We are constantly reminded by the media that B.C. and the world are facing tough economic times. On the face of it, it then makes sense that our provincial government is reducing its funding for higher education over the coming two years - we need to save money somewhere, right? Sadly, a little bit of math will show that this approach is not just short-sighted, but downright counterproductive.
As a study from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives this year showed, the average university graduate in B.C. contributes through taxes around $130,000 more to the public treasury over their working life than does someone with only a high school diploma. Considering that the average undergraduate degree costs $50,630, 40 per cent of which is paid by the student in tuition, this seems like a pretty good return on investment. On top of these economic gains, it is widely accepted that higher education benefits society in less tangible ways, through a constant flow of new ideas and solutions for long-standing problems.
Prince George is well placed to reap these benefits, with two institutes of higher education in our city. It is puzzling then that our elected politicians are not doing more to make a high-quality, local post-secondary education possible. The provincial funding cuts of 2.2 per cent over three years may seem small, but this figure is more than doubled when taken in combination with inflation in costs (for example, heating, laboratory supplies, and publication of research), and it is added to cuts over the previous three years totaling more than 12 per cent, including inflation.
We are assured that such cuts will not affect the quality of education, but it seems inevitable that impacts will be felt in subtle yet important ways, such as reduced hiring of new instructors or replacement of retirees, and decreased access to laboratory supplies and instrumentation. A look at Statistics Canada data shows that UNBC's professors are among the lowest-paid in the country, and any Prince George resident will remember the strike of university CUPE workers this fall, protesting a lack of job security and frozen wages. As a UNBC student myself, this does not seem to me like a successful formula for a robust economy and innovative society in Prince George and B.C.'s future.
Christopher Coxson
Prince George
