The new semester has just started and Thompson Rivers University Student’s Union Campaigns committee has hit the ground running. The committee’s Fund the Future campaign aiming to bring together students, faculty, and staff to address TRU underfunding is well underway.
Presentations about underfunding have already been made to a number of TRU faculty councils and staff divisions with many more planned for the upcoming semester. Further, the committee is gearing up to be out on campus in the coming weeks talking to students about TRU’s funding level.
Vice-President External Amber Storvold said, “We‘re excited to continue with our plan to engage the campus community through over 15 presentations to faculty and staff divisions and 25 days of campus outreach.”
When TRU was still the University College of the Cariboo in 2004 it was 4th highest funded institution in BC but is now 16th in government funding, behind such institutions as UNBC, Selkirk College, Okanagan College, and Emily Carr. During this time period our range of programming that we offer has also expanded significantly.
“Over the last 5 years TRU has been underfunded by $50 million compared to the average post-secondary institution in BC” said Amber Storvold, Vice-President External of TRUSU, “With even the average level of funding TRU could significantly expand course offerings, hire about 120 additional associate professors, or reduce domestic tuition fees by almost one third.”
“We are calling on the provincial government to fund our university fairly,” said Storvold, “It’s time for our students to get appropriate support services, for our professors to have resources they need, and for our university to be able to achieve its full potential.”
For more information contact:
Amber Storvold
Vice-President External
vpexternal@trusu.ca
250-828-5289
Leif Douglass
Campaigns Coordinator
campaigns@trusu.ca
250-828-5289