INTERVIEW WITH MAURICE, CONT. way. We can’t raise tuition fees.to what NSCAD charges (not that we would want to), because the gov- ermment doesn’t want us to go above 10%. We’re also bound by our collective agreements and contracts. As a studio-based college, we don’t even have the usual way out of increasing class sizes. So all we can do is raise income where we can and reduce expenses where we can. But when over 80% of our expenses are on salaries, that’s where we have to start cutting, and that soon moves into curiculun. When do you need the new budget? We start spending next year’s budget on April 1, so we don’t want to be very far along in its spending before we’re clear about what we’re doing. Anyway, we’re not going to settle every- thing in the next few months. Part of our problem is that we have to face the fact tht we will have to keep reducing our budget for the next several years. We really have to rethink what we are as an institution and bring what we offer into line with what we can afford. We’re not alme in this. Qn the contrary, we’re maybe the last B.C. college to mike any program cutbacks in response to the econamic situation. What about protesting to the government? All that would establish is that the protestor hasn’t been reading the newspapers. All levels of goverrment are trying to reduce their debts by reducing spending in the public sector. We’re no worse off than any other provin- cial college, except that asa smaller institution we have less leeway. It’s pretty obvious that we’re all way better off than the colleges in Alberta, Ontario, or the Maritimes. The governments know the system is suffering but they haven’t the money either. They have chosen their own pri- orities in full awareness of the consequences. The College is already working very hard to ensure that we are taking advan- tage of every opportunity the govermment allows. Thanks for your answers. No, thank YOU for getting this issue out. I appreciate it. I’m hoping for a package that the whole community—students, faculty, support staff, administration — can stand behind as a fair and realistic approach to our By Phil Dion It would seem to me that Emily Carr College has been put into a difficult situation; econom- ics and politics would seem to be the cause. The BC government is freezing (not dropping) the size of its grant as a result of the deficit reduction plans of both provincial and federal governments. Because of inflation, this grant will be worth less as time progresses and the administration plans to absorb this loss in cost cuts and an in- crease of tuition to avoid incur- ring a deficit. The administration plans to streamline itself, to cut unnecessary costs and wasteful expenditures. This is damn good news, as | have seen and heard of some of the ridiculous wastes that the administration has incurred. However this still would seem not to be enough and the administra- tion has been looking at the possi- bility of cutting a program. In my Opinion, a drastic increase of tuition is better than cutting a program. However, the BC gov- ernment imposes a 10% cap on tuition increases. The adminis- tration faces a battle on three fronts; between a limit of both government income and tuition _ (ie. income from students) and the outrage of students at the prospect of a tuition hike. Students here (at least those who speak out) seem angered by the prospect of a tuition increase, naturally, and also have an appar- ently obsessive compulsion to assign blame (myself included). The target of this blame seems to have become the administration. In my uninformed opinion (how | wish | was informed!), the admin- istration seems to have acted in a self indulgent manner. Or more specifically, the committee re- sponsible for the economic deci- sions of the school has mismanaged our funds. As near as | can tell, they postponed the “bad news” until it was unavoidable (now). They neglected to act on an appar- ent imbalance until it was forced upon them. | would like to see a list of salaries and fringe benefits that the administration has granted themselves; let the stu- dents judge the administration. The actions of the administration may have been naturally self protective (or self indulgent), however I refuse to believe that they have some covert agenda to cut a program or to deprive us students a proper education. But in looking to allocate this responsibility (or blame) one must also look to the students. The students are angry because they were not involved in these deci- sions (which they were not) and because the administration has not budgeted properly (I don’t know). Whose fault is that? | would say it was (partially) the student’s. As was said on Friday in the con- course, there has been a student: position available on every com- mittee that has looked in to the matter of the budget. The Emily Carr College’s Student Union has an active decision making force of 7. By the way, in case you hadn’t noticed, silence is assent in the western world. By failing to take part in the decision making proc- ess, the students have resigned themselves to let others make these decisions. Not that | am an active (or inactive) member of any committee; for this reason | accept the tuition increase, | have given the right/responsibility of decision away. It seems that people have only become inter- ested in the school’s finances after these decisions directly affected them (when it is too late). The students let this happen to them, so they are angry (myself included). Given the opportunity at discourse, they have brought along this anger. It is impossible to solve any problem when you approach your opposition with a belligerent attitude. Maurice Yacowar offered himself up on Friday as a punching bag for this anger and (I think) received it well. However, nothing will come of this. No solutions were appar- ent. The decision to increase the tuition has, in effect, been made. It seems to me that we are in a pinch. Who is responsible? In my opinion it is split between the administration and the students. The administration is directly responsible for acting in an irre- sponsible manner. The students are responsible for allowing this. Through our apathy, we have resigned ourselves to the fate dictated to us. | can only offer one solution. Look to outside sources of income (donations, fund rais- ers, etc...). | feel this possibil- ity has not totally been explored. Other than that, | have resigned myself to paying 10% more to be part of this community. INTERVIEW WITH MAURICE, covr. way. Wo can’t raise tuition fess to ‘what NSCAD charges (not that we ‘would went to), because the gov- ecmment dosen't want us to go above 10%. We're also bound by our collective agreements and contracts. ‘As a stutio-based college, we don’t feven have the usual way out of increasing clase sizes. 0 all wo ‘can do is raise incame where we can and reduce expanses where wo can. But vhon over 80% of our ‘expenses are cn salaries, that’s ‘where we have to start cutting, and that soca moves into curiculum. When do you need the new budget? We start spending next year’s bndget on April 1, 50 wo don't went to be vary far along in its spending bafore wo're clear about what wo’re doing. Anyway, ‘we're not going to settle evary- thing in the next fey months. Part of our problem is that wo have to face the fact tht we will have to Keep reducing cur budget for the ext several years. We really hhave to rethink what we are as an Anstitution and bring vhat we offer into Line with what we can afford. We're not alone in this. (a the contrary, we're maybe the ast B.C. college to mke any program cutbacks in response to the cconanic situation. What about protesting to the government? ‘ll that would establish is that the protestor hasn't ben reading the newspapers. All levels of goverment are trying to reduce their debts by reducing spending 4m the public sector. We're no worse off than any other provin- cial colleye, exert that as a smaller institution we have less leomy. t's pretty cbvicus that: we're all wy better off than the colleges in Alberta, cntario, ar the Maritimes. The goverments iow the system is suffering but ‘they baven’t the money either. ‘They have chosen their ow pri- critics in full amrences of the consequences. ‘he College is already working very bard to ‘ensure that we are taking advan- tage of every opportunity the goverment allows. ‘Thanks for your answers. No, thank YOU for getting this iame ot. I agpreciate it. I'm hoping for a package that the whole commnity-students, faculty, support staff, administration — can stand behind as a fair and realistic approach to our problens...90 thanks. By Phil Dion Itwould seem to me that Emily Carr College has been put into a difficult situation; econom- ies and politics would seem to be the cause. The BC government is {freezing (not dropping) the size of its grant as a result of the deficit reduction plans of both provincial ‘and federal governments. Because of inflation, this grant will be worth less as time progresses and the administration plans to absorb this loss in cost cuts and an in- crease of tuition to avoid incur- ting a deficit. The administration plans to streamline itself, to cut, unnecessary costs and wasteful expenditures. This is damn good news, as | have seen and heard of ‘some of the ridiculous wastes that the administration has incurred. However this still would seem not to be enough and the administra- tion has been looking at the possi- bility of cutting a program. In my opinion, a drastic increase of tuition is better than cutting a program. However, the BC gov- ernment imposes a 10% cap on tuition increases. The adminis- tration faces a battle on three fronts; between a limit of both government income and tuition (ie. income from students) and the ‘outrage of students at the prospect ofa tuition hike. ‘Students here (at least those ‘who speak out) seem angered by the prospect of a tuition increase, naturally, and also have an appar- ently obsessive compulsion to assign blame (myself included). The target of this blame seems to have become the administration. In my uninformed opinion (how | wish | was informed!), the admin- istration seems to have acted in a \dulgent manner. Or more specifically, the committee re- ‘sponsible for the economic deci- sions of the school has mismanaged our funds. As near as ican tell, they postponed the “bad news” Until it was unavoidable (now). ‘They neglected to act on an appar- ‘ent imbalance until it was forced upon them. I would like to see a list of salaries and fringe benefits that the administration has granted themselves; let the stu- dents judge the administration. The actions of the administration ‘may have been naturally self protective (or self indulgent), however I refuse to believe that they have some covert agenda to, cut a program or to deprive us students a proper education. But in looking to allocate this responsibility (or blame) one ‘must also look to the students. The students are angry because they were not involved in these deci- sions (which they were not) and because the administration has not budgeted properly (I don’t know). Whose fault is that? | would say it was (partially) the student's. As was said on Friday in the con- course, there has been a student position available on every com- mittee that has looked in to the mattor of the budget. Tho Emily Carr College's Student Union has ‘an active decision making force of 7. By the way, In case you hadn't Noticed, silence is assent in the western world. By failing to take part in the decision making proc- ess, the students have resigned themselves to let others make these decisions. Not that | am an active (or inactive) member of any committee; for this reason | accept the tuition increase, | have given the right/responsibility of decision away. It seems that people have only become inter- ‘ested in the school's finances after these decisions directly affected them (when it is too late). ‘The students let this happen to them, so they are angry (myself included). Given the opportunity at discourse, they have brought along this anger. It is impossible to solve any problem when you ‘approach your opposition with a belligerent attitude. Maurice Yacowar offered himself up on Friday as a punching bag for this anger and (| think) received it well. Howe of this. No solutions were appar- ent. The decision to increase the tuition has, in effect, been made. It seems to me that we are in pinch. Who is responsible? In ‘my opinion itis split between the ‘administration and the students. The administration is directly responsible for acting in an irre- ‘sponsible manner. The students: are responsible for allowing this. ‘Through our apathy, we have resigned ourselves to the fate dictated to us. | can only offer ono solution. Look to outside sources: nothing will come ‘of income (donations, fund rais- ers, otc. ..). I feel this possi ity has not totally been explored. Other than that, | have resigned myself to paying 10% more to be part of this community.