Category Archives: Activism
Who is Subsidizing Whom? Rethinking the “Domestic”/”International” Divide
A few days ago, The Talon UBC released information about UBC’s bold move to increase international undergraduate tuition by 10% and residence fees by 20%. The university’s proposals have been met with outrage. Students are now organizing resistance efforts on a massive scale, with upcoming initiatives that include a mass-teach in on Tuesday, emergency AMS […]
Dr. Elvin Wyly’s Teach-In Speech: “You are students, not $tudent$”
In the last thirty years, higher education has been transformed. While education has been promoted and celebrated as the source of innovation and advances in “human capital,” the public missions of education have slowly been abandoned and replaced with the cold calculus of supply and demand. Every year brings a few more changes that make […]
Gabriel D’Astous’ Teach-In Speech: “This is just the beginning”
Hello everybody, my name is Gabriel. I am a member of the Social Justice Centre here on Campus. I am also a student from Quebec and I have experienced mass student mobilization and witnessed first hand the power of student movements. I am not here to debate whether the Quebec student strike was good or bad, but rather […]
Ivan Leonce’s Teach-In Speech: “That’s not consultation; that’s notice”
Thank you so much for having me speak, and there’s so much to speak to but so little time, so I’m just going to dive right into it and share my thoughts on two things today. The first is on what the university will have you believe is a “democratic” consultation process. A process, in […]
Photo Essay: UBC Students for Accessible Education Teach-In
Today, around 400 students gathered at the Martha Piper Plaza on Main Mall for a Teach-in hosted by UBC Students for Accessible Education, The Calendar and the Social Justice Centre. With many students confused, frustrated and angry about the recent announcement of a 10% tuition increase for international students and a 20% increase in residence fees for […]
Housing the Privileged: What a 20% Residence Fee Increase Really Means
It has recently been revealed that UBC is planning to increase the cost of its 8-month-term student housing fees by a whopping 20%. This is just one of a number of fee increases proposed by the university slated to take effect in 2015. In a presentation to the AMS, the university explained that this increase […]
We Need to Reclaim Our Right to Public Education: Opinion
There is a crisis of accountability at this university’s highest level of governance. During the student elections last year, UBC students voted overwhelmingly against any further tuition increases on the principle that education is a right. One year later, the University administration has made it clear that they will not be heeding these demands; but […]
Call to Action on Tuition and Housing Cost Increases
During last year’s referendum, 91% of students voted for and the AMS resolved that: Tuition should be decreased for all. Education should be open and accessible to all. The university is raising costs for students again. There will be a 10% increase for international tuition for the incoming class of 2015 8-month residence contracts will […]
BREAKING: UBC to Increase International Tuition by 10% and Residence Fees by 20%
Sources with connections to the UBC Board of Governors and the Alma Matter Society have revealed to The Talon that tuition for incoming international students will be raised by 10%, and residence fees on 8-month contracts will be similarly raised by approximately 20% effective next Fall. The university will be making the announcement over the […]
Meet the Editors: Justin Choi
Like so many immigrants to Turtle Island, I have several names. I am Justin Choi to some, 최승민 (Choi Seung–Min) to others, and, according to my Scene card, T-Bone Choi (as far as Cineplex is concerned). Though I have come to see Vancouver as a home, I still witness injustice and oppression all around me […]
