March 21, 2020

Upon review of the SFU Department of Finance’s draft 2020-21 Budget and Financial Plan, the SFSS sent the attached letter (on March 4) responding with its concerns around a tuition and fee hike – a 2% domestic undergraduate tuition increase and a 4% international tuition increase. The main concern revolves around the long term trends that these increases represent in terms of the burden on international and domestic students alike.

The SFSS letter also made general recommendations to SFU regarding the budget:

1.  A commitment to keep student fees at current levels for the next two years, or at least eliminate the difference in fee hikes between domestic and international students
2. A commitment to submit a draft budget at the Board of Governors meeting prior to the meeting that the vote takes place
3. Change the consultation policy for the draft budget to be sent to the student societies prior to their budget feedback submission deadline, allowing for at least two weeks in advance of the student societies submission deadline

At the March 19 SFU Board of Governors meeting, SFU approved the 2020-21 Budget and Financial Plan with the (2%/4%) fee hike. The SFSS concerns about the budget and its opposition to the increases remain the same.