formula set by the PEI government.

Normally, after a student calculates their ‘‘need’’ (expenses minus resources) the first $2600 comes from the Canada Students Loan Program. The next $2200 comes from the PEI Bursary Program and, if necessary, a further $760 Canada Student Loan is available. The amount a student receives is subjected to approval by provincial officials.

Unfortunately there has not been an adequate increase in student loans since 1984. Costs for university have jumped substantially since then according to figures obtained from the Canadian Federation of Students:

- Tuition fees at the University of Prince Edward Island since 1985 have increased by more than 58 per cent, from $1340 to $2120.

- Room and board at UPEI from 1985 to 1990 has increased by more than one-third, from $2993 to $3989.

- Student fees for student union, athletic, health, and other services from 1985 to 1990 have increased by more than 38 percent, from $153 to $212.

‘*Student loan levels clearly have not been keeping pace with students’ cost of living,’’ says Catherine Callbeck, Malpeque MP, ‘‘Itis unfair that students should have to pay more to get less.’’ Ms. Callbeck plans to table a motion in Parliament calling for an increase in Canada Student Loan allowance.

Let us take an example ofa UPEI student:

- This person is a mature student in 4th year with a son in daycare. (Daycare fees have risen $20.00/ month)

-He/she is taking a full load of classes in both semesters.

-He/she has received the full student loan available, $5560.

-Tuition though has risen $32/class.

-Books have risen with inflation and 7% GST has been tacked on since January, 1991.

-The 3% processing fee at the bank (payable in advance) is $103.00.

-Health care and student union fees have risen from $50.00 ($100.00 for family) to $199.00.

Rough estimate has this person paying another

$800.00 this school year for school attendance. This,

of course, does not take into consideration the inflationary rise in consumer goods for the necessities of life or the 7% GST also tacked onto them.

A single parent, as many of the university students are nowadays, does not have all those extra hours to be working to subsidize this large difference. He/she also does not usually have a family to count on for the difference. So where do these students end up?

i

Today the workforce has become more and more specialized requiring one and sometimes two degrees. Yet Mulroney has penny pinched these people to the point of starvation. He is in such arush to wipe out the Welfare State yet his policies are creating welfare situations. We, the students, are a large body of voters in this country. It is time we stood up and were counted.

By Kate.

Dear Editor,

As a business student, I am appalled at the state of the Business lounge. To my knowledge, the Business Faculty is one of the biggest, if not the biggest faculty on campus, and yet it has the worst looking lounge oncampus. First of all, the furniture in the lounge has yet to be desired, the mustered brown- biege creations does not do anything for the lounge at all. Not only is the furniture ugly and uncomfortable, but they reek of cigarette smoke and who knows waht else, which brings me to another point. It appears that some business students who smoke have blatant disregard for those business students who do not smoke. These smokers appear not to think about ‘‘lighting up’’ regardless if there are non smokers in the vicinity. I have found because of the stench of the cigarette smoke, a lot of Business students prefer to use other student lounges and/or classrooms. I think it’s an awful shame that as the biggest faculty on campus the School of Business does not have a student lounge to be proud of. and society members ~ who do not seem to care. | think thatitmustbea — disadvantage to the Business Society when most business students would rather be elsewhere than in their own department, getting together, having meetings and studying. You can see from the

UPEI X-Press

September 19, 1991

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