government has asked postsecondary institutions to make up the funding reduction through other forms of revenue, including tuition increases.
Provincial Minister of Education and Training Ian Wishart said the province remains committed “to ensuring high quality, affordable, and accessible post-secondary education.”
“We are making tough decisions within our government as we steer Manitoba back onto a better fiscal track and we expect our post-secondary institutions to do the same,” he said.
“We have allowed universities greater flexibility to set tuition rates without compromising affordability for students,” added Wishart.
“Manitoba students pay the lowest tuition in western Canada and enjoy the third lowest rate of tuition in all of Canada and we will work to ensure it remains that way.”
In November, the provincial government passed the Advanced Education Administration Amendment Act, allowing universities and colleges in Manitoba to increase tuition by five per cent plus inflation annually.
The U of M has indicated it intends to take advantage and tuition fees could climb by about 6.6 per cent in the upcoming fall term. The legislation also lifts restrictions on courserelated fees.
In a release posted on UM Today following the Progressive Conservatives’ budget announcement, U of M president and vice-chancellor David Barnard said the cuts are “disappointing and present considerable challenges to our institution’s budgeting process.”
“My colleagues and I will continue to advocate strongly with government for appropriate funding levels to ensure our province experiences the benefits of ongoing research and innovation,” Barnard added.
U of M executive director of public affairs John Danakas said the university will continue in delivering the programs and services students expect while advocating for increased funding.
“The university will continue to advocate with government to raise awareness of the value of an appropriate level of investment in a researchintensive university to the continued economic and cultural prosperity of the province,” he said.
“In the long term, increased funding to the university of Manitoba improves the level of prosperity in the province,” Danakas added.
“Part of the long-term plan to improve the capacity and competitiveness of the University of Manitoba and other post-secondary institutions continues to be to bring tuition rates in this province more in line with those in other provinces.”
The university will present its 201819 budget in May.
The province will also increase funding to the Manitoba Bursary Fund by $2.6 million - the total of which will go toward low-income Indigenous students and expanding the eligibility to students studying at private religious institutions.
However, overall funding for postsecondary bursaries and funds will decrease by $ 100,000.
Funding for Research Manitoba, which provides grants and funds for research in health, natural and social sciences, engineering, and thehumanities, will be slashed - a reduction of more than $3 million.
Canadian Federation of Students – Manitoba interim chairperson Dele Ojewole called the province’s budget “a total disaster.”
“It does not in any form address any important issues or concerns of postsecondary students,” he said.
“The budget once again proves the government’s lack of commitment to investing in accessible and affordable post-secondary education in Manitoba, but rather continue[s]
to balance the books on the backs of vulnerable students.”
Ojewole added that the expected tuition increases will most severely hurt students from “marginalized, underprivileged communities, and lower-middle income families.”
“Investing in education should be a priority for any serious government," Ojewole said. "Education is an investment in the future of Manitoba, its economy and fundamental to the development and growth of our society.”
UMSU reacts
UMSU president-elect Jakob Sanderson said that with the expected rise in tuition and decrease in funding, “the provincial government lied to students and it's that simple.”
Speaking to the government's tone while it amended legislation to allow for tuition hikes, Sanderson said “The constant theme was, ‘Students should like this bill because they need a higher level of education.’ And so if this bill passes, we’ll pay more in tuition but we’ll get a higher level of education.
“That’s now proven to not to be true.”
“UMSU does not have the money or the capacity and it’s not their role to provide better funding to post-secondary institutions,” Sanderson said. In regards to his new position as UMSU president-elect, Sanderson said, "What we've seen over the last while is UMSU executives that seem less than inclined to engage in strong mobilized advocacy efforts.
“And I can promise students that our UMSU executives will try everything that we possibly can to educate these students about these issues, listen to students about how they want us to respond, and mobilize and advocate with the full force of our membership to try and make education as high quality and affordable as possible for our students and that's a promise we intend to keep.”
“They’re using our tuition money to pay off the province’s deficit,” Sanderson added. “The cut is so extreme compared to inflation that we're actually going to get a lower quality of education.” Sanderson said that the incoming UMSU executive will advocate to the university on behalf of students to implement a scholarship aggregator to link students with scholarships and bursaries eligible to them.
SHADEN ABUSALEH, STAFF
PHOTO BY ASHA NELSON
Double album release
and housepanther show in West End
Local outfits join forces for double album release
R U S T O W L and housepanther plan double release, safe walk to venue
OLIVIA MICHALCZUK, STAFF
RUS T O W L and housepanther have joined forces - and half their names - for their double album release show titled Rustcat Bonfire March 24 at X-Cues’ Café and Lounge.
“I think the West End is one of the best spots in the city with the best food and I really want to invite people who might not usually hang out there to come hang out” - Jory Strachan, co-owner of Yes Wave Promotions
The release stemmed from a Facebook status by Bailee Woods, who performs under the name housepanther, in which she explained she was planning on releasing her first album this spring.
“I was looking to release my album by March [or] April and was looking for venue suggestions,” Woods said.
“Jory [Strachan] from R U S T O W L messaged me and said they were also looking to release an EP around that time. From there we just kind of discussed doing a release show as
two bands. We're all buddies so it just made sense.”
Housepanther’s debut album Club
Soda Lows will feature upbeat tunes that reflect on the ups and downs Woods went through over the past two years. Single “filthy lazy” was released March 10 which pairs familiar millennial woes with poppy beats. The show will be at X-Cues’ Café and Lounge, and Yes Wave Promotions, of which Strachan is a co-owner, will be providing a safe walk for anyone that feels unsafe walking to the venue. Volunteers will be available to escort people on the five-minute walk from the University of Winnipeg to X-Cues’. Strachan said they are providing the service to get more people down to the show.
“[We] decided to implement the safe walk since the West End neighbourhood does have a stigma and we wanted to be as inviting and as accommodating as possible and ensure everyone feels safe where they’re going,” said Strachan.
“I think the West End is one of the best spots in the city with the best food, and I really want to invite people who might not usually hang out there to come hang out.”
Woods added “It’s awesome to see Yes Wave Promotions go above and beyond to see people get to a venue safely.”
Jensen Fridfinnson, who plays electric organ and fiddle for R U S T O W L, is especially excited about the release and what people are going to think of the EP since the band
has only performed live since coming together in April 2017.
“Our EP that we are releasing is kind of a big mishmash of styles, we've been going with ‘post-punk Americana,’” said Fridfinnson.
“Lots of honest, heartfelt lyrics from Garrett [Iverson]. I think one of the cool things about this being our first release as a band is that it can be anything - there's nothing to compare it to, and no prior expectations unless people have seen us live.”
Strachan said choosing X-Cues’ for the venue was a switch up from where the band usually plays in Winnipeg.
“We chose X-Cues’ because we really like the venue and the people that run it,” said Strachan.
“It’s a change from the Sherbrooke street venues, not that there’s anything wrong with them, we love playing those venues, we just wanted to do something a little different with our release. Plus [X-Cues’] has a bon-
Rustcat Bonfire: housepanther and R U S T O W L double release show will be at X-Cues’ Café and Lounge March 24. Tickets are $12 at the door and the safe walk program will be available from the University of Winnipeg to the venue.
Stepping stone to exploring the heart of Winnipeg
Design Quarter market showcases local businesses
OLIVIA MICHALCZUK, STAFF
Design Quarter will be hosting a free market at local furniture store HUT K SPACE March 2 to highlight some of the businesses that central Winnipeg has to offer.
Design Quarter is a non-profit organization created in May 2017 to bring people to the heart of the city. The goal of the organization is to attract tourists and locals alike to creative destinations in central Winnipeg by demonstrating that Winnipeg is a walkable and designfocused city.
Executive director Zephyra Vun said that while Design Quarter is often mistaken as an organization only focused on the Exchange District, it also includes businesses from The Forks and Downtown.
“While the density of our members certainly lie in the Exchange [District] currently, our goal is to highlight this entire, walkable community of local makers and design entrepreneurs,” said Vun. “What many also don't realize is that it takes about 20 minutes to walk from one end of the Quarter to
the other, or 12 minutes to walk from The Forks into the Exchange. Our downtown can be a lot more walkable, navigable, and interesting than those big box [and] mall parking lots.”
“We thought this market would be an excellent way for the public to get a taste of what Design Quarter is all about”
- Zephyra Vun, executive director of Design Quarter
The intention of the market is to educate design-savvy locals about the businesses that exist in the Design Quarter, and to provide support and networking opportunities for the businesses that already exist in
downtown Winnipeg.
“We thought this market would be an excellent way for the public to get a taste of what Design Quarter is all about,” said Vun.
“A variety of members all under one roof for a one-of-a-kind, oneday-only, immersive showcase of diverse Winnipeg design culture. The hope is that people will leave the event wanting more, encouraging them to go out and explore the actual [Design] Quarter to its full potential.”
The market is set to include a selection of Design Quarter’s 55 members. Among the many market participants are Bronuts and Cake-ology providing free desserts, Winnipeg Architecture Foundation and Cinematheque, screening short films, and The Hammond Building hosting an artist doing live interactive art.
The market will not be set up like a typical market, with rows of vendors selling their wares, but rather to provide an experience more similar to a fair, where people can interact with the business owners and learn what they are all about in addition to purchasing products from Design Quarter members.
Attendees are encouraged to explore the Design Quarter after leaving the market to see what other local businesses it has to offer.
“Nowadays, people crave products that are not only produced locally, but that are unique, made with care and attention to detail, and that come from businesses whose practices benefit the community at large,” said Vun. “Design Quarter provides an accessible platform for Winnipeggers to find these local gems.”
