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Dear Editor,

I was disappointed to read the stunning factual errors made in the September 1998 Canadian Student Review article, “The Great Canadian Rip-Off.” In both specifics and generalities Kevin Lacey was both wrong and misleading.

The Students’ Union, The University of Calgary does not collect $25 million in student fees; it does not even generate that much money in revenues. The Students’ Union audited financial statements for 1997-1998 show that the Students’ Union’s total revenue was $4.9 million, 23 percent of which comes from student fees.

The rest of our revenues come from Students’ Union run business—that are expected to generate a small surplus while providing reasonably priced services to students—and the operation of the MacEwan Student Centre on campus. In a recent study prepared by the Students’ Union, it was determined that the Students’ Union provided students with an excellent return on investment. For the $35 per semester in Students’ Union fees collected, the Students’ Union spends over $200 per student on student services.

What student fees are and what they are spent on is determined by a fully democratic process. Fees can be established and changed only by a student referendum. At any time, a petition signed by five percent of the student body can bring a fee back to referendum.

Finally, in an independent poll held last year, University of Calgary students were asked to rate the importance of the services their Students’ Union provided. The top three services rated were bursaries and scholarships, the health and dental plan, and government representation and lobbying.

Sincerely,
Paul Galbraith,
President, University of Calgary Students’ Union.

Dear Editor,

Despite the letter written by Mr. Galbraith, my thesis from the first article that I wrote stands. University students unions are running businesses that students don’t need or want, and they are lobbying for changes that are not in the best interests of students in the long run.

I apologise for the incorrect assumption of the total budget for the University of Calgary Student Union. However, that error does not change the overall conclusions that I made in the article.

As for the value students get for their student fees this is one area where Mr. Galbraith and I disagree. I believe student leaders need to rethink the concept that the more student services they can provide the better. Although I have not seen the report to which Mr. Galbraith refers, one thing stands out. There is a difference between being entitled to a return on investment and actually taking advantage of it. One example to prove this point is student handbooks. Student handbooks contain some information about the student union and a calendar of university events. Most student unions give them away free, and they are paid for through student union fees. However, very few students actually bother to pick one up. So few students pick them up at Dalhousie University that the student union orders fewer books than they have students. Students are showing that they do not want this service by not using it.

In a perfect world we could decide on student fees through referendum. However, student elections are very poorly attended. Most universities only have a voter turn out of about 20 percent. Therefore it would take only a simple majority of voters, or 10 percent of the student body, to make 100 percent of the student body pay a particular fee.

Some services student unions provide are very important. Two such services are security walk home services and bursaries. Student unions who are in charge of these services should give them back to the university. This is not because I think the student unions are incompetent, but rather because heads of student governments change every year. This means that these programs often lack long term vision. This could be prevented by university and student union partnerships, which allow students a voice on how those services are being offered.

Finally, I believe that students would be better served by student politicians who recognize that the increasing responsibilities of student government to take on new services has been a mistake. These services do nothing but take away from the real purpose of student unions: to improve students’ education.

Sincerely, Kevin Lacey

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Last Modified: Wednesday, October 20, 1999.