The provincial government has announced a one-time investment of $10 million in funding to Memorial University to offset the cost of the Campus Renewal Fee applied to students.
The Government is touting this investment as a cost-saving measure stating the annual fee to full-time undergraduate students completing ten courses (30 credit hours) will be reduced by $500.
The Minister of Education, Krista Lynn Howell, states that,
“The students of today are the leaders and innovators of tomorrow. This investment in Memorial will relieve some of the financial pressures for students attending classes this year. Our government supports post-secondary learning and will continue to work with Memorial to strengthen the education system in Newfoundland and Labrador.”
With this announcement, the government also highlighted its existing funding mechanisms released in Budget 2023:
- Approximately $28 million for Student Financial Services;
- $295 million for Memorial University’s core operating grant, and $58.4 million for the Faculty of Medicine; and
- $2.2 million to double capacity in Memorial University’s Nurse Practitioner program.
Likewise, the Government has also sought to highlight its existing programs in light of the increase in tuition in 2021, such as the needs-based Tuition Relief Grant and the Debt Reduction Grant Program.
MUNSU’s Response
The Student Union at Memorial has said it is pleased to hear the announcement. It welcomes this change from the provincial government while acknowledging that much more needs to be done, calling it a ‘drop in the bucket of debt on the backs of young people in this country.’
“This is a step in the right direction, but we need a continued commitment to funding post-secondary education in Newfoundland and Labrador. We are calling on the government to follow this investment with a commitment to reinstate the 68 million in cuts to funding to MUNL and to work towards fully-accessible education in this province,” said Executive Director of External Affairs John Harris.