In early October, UBC proposed a 10% tuition increase for incoming international students, as well as a 20% increase to housing costs. Justification was primarily based on comparison to international tuition costs at other global universities, as well as average housing costs of living in the Greater Vancouver Area.
For the most part, students have expressed discontent at the proposed increases. The resulting #IAmAStudent movement, a social media movement which plays off the UBC slogan of #IAmUBC, hopes to overturn the proposed increases through student involvement and activism. Unlike other Canadian universities, (here’s looking at you, McGill) UBC does not have a strong history of activism or student based movements.
Prior events organized by #IAmAStudent, including the student assembly and the on-campus protest, had lower than expected turnouts to oppose the proposed increases. However on October 28th 2014, which is also the 92nd anniversary of the Great Trek in 1922, over 600 students gathered at the AMS annual general meeting (AGM) in order to have their voices heard on resolutions relating to the proposed increases. A week after the proposed increases were announced, the AMS released an official statement opposing the increases and expressing concern about the rationale behind such proposals. While they had already stated their opposition prior to the AGM, I gather from the meeting that reaching quorum (500+ students registered in attendance) is integral for passing binding resolutions.
At the AGM, seven motions were brought forward concerning the proposed increases and all seven were passed at quorum. The official release of the AGM detailing the motions can be found here.
Personally, I ended up at the AGM mostly through confusion rather than through my own sense of activism. Upon arrival at the SUB Ballroom, I found myself in a large line outside the door where I would eventually sign in to the meeting and find one of the few remaining seats. By the beginning of the meeting, quorum had been reached for the first time at an AMS AGM in nearly 40 years, and seating was sparse. I was under the impression that there was to be a vote over the proposed tuition and housing increases, but did not know that what I was actually attending was the formal AGM of the AMS. Although every student is a member of the AMS, very few of us realize this and often miss out on actively playing a role or participating in governance. As a result, I was surprised when what I thought was a simple vote (I was picturing smiley faced ballots, naïvely) ended up looking like a rather large Model UN, except everyone was wearing scarves instead of suits.
Over the course of the next hour, resolutions about the proposed increases were brought forward. Five of the seven resolutions passed unanimously and with very little debate, and spoke to the desire of students to have the AMS actively oppose the potential increases at the university level. The first of the two resolutions that didn’t pass unanimously, although still passed at quorum to much applause, was proposing that the AMS advocate to the provincial government to ensure tenants’ rights for university housing. This was opposed in the debate portion by a few individuals who expressed that university housing being exempt from BC tenant’s rights actually allows for greater student control and participation in housing at UBC. Others refuted this with personal experiences wherein UBC housing was not receptive to student voices, or to that of the AMS.
The second resolution was that the AMS should themselves organize student protests. This resolution was opposed by a few students, among them Jenna Omassi, who is the Chair for the Legislative Procedures Committee in the AMS as well as the Arts Undergraduate Society President. The argument was that the position of the AMS “at the table” with university administrators could be compromised by organizing active protests, and that the AMS as a society was not fit to organize student protests. This was contested by members of the #IAmAStudent, who pointed out that as a student society, the AMS’ job was to be the society which the students themselves wanted.
For a more thorough presentation of the position of the #IAmAStudent movement, and in particular why they think the AMS should be involved in organizing protests, see The Ubyssey’s opinion piece here.
Altogether, it was quite an experience to see members of the student body come together and formally oppose the tuition and housing increases that ultimately affect us all as students.
If you wish to know more about the #IAmAStudent movement and events, you can find them here.
Keep in mind that the consultation process is happening until November 21st if you want to have your voice heard!