The Panther Prints

Wome Pay More For Education

Continued ‘from front page Can's most recent figures also show that on average, men make more than women in 513 of 524 occupations.

Beatty says that the only way to address the problem, is to improve the lot of women in general. A difficult task, she says, given government cut- backs to social programs.

She says the federal gov- ernmentand universities should create part-time employment for women oncampus, initiate an effective grant system for needy students, provide finan- cial resources for child sup- port on campus, and to pro- mote employment equity in the work-force.

Jennifer Story, a na- tional executive member of the Canadian Federation of Stu- dents, says the current enrol- ment rate for women atuniver- sities will decrease if tuition costs continue to sky-rocket.

Over the pastten years, tuition

fees in Canada have more than doubled.

"Atsome point we're go- ing to see the stats changing. Barriers such as tuition costs and debtare going to effect the decisions women make in de- termining what type of educa- tion they will obtain, and if they choose to go at all."

Story says that the prob- lem may get worse as the fed- eral government privatizes the Canada Student Loans Pro- gram. Last year the federal gov- ernmentsigneda five-year con- tract with private banks, giv- ing them responsibility over the administration of the loans pro- gram.

Although the federal government still determines eli- gibility for the loans, the banks can renegotiate their contract, and may start playing arole in determining who gets loans.

As such, women in gen- eral may be more likely to be deemed as bad- credit risks

since they have a less likeli- hood of getting high- paying jobs, says Story.

Carleton University pro- fessor Ross Finnie, who authored the study over the summer, says that a hybrid system is needed between the government and banks because "the government doesn't exist to be in the loans business."

Finnie says that as long as the banks are constrained, and the government maintains control over key areas of the loans, the system will be more efficient.

Nevertheless, the effects of changes to the loans pro- gram and increased tuition costs, will be "far reaching, affecting the cost of post sec- ondary education, who will attend, who will borrow, how much will be borrowed, and the manner in which loans will be paid back." he states in the study.

Students Hit Hard by GST Harmonization

By David Cochrane

ST. JOHN'S, Nfld. (CUP) -- Students could be hitthe hard- est by adeal between the Atlan- tic provinces and Ottawa to merge the GST and provincial sales taxes.

The proposed value- added tax will replace the GST and Retail Sales Taxes with a single 15 per cent tax.

The new tax, which will beimplemented next April, will apply to all goods and services currently subject to the seven per cent GST.

For students that means paying more for text books as well as electricity and gas. For student parents it also means paying more for children's clothing.

towards other things like rent or groceries," said Janet O'Connell, president of Memo- rial University's student par- ents group.

O'Conner said the in- creased children's clothing tax will hurt her financially when she's shopping for her four- year-old son, Patrick.

"T had to go out and buy Patrick all new clothes because he has outgrown everything he used to wear just four months ago," she said. "At his age he grows like a weed."

Also, because some stu- dent parents get social assist- ance, they are only eligible fora partial student loan.

O'Connell said this leaves the average parent in

plus raise a small child.

"We don't get enough money to raise children and go toschool. Basically we just have enough to get by," she said.

Sales tax levels in At- lantic Canada currently aver- age 18 per cent, so the new 15 per cent rate means there will be some tax reliefon things like adult clothing, telephone bills and junk food.

But students relying on loans will be hit hard when they go to buy text books said Jennifer Smiley, president of the Students' Union of Nova Scotia.

"In Nova Scotia the maximum allowed amount un- der student aid for books and materials is $700 a year," she

"That will be a large Newfoundland with about said. "A 15 per cent tax will

' chunk out of the student par-

$6,000 a semester to pay for all

reduce the spending power of

Sept 17, 1996

CASA Says It'sok to take our money

Continued from front page

made within the next month.

Although Hough said he is now working on other is- sues that are more pertinent to students, some member schools don't want to see this issue die.

Carrie Ricker of the St. Thomas University student council is following the New Brunswick situation for CASA. She said she thinks she is "being given the run around [by the Fredericton police}."_ "I've tried several times to contact the police [but] I'll keep pushing until

Originally, CASA al- leged that FitzPatrick, who directed the organization in the fall of 1995, used his po- sition as coordinator ofacon- ference on higher education to gain access to and misuse the funds. The money in ques- tion was collected by CASA from individual student un- ions at its 10 member univer- sities.

FitzPatrick, who isnow working a student paper at the University of New Bruns- wick, refused to comment on

_ the situation.

ent's income that they could put university and living expenses, students on aid." I'm satisfied," she said.