Photo Credit: Memorial University (Via Flickr)
Interviewed by CHMR-FM Campus Connect Co-host Jenna Reid
MUN international students are speaking out about pressing concerns Friday, Feb.4th, 2022 on CHMR-FM’s show Campus Connect at 6 pm NLT.
Memorial University has been a headlining subject throughout local media as its administration continues to face frequent criticism.
While many international students have kept quiet amidst the university’s backlash, this week, four international students and one Memorial Alumni, spoke out regarding their concerns.
‘Rising Costs’
Memorial University announced the end of its tuition freeze in July 2021. While current local students will see a 4 percent increase every year until 2026, the cost for current international students will follow this schedule as well. New international applicants to Memorial University will pay the new rates.
This decision sparked major criticism among the MUN student body, while concern was generated regarding cutbacks to several services due to the pandemic.
“We want to pursue our dreams but not for the sake of our arm and leg, mental health,” said Chinmoy Kar Victor, a third-year mechanical engineering student from Bangladesh, referring to the impact of tuition increases.
“MUN gets a lot of international students due to its affordability, not its education”. “I don’t know if MUN believes we are not all children with very wealthy parents. Part of us coming out of our country is to help our parents’ ‘ said Lore Resendiz, a fourth-year Gender Studies Major, and immigrant from Mexico.
“It’s taking a huge mental toll on us”
Since the pandemic, various government restrictions have forced students to miss out on the traditional and coveted university experience.
Navon Revleen, a communication studies student from Germany, stated “we are missing out on the human aspect of the university experience”, which is increasing levels of loneliness.
Lore Resendiz said, “We leave our countries at 17 or 18, we are alone, this is not our country, our weather, our language (most of the time), we have no support system, and we face economic hardships”.
The lack of health care resources was also mentioned: “Health Insurance isn’t always clear and doesn’t give enough opt-in time for Green Shield, Guard Me is for emergencies’ ‘.
This concern was sparked as the province’s MCP card can take longer to receive, thus surpassing the opt-in deadline for MUNSU’s Green Shield plan.
Adham Usama, an international student from Egypt, said“I am diabetic so I need my insulin cartridges renewed monthly, so health insurance is a concern”. He advocates that MUN becomes “more lenient regarding its health insurance deadlines”.
Lore Resendiz also spoke of the “Absurd waiting lists” and the lack of “emotional and mental health support at MUN”, especially since COVID.
‘Harsh realities’
Although Memorial has received significant flack from its Canadian student body and from MUN’s associating organizations such as MUNSU and MUNFA in recent months; international students typically refrain from contributing to discourse out of fear.
Navon Revleen said, “students are not feeling free to raise their concerns due to the current administration, more so international students because they don’t know how everything will work”.
This is in part because of the universities response to the campus ban of Matthew Barter, but also its lack of response to student and faculty concerns regarding the return to Campus while navigating Omicron. Lore Resendiz claimed, “We cannot complain because we lack status”
‘Alumni Advice’
MUN Computer Science graduate from India, Jinesh Modi, gave advice regarding the concerns, stating “If you need help, reach out. There are lots of resources available”, and don’t be afraid to “utilize resources such as the campus food bank or to reach out to students, profs, and senior students”.
Although such issues are not limited to MUN, Newfoundland’s international students are calling on the locals to have their backs.
MUN is also once again being asked to listen to the students and reconsider its tuition freeze.
Listen to CHMR-FM’s Campus Connect here.