UPEI students step up against high tuition fees

Rising tuition fees got the cold shoulder from students are UPEI on Sept. 22.
Around 20 students froze in place in the hall of the W.A. Murphy Centre for about five minutes Monday afternoon to demonstrate the continuing trend of students who have to put their degrees on hold because of high university costs.
Justin Douglas, UPEI student union president, said rising fees shouldn't be the case.
"Everybody's pushing for high education, but without the proper assistance, that's very hard to do."
Douglas said statistics show 31 per cent of students have to leave university because of financial or employment problems.
He hopes to raise awareness of the issues, catching the eye of the government and other universities.
"Hopefully they'll do the same and we can promote the idea of a new and innovative way of getting public interest and public attention."
Douglas said the freeze was a success.
"It was a fantastic turnout and I was very proud of everyone who did their part. They did their job fantastically."
But Kristen MacKinnon, a UPEI sciences student, doesn't agree.
She doesn't think the freeze had a very good effect and said it could have been done differently.
"There wasn't enough people. There were only about 20, but if there were like, 100, it would have made a larger influence. They also didn't stay in place for very long."
Daniel Roper, research assistant for the legislative assembly and political studies co-op student, agrees with MacKinnon. He said it's good students are trying to voice their opposition to tuition rights, but they could be going about it a different way.
"They have to be reasonable and attack the problem a little more organized. Lobbying government might be a little easier, but it all depends on whether they're trying to attract media attention or trying for real change."
Roper said the best way to get the government's attention is by having a solid plan of action and talking to them about what you want changed.
"You need to say this is what we're doing, this is what we need. That would create more awareness than a freeze."
But Douglas said a small step is all that's needed for now, and even if this can catch the public's attention, it will be enough to do the job.