Students Launch ‘Cuts Suck’ Campaign to Fight Education Cuts

Students at Vancouver Island University (VIU) have initiated the ‘Cuts Suck. Fix Education’ campaign, urging their peers across British Columbia to flood elected officials’ inboxes with messages opposing cuts to post-secondary education funding. This campaign, launched on September 17, 2023, at VIU’s Nanaimo campus, highlights the urgent need for increased investment in educational resources.

The B.C. Federation of Students and the Vancouver Island University Students’ Union emphasize the dire situation facing students as public funding for post-secondary institutions has fallen to 40 percent of operating budgets. In contrast, tuition fees have surged by 155 percent over the last 25 years, creating a financial strain on students and their families.

As part of their campaign, students are calling for a return to a government funding level of at least 75 percent for operating budgets. According to Sarah Mei Lyana, chairperson of VIU’s students’ union, the funding cuts are having a significant impact on both course offerings and essential student services.

“There are longer waits for counselling services and advising,” Mei Lyana stated. “Students are experiencing delays in accessing the programs and courses they need due to fewer professors. Additionally, we have reduced library hours and the cancellation of a childcare project that was supposed to be built here.”

The ramifications of the cuts extend beyond VIU. Debi Herrera Lira, chairperson of the B.C. Federation of Students, highlighted similar challenges at her institution, Douglas College in New Westminster. “While we haven’t seen program cuts, we are experiencing changes in faculty and staff positions, which leads to layoffs,” Lira noted. “These changes will inevitably impact students now and in the long run, with reduced access to vital services.”

The concerns about educational quality are echoed by Gara Pruesse, president of the VIU Faculty Association. Pruesse pointed out that the university is facing a multimillion-dollar deficit for the 2025-26 fiscal year, with significant cuts that interfere with the quality of education provided to students.

“The cuts have been so substantial that it is damaging our ability to offer the education students come here for and serve the communities,” Pruesse articulated. “If we continue to cut services and courses, we will ultimately jeopardize our future by reducing student enrollment.”

The ‘Cuts Suck. Fix Education’ campaign aims to mobilize students and advocate for more robust financial support for post-secondary education. The campaign’s organizers encourage students to reach out to their elected representatives to underscore the importance of funding in maintaining educational standards and services.

For more information on the campaign, visit www.cutssuck.ca.