1. Section 6
Key Findings and
Recommendations
Key Findings 6. Compared with other provinces, Saskatch-
ewan has a smaller proportion of adults with
1. University tuition and fees in Saskatchewan a university degree. Despite this, enrolment
are higher than what is reasonable and are at Saskatchewan universities continues to
not affordable for many students and their decline.
families. This discourages many youth and
7. A university education is a productive invest-
older adults from attending university.
ment for both the province and for indi­
2. The costs of living away from home to attend viduals. High levels of tuition, increasing
university are a significant barrier to access for living costs, and inadequate financial assist-
a large number of students and their families ance mean that there has been a shift from
in Saskatchewan. This is especially the case for public investment in university education to
low­income and Aboriginal students as well as greater reliance on financing by students and
older adults seeking lifelong learning oppor- their families.
tunities.
The analysis and findings in this report amplify
3. The financial assistance presently available is and support the key findings and recommen-
not adequate to provide for equality of oppor- dations of the CCPA­SK report Improving Access
tunity to attend university for all capable (Conway, 2004). Following its publication, the
Saskatchewan people who desire a university provincial government took action in the form
education. of freezing tuition at the 2004­2005 level and
establishing the Post­Secondary Education
4. Too many Saskatchewan students are gradu­
Accessibility and Affordability Review. The Review
ating from university with too much debt.
found there were serious problems of accessibil-
Since 2004, students are still amassing
ity and affordability for Saskatchewan individuals
increased debt loads even though tuition
considering attending university; the seven key
has been frozen. Increasing loan limits for
findings of this report further substantiate more
students will further increase student debt.
public financial support for students.
5. Grants and bursaries based on financial
The tuition freeze was extended though 2008­
needs of students are insufficient to ensure
2009, but the provincial government and the
equitable access to a university education in
universities are planning to increase tuition levels
the province. Benefits from tax credits are
this year. From the findings of this reappraisal of
only available to graduates and do not assist
student finances, it is inappropriate to end the
students at the time they must pay their bills.
tuition freeze at the present time.
62 • CCPA – Saskatchewan Office A Reappraisal of University Access and Affordability, March 2009

2. A Framework and more scholarships based on merit. There
should be improved and expanded pro-
for Further Action
grams to meet the full range of student living
The following recommendations for further expenses. Implementation of the following
action on the part of the provincial and federal recommendations would improve the access-
governments and the universities emerge from ibility and affordability of Saskatchewan
the analysis and findings of this report. universities.
1. No increase in tuition and fees. The prov- a. Grants for low- and middle-income
incial government and the universities students. The provincial government should
should make a commitment that they will establish a student grant program that paral-
not increase tuition levels and set a goal of lels the new federal Canada Student Grants
reducing tuition for all students. program (which will provide up to $250 per
month for low­income students and $100
2. Reduce institutional barriers of access and
a month for middle­income students). The
make a university education affordable for
provincial grant program should at least
all. The provincial and federal governments,
match the federal amounts and grants should
and the universities, should recognize and
be sufficient so tuition fees are not a barrier to
reduce barriers of access for low­income and
enrolment.
Aboriginal youth, those living distant from
universities, and adults who would participate b. Improved and expanded assistance to
in lifelong learning at university. Aboriginal students. The findings of this
report support the following recommenda-
3. More upfront financial assistance and
tions from the University of Regina (2008b)
reduced reliance on tax credits. Financial
with respect to post­secondary education
assistance should take into account financial
funding:
need and barriers to attending university.
There should be an improved and expanded • The immediate elimination of the 2 per
set of programs to provide funding to those cent annual cap on budget increases;
who need financial assistance to meet the cost
• Funding of the Post­Secondary Student
of attending university. This means reduced
Support Program (PSSSP) sufficient to
reliance on tax credits and rebates so that
ensure that every eligible First Nations
assistance is available to students at the time
and Inuit learner obtains adequate fund-
they must meet bill payments.
ing based on actual costs for tuition, travel
4. Reduce reliance on student loans. The and living expenses, including child care,
federal and provincial governments should special needs, and special shelter;
make a commitment to reduce the reliance of
• Special funding to address the existing
Saskatchewan and Canadian students on stu-
backlog of deferred eligible students;
dent loans as the primary source of financial
assistance. For those who currently have large • The extension of the PSSSP to other Abori­
student debts, debt relief programs should be ginal post­secondary students (Métis and
expanded. Non­Status First Nations).
5. Construct financial assistance programs c. Financial assistance increases to meet the
to provide equitable access. This involves special needs of single parents. Revisions
both more assistance based on financial need to assistance must recognize current living
A Reappraisal of University Access and Affordability, March 2009 CCPA – Saskatchewan Office • 63

3. university scholarships and bursaries over the
expenses and special circumstances of
next decade.
single parents. This means replacing student
loans and tax credits with grants to support
6. Increase university participation. Govern-
increased part­time and full­time university
ments and universities should work to increase
participation by single parents.
the proportion of high school graduates who
attend university. There should be a commit-
d. Greater support to lifelong learners. In
ment to changing those parts of the institu-
association with the universities and the
tional culture of universities that make some
public, Saskatchewan Advanced Education,
feel unwelcome and placing greater empha-
Employment and Labour should establish a
sis on undergraduate teaching and enhancing
task force to identify institutional, financial,
undergraduate programs.
and personal barriers to lifelong learning and
improve access to university for Saskatch-
7. Public investment in university education.
ewan individuals who have been away from
There should be a renewed commitment to
school for several years. Among the issues
public investment in university education
that should be addressed are reducing finan-
at the undergraduate level, with improved
cial and institutional barriers to lifelong learn-
equality of access for all. One means of imple-
ing and examining the effect of distance and
menting this commitment is to maintain
responsibilities for supporting families on
the freeze on tuition and fees until tuition
university participation. Aims of the study
accounts for no more than what it was prior
should include finding ways to assist adults
to the 1990s, approximately fifteen per cent
to obtain access to part­time and full­time
of university revenues. Such a policy would
learning at the university level and recognize
be directed toward expanding public invest-
prior learning. Additional funding to improve
ment in undergraduate university education,
adult access should be seen as a public invest-
shifting the costs away from the individual to
ment in credit and non­credit lifelong learn-
Saskatchewan government general revenues,
ing; lifelong learning programs should not
so university funding is provided in a manner
be structured so they must recover full costs
similar to the provision of health care and pri-
of delivery or continue to evolve into profit
mary and secondary education in Saskatch-
centres for the universities.
ewan and Canada.
e. Continue to increase scholarships. In this
The above recommendations are workable —
decade, Saskatchewan universities have made
some involve immediate action (R1, R3­5), others
progress in increasing scholarships, bursaries,
are medium­ to longer­term policy and program
and prizes. This positive development should
commitments on the part of governments, uni-
be continued, with the universities estab­
versities, and individuals (R2, R6, R7). Implemen-
lishing a long­term scholarship/bursary pro-
tation of these recommendations would improve
gram building on gains made to date. One
university accessibility and affordability and
goal could be a doubling in the real value of
would benefit the people of the province.
64 • CCPA – Saskatchewan Office A Reappraisal of University Access and Affordability, March 2009