Graduate Students Demand Action on Funding: Candidates Respond to Key Questions on Support for Academia
The GSU is reaching out to as many candidates as possible to determine their stance on graduate student funding and the UPass program. In particular, we asked about their commitment to increasing per-student funding, boosting support for graduate scholarships, and expanding research grants.
Our Letter to Candidates:
Hi [Candidate’s Name],
I’m a resident of [Riding Name] and a graduate student at the University of Toronto. Since 2017, both domestic tuition rates and the amount of funding per student at Ontario’s colleges and universities have been frozen. Ontario provides drastically lower funding per domestic student compared to other jurisdictions in Canada. This has significant consequences, including constraining universities’ ability to pay graduate students a livable wage as we teach and conduct research.
As a graduate student, I perform research that is fundamental to the operations of the university. This research plays a major role in Ontario’s economy and prestige. Adequate and stable funding for universities is crucial to training the next generation of scientists, doctors, and other essential professionals. Additionally, livable funding is necessary to attract top-tier graduate students, who are the backbone of our institutions. Without proper support, access to graduate education becomes a privilege only a few can afford.
As a resident of [Riding Name], I want to know:
- Are you committed to fully implementing the funding recommendations from the government’s Blue-Ribbon Panel on Ensuring Financial Sustainability for Ontario’s Postsecondary Sector, including an immediate 10% increase in per-student funding, indexed to inflation in subsequent years?
- Will you increase the government’s contribution to the Ontario Graduate Scholarship to $10,000?
- Will you commit to increasing provincially funded research grants, which support highly relevant research and the training of graduate students?
Sources:
Provincial Government Blue Ribbon Commission on Education
Council of Ontario Universities (COU) Statements & Budget Submissions
Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations (OCUFA) Statements & Budget Submissions
We encourage all graduate students to review candidate responses here: