All full-time Arts & Science students might pay for five courses

Can you take a full course load and still get involved on campus? That's the question many are asking, in the wake of a strong recommendation that the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) move to a fixed-fee system that would see students paying for five courses whether they take three, four, five, or even six classes.A recent report by a "Program Fee Working Group," struck by the Interim Dean of Arts and Sciences Meric Gertler, proposed that FAS do away with per-course charges. Instead, it would adopt a yearly price "equivalent to five times the per-course fee" to be "applied to all full-time students (3.0 FCE and greater) starting [their studies] in Fall, 2009."

The document projected that the shift would garner FAS "an additional $10M in base funding" and result in "course intensification," as students enrolled in more classes to get the most out of their program fee.

Colum Grove-White, President of the Arts and Science Students' Union, called the recommendation a "band-aid solution" to an estimated "$9 million structural deficit" caused chiefly by the recession.

He claimed that the change is being "pushed through" UofT's various levels of government without proper student and staff consultation, and that ASSU is "trying to stop it from happening."

Tam Siwak, a four-class student who plays two Varsity and two intramural sports, said "if I took the five courses I would definitely have to give up a lot of my involvement. It takes a lot of time up as it is, but if I added more courses I would be really suffering."

Her concern runs counter to the report, which says "it was discussed that intensification may result in some students reducing participation in extracurricular activities though there is no evidence, from any of the other UofT divisions with a program fee or from other institutions, to substantiate this... Indeed, given our performance on measures of student engagement, one might suggest course intensification would have little to no impact or perhaps even have modest benefits."

"The faculty has had no research into the tangential impact," said Grove-White. "People take three courses for a reason."

VUSAC President Jamie Janeiro is one such person. "This year I would have no choice but to still take three courses, because there's no way you could be VUSAC President and still take a full course load. It's impossible."

He said he would not want to drop to part-time status, because the majority of the students he represents are full-time.

"Basically I'd just be getting shafted by paying for five when I'm only taking three," said Janeiro.

Adam Awad, UTSU VP of University Affairs and co-founder of Ginger Magazine, said "the more I got involved, the less time I had for school."

Calling the report's assertion that course intensification likely would not impact campus involvement "total garbage," he said "if I had to be paying for five courses throughout my time here, I wouldn't have the time to get involved - I'd have to work my ass off to pay an extra $1000."

Siwak felt similarly, saying "if it were possible, I would definitely just suck up the lost $1000, only take four courses, and continue to play all my sports, but financially it wouldn't be feasible."

There are those who balance involvement with a full course schedule, though. VUSAC Commuter Commissioner Catherine Brown is taking 5.5 FCEs this year, and took six when she was the co-manager of Caffiends.

"You make your agenda your bible and you plan your life. You should see my to-do list!" said Brown.

Such people appear to be in the minority, however. "I don't know many involved students who take five," said UTSU President Sandy Hudson. "I think that they're kidding themselves - absolutely it will affect involvement."

Hudson said that UTSU planned to meet with ASSU and some college presidents, but that the student union is "in opposition to the idea."

FAS Director of Communications Kim Luke said that she had "heard people speculate that having a more intense course load could have people cutting back on their engagement," but that "it's really hard to correlate or establish a relationship." She said that while most of the professional faculties here are already on a program-fee system, it does not seem to prevent them from getting involved.

Throughout Canada, the majority of professional programs with limited, competitive enrollment - like engineering or pharmacy - use the system, along with small universities like Waterloo's Wilfred Laurier, Nova Scotia's St. Francis Xavier, and New Brunswick's Mount Allison.

Luke added that most of the money would go back into the classroom experience in the form of more TAs, a smaller faculty-to-student ratio, and other benefits.

The next stop for the proposal is the Faculty of Arts and Science Council meeting on April 6, where it must pass to go on to the Governing Council Business Board.