The CAQ government’s decision to hike tuition fees for out-of-province students has sent shockwaves through our educational institutions, but let us be clear: this is not about preserving the French language; it’s about squeezing every last penny from already strained budgets. Professors and faculty members, the backbone of our universities, are feeling the pinch acutely. With the need to slash budgets looming large, university administrations are left with little choice but to make deep cuts. However, with a staggering 90% of the budget allocated to salaries, there is minimal flexibility.

Consequently, courses are being slashed, class sizes ballooning, and mandatory classes pushed to a biennial schedule. Departmental mergers loom ominously, threatening the diversity and richness of our academic offerings. Every facet of campus life is feeling the strain. From clubs to free meal programs, campus cafes to health and housing services, the squeeze is on.

At Concordia University, drastic measures such as cutting the thermostat to a maximum of 21 degrees exemplify the lengths to which institutions are forced to go in order to make ends meet. Engineering programs, vital to our province’s economic future, are particularly hard-hit. Applications have plummeted by a staggering 50%, sounding alarm bells for the future of innovation and technological advancement in Quebec.

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