SFU grad students demanding minimum pay of $32K from university
Dozens of grad students and staff from Simon Fraser University gathered outside the SFU Board of Governors meeting at the Vancouver Campus on Thursday morning to protest against what they call a "student funding crisis" at the university.
The noisy demonstration was part of their Cost of Living Adjustment campaign (Grad COLA), which they launched late last year.
With the cost of living rising, demonstrators said they're struggling financially, and are demanding more funding from SFU.
"As grad students, we're expected to work and teach and research for the university and in return, we barely get enough funding to pay rent," said SFU grad student Noemi Rosario Martinez.
She said their pay is inconsistent and they're looking for more stability.
The group also demands a guaranteed minimum offer of $32,000 — after tuition deductions — for all research-based graduate students.
"I know students who have multiple jobs. I know students whose funding is capped," Rosario Martinez said.
"So they get the same pay whether they work 20 hours or 40, or some people are working 50 hours a week in their labs. And it's not a sustainable situation," she continued.
The group chanted, blew horns and banged on pots and pants attempting to make as much noise as possible and draw attention to the crowd as a way to raise awareness of the issue.
The group is also demanding for paid practicums, affordable food on campus and graduate housing with more units.
"It's terrible right now. There are graduate students who are not finishing their degrees, that are having to decide whether or not to continue school or to leave and be able to afford living in the city," said Felix Ruiz De La Orden of the Teaching Support Staff Union.
He said this protest is just the beginning of the fight and he's hopeful the university will meet their demands in the near future.
In a statement, the university said it "recognizes the increasing cost pressures students are facing with inflation, the rising costs of living and limitations in grant funding."
It says it's addressing the challenges by striving to keep tuition low through student groups and government partners, offering scholarships, awards and bursaries to graduate students, including international students, and planning to set a university-wide minimum funding level for research graduate students within a year.
The Ministry of Post-Secondary Education also said in a statement that "the B.C. government has taken significant action to make life more affordable for both undergraduate and graduate students."
Such actions include investing $19.5 million in provincial scholarships and ending interest payments on student loans since 2019.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
7 surveillance videos linked to extortions of South Asian home builders in Edmonton released
The Edmonton Police Service has released a number of surveillance videos related to a series of extortion cases in the city now dubbed 'Project Gaslight.'
Ukraine uses long-range missiles secretly provided by U.S. to hit Russian-held areas, officials say
Ukraine for the first time has begun using long-range ballistic missiles provided secretly by the United States, bombing a Russian military airfield in Crimea last week and Russian forces in another occupied area overnight, American officials said Wednesday.
All Alberta wildfires to date in 2024 believed to be human-caused: province
There are 63 wildfires burning in Alberta's forest protection area as of Wednesday morning and seven mutual aid fires, including one in the Municipal District of Peace.
Pilot proposes to flight attendant girlfriend in front of passengers
A Polish pilot proposed to his flight attendant girlfriend during a flight from Warsaw to Krakow, and she said yes.
Suspects waving weapons, smashing glass in Toronto jewelry store robbery caught on video
Arrests have been made after five men were captured on video rampaging through a jewelry store in Toronto, waving weapons and smashing glass display cases.