Students Launch ‘Cuts Suck’ Campaign to Combat Education Budget Cuts

Students at Vancouver Island University (VIU) have initiated the ‘Cuts Suck. Fix Education’ campaign, aimed at addressing significant reductions in funding for post-secondary education. Launched on September 17, 2023, at the Nanaimo campus, the campaign is a collaboration between the B.C. Federation of Students and the Vancouver Island University Students’ Union.

The campaign’s primary goal is to rally students across British Columbia to express their concerns to elected officials regarding the declining financial support for education. According to the students’ unions, public funding has dropped to just 40 percent of operating budgets, while tuition fees have surged by 155 percent over the past 25 years.

Sarah Mei Lyana, chairperson of the VIU students’ union, emphasized the detrimental effects of these cuts. “Cuts are reducing course offerings and impacting student services,” she noted. “Students are facing longer wait times for counselling and advising services, and fewer professors mean longer waits to enroll in necessary courses.” She also highlighted the cancellation of a childcare project that was intended for the campus, along with reduced library hours.

The situation at Douglas College in New Westminster mirrors that of VIU, as noted by Debi Herrera Lira, chairperson of the B.C. Federation of Students. Although Douglas College has not experienced program cuts, it is grappling with staff layoffs and changes that affect student services. “When I was a student, accessing counselling could take three weeks,” Lira recalled. “These delays are unacceptable, especially when students need immediate support.”

The financial challenges faced by VIU are underscored by a projected multimillion-dollar deficit for the academic year 2025-26. Gara Pruesse, president of the VIU Faculty Association, expressed concern over how these cuts are compromising the quality of education. “The substantial reductions are hindering our ability to provide the education that students expect,” she stated. “Cutting services and courses won’t resolve financial issues; we need students to sustain our future.”

The ‘Cuts Suck’ campaign encourages students to contact elected officials to advocate for a return to government investment of at least 75 percent of operating budgets. By raising their voices, students aim to highlight the urgent need for increased funding in post-secondary education, a critical issue affecting their academic experience and future prospects.

For more information about the campaign, visit www.cutssuck.ca.