Omar Jackson, President of the Haileybury Student Association at Northern College and the Northern Director for the College Student Alliance was recently awarded the W. Garfield Weston Award. The Garfield Weston Awards program was established in 1999 and is designed to recognize outstanding college-bound students who show a strong commitment to their fields of study. Another major aspect to the program is honouring students who are interested in making positive contributions to their communities, which Omar has proficiently executed during his college career at Northern College’s Haileybury campus. Finalists were one of the top 90 of 837 applicants from across Canada and each year up to 50 awards are presented with the ability to renew the award annually, based on maintaining the programs high standards of the scholar. Mr. Jackson was also the 2009 winner of the CSA Advocate of the Year Award for his work on behalf of college students.

For more information on the W. Garfield Weston Foundation visit:
www.garfieldwestonawards.ca

Congratulations go out to Omar Jackson for being recognized for his leadership, community involvement, and academic excellence.

College Students Will Experience Improved Student Assistance

Toronto, ON—This morning the McGuinty government announced plans to modernize student assistance. Providing an additional $81 million for assistance this government has maintained its commitment to the success of college and college/university students, says the College Student Alliance (CSA). Also the current tuition framework will remain in effect for the  ext two years.

“Students can breathe easier today in light of these changes,” says Justin Fox, President of the CSA. “We are pleased that a number of our recommendations are being supported through today’s announcement.” The CSA has steadfastly advocated for improved student income exemptions, maximum loan amount increases and alleviating some of the burdens associated with debt repayment.

The updates to the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) include: annual increases to the book, supply and equipment allowance based on inflation; doubling of income exemption with annual inflationary increases; slight increases to maximum loan amounts; reducing spousal contribution expectations down by 10%; doubling of the vehicle exemption amount to $10,000; and the automatic distribution of Student Access Guarantee funding.

Great progress has been made in debt repayment. The government will pay for all accumulated interest for the first six months after graduation and graduates will never have to make payments that amount to over 20% of their family income. After fifteen years all remaining debt will be forgiven. These changes apply to those students who graduate after August 1 of this year.

Fox adds that, “hopefully these changes will mean that fewer graduates default on their OSAP loans and can be focused on developing their professional and personal lives. The changes to debt repayment appear to be consistent with the government’s desire to help students prepare for participation in Ontario’s push to be a global economic leader.”

Looking forward, the CSA hopes to see the expansion of targeted access grants to all years of study and the supplementation of loans with more grants. The CSA will continue to work with government in representing the needs and interests of Ontario college and college/university students.

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The College Student Alliance (CSA) is an advocacy and leadership organization, which has been proudly serving Ontario’s college and college-university students since 1975. The CSA currently represents 17 colleges and 25 member councils with over 135,000 full-time student members throughout the province.

For further information contact:

Justin Fox
President
College Student Alliance
T: 519-972-2727, ext. 4524
C: 519-566-7211
E: president@collegestudentalliance.ca

College Students Pleased with Progress yet Anxious Over Costs

Toronto, ON— Finance Minister Dwight Duncan’s 2010 Ontario Budget maintains post-secondary education as a cornerstone of prosperity. In it the McGuinty government makes some significant commitments to education. Most importantly the government has pledged to provide resources for a credit transfer system, which has been a main component of the College Student Alliance (CSA) agenda for years.

“Today is a victory for the college and college/university students of Ontario,” says Justin Fox, President of the CSA, noting expectations are that the investment will be significant. “Our organization, along with other stakeholders and government, has worked tirelessly to see credit transfer enter into a budget.”

Other noteworthy budget commitments include $310 million for Ontario’s colleges and universities to enroll an additional 20,000 students, and $600 million over two years for an additional 30,000 Second Career students. “Ontario students are definitely pleased to see that this government continues to hold education in such high regard,” Fox says. “Students believe strongly that their current studies and training will help Ontario’s competitiveness progress on a global scale.”

However not all concerns of Ontario students have been addressed. The Budget makes no mention of plans to support students through the rising costs of study and living. The CSA advocates for continued supplementation of loans with more grants and a loan program that does not deduct eligibility amounts based on income earnings.

“This government has proudly stated its commitment to colleges and students,” states Fox. “While college and college/university students currently do not know what improvements will be made to the Ontario Student Assistance Program, we are excited to continue working with government in the production of such a plan.”

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The College Student Alliance (CSA) is an advocacy and leadership organization, which has been proudly serving Ontario’s college and college-university students since 1975. The CSA currently represents 17 colleges and 25 member councils with over 135,000 full-time student members throughout the province.

For more information, contact:

Justin Fox
President
C: 519-566-7211
E: president@collegestudentalliance.ca

Students Applaud Government Moving to an Open Ontario

Toronto, ON—This afternoon the Lieutenant Governor, the Honourable David Onley, delivered the Throne Speech signaling the beginning of the second session of the 39th Ontario Parliament as well as the opening of Ontario to the world, says the College Student Alliance (CSA).

“Students are pleased to hear the government’s continued commitment to the education and training of Ontarians,” says Justin Fox, President of the College Student Alliance. “Expanding opportunities and increasing access to postsecondary and training will ensure that Ontarians and Ontario are well prepared to meet the challenges of transitioning from the current recession into the knowledge-based economy.”

The Speech from the Throne unveils the government’s new five-year plan, Open Ontario, which will focus on tax moderation, innovation, green initiatives, exploration of northwestern Ontario and makes education a central component to improving the province’s economic strength. The plan commits to increase space for an additional 20,000 students to obtain a college, university or skills trade designation this year, increase international student enrolment in Ontario postsecondary institutions by 50 percent, the creation of an Ontario Online Institute all while improving the overall quality for all students.

“With such a bold vision set out by Open Ontario, students now await the 2010 Budget by Minister of Finance, the Honourable Dwight Duncan to see how the details will translate into transforming our education and training,” adds Fox.

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The College Student Alliance (CSA) is an advocacy and leadership organization, which has been proudly serving Ontario’s college and college-university students since 1975. The CSA currently represents 17 colleges and 25 member councils with over 135,000 full-time student members throughout the province.

For more information, contact:

Justin Fox
President
College Student Alliance
T: 519.972.2727, ext. 4524
C: 519.566.7211
E: president@collegestudentalliance.ca

Students Relieved: Can Finally Focus on Academics

A province-wide faculty strike has been averted  

Toronto, ON—This afternoon, Ontario’s college students finally received some positive news as the Ontario Labour Relations Board (OLRB) revealed the official count on the colleges’ final offer, says the College Student Alliance (CSA).  It is now official that Ontario’s college faculty have voted to accept the colleges’ final offer by a majority of 51.45% and avert a province-wide work stoppage.

 “Students are relieved to hear that their education and training will not be jeopardized this academic year due to a faculty strike,” says Justin Fox, President of the College Student Alliance.  “Students have been waiting for months to know for certain whether or not their education would be interrupted because of labour unrest.”

After nearly nine months of bargaining, a strike mandate and a vote on the college’s final offer, Ontario’s full-time professors, librarians, counselors and partial load instructors now have a new three year collective agreement.  On February 10^th, faculty unofficially voted 51.25% in favour of accepting the colleges’ final offer, but with such a narrow margin the OLRB was asked to provide the official results.  After taking ten days to review the ballots and include the segregated and mail-in ballots, the OLRB has reported that 4473 voted to accept and 4221 voted to reject the offer.

“The most important task ahead for both the colleges and the faculty will be to put any remaining issues and feelings behind them and get back to focusing on providing students and Ontarians with the education and training needed to prosper in today’s knowledge-based economy,” adds Fox.

For more information on the new agreement and for what students think, visit www.collegestrike.ca.

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