There's mixed reaction to today's provincial announcement that allows Ontario universities to raise tuition fees for the first time in three years. It's a complicated formula that allows for tuition increases for first-year students by up to 4.5% in most programs and up to 8% in the first year of professional and graduate programs.

McMaster president, Peter George says he's disappointed the tuition wasn't deregulated and while he understands that many students will be upset with tuition increases he believes the numbers have to be put in perspective. “The majority of McMaster students will pay up to an additional $165 dollars a year in tuition,” he says. “That money will help us begin to address some of the financial challenges we face, but it won't even cover the basic cost increases for paying faculty, staff, utilities and other expenses. Our goal is to improve quality and accessibility but the reality is that even with the tuition increases we won't be able to make real progress on either front.”

Last year, the government of Ontario launched what it described as “a historic, multi-year investment in postsecondary education” called Reaching Higher: the Plan for Postsecondary Education. It was a multifaceted initiative that touched upon operating grants, student aid and other access initiatives, graduate enrolment growth, some capital initiatives and some funding to improve quality.

George says at that time, on behalf our students, our faculty and staff and our communities, we were delighted with the commitment in and the direction of Reaching Higher. “The tuition policy, however, demonstrates a lack of sensitivity to differences in individual university circumstances and I don't think we can now aspire to reach quite as high.”