Refugee student program

By Вen Li

Students may get to double their support for the refugee student program in the next SU general election. The Students’ Legislative Council passed the first reading of a resolution to include the referendum question which will ask part- and full-time students for $0.50 more per session.

SU Vice-President Operations and Finance Robbie White brought the motion to council on Tue. Nov. 19.

“The Refugee Student Program was initially established in March of 1986 with students voting in favor of a $0.50 levy for full-time students per session,” stated White in the motion “Since 1986, the costs of sponsoring a refugee student have greatly increased, so an increase in the levy is now necessary in order to continue to provide the same level of service to future refugee students that past students have received.”

According to the SU, students contribute $19,000 per year to the refugee student levy which had a surplus of $32,389 as of June 2002. A $0.50 per student increase generates approximately $19,750 per year.