Despite the best efforts of the Students' Union to offer reasonable arguments, alternatives and compromises, the University of Calgary Board of Governors voted April 12 to impose a new $450 compulsory fee and raise tuition in business programs in an effort to ease the operating deficit.

Weeks of anxiety were finally relieved April 7 when Alberta Advanced Education and Technology minister Doug Horner announced the province's acceptance, and rejection, of various tuition market modifier proposals from Alberta's post-secondary institution.

What is the market value of a University of Calgary education? It's not the full cost of providing it; in the hope that educating people is a good investment, post-secondary education is subsidized. Forty-eight per cent of the U of C's 2009 revenue came from the Alberta government, 11 per cent from the federal government and 15 per cent from tuition, according to the university's financial report.

The Alberta government takes a different approach to measuring market value.

A bus-load of students from the universities of Calgary and Lethbridge joined hundreds more from the University of Alberta and descended on the steps of the provincial legislature in defiance of market modifier and compulsory fee proposals March 18.

Students can expect at least a 1.5 per cent increase in tuition next year after the University of Calgary Board of Governors voted to approve the maximum amount under the government's current provincial tuition fee policy, which ties increases to the consumer price index.

Sharing boos, cheers and chants of "we won't bail you out," about 500 students gathered outside of council chambers Tuesday night to watch provost Alan Harrison speak about tuition increases.

Many students held posters expressing their frustrations while others showed up in little more than garbage bags and underwear.

Harrison explained to students the context in which the current tuition increase proposals were drafted preceding a question and answer session with students.

The MacEwan Student Centre council chambers were a hive of activity during the not-so-routine Student Legislative Council meeting Tuesday night.

Provost Alan Harrison, with an entourage of university administration members, addressed students and their concerns surrounding proposed tuition increases.

Throngs of upset university goers figuratively raised their voices in displeasure at proposed tuition increases Tuesday afternoon in the MacEwan Student Centre.

Students were invited to hold comic-like speech bubbles for photos which will be turned into postcards and delivered to the Board of Governors when they vote on the proposal for market modifiers and compulsory fees.

Outrage spread like wildfire among students when the Students' Union disclosed administration's proposed changes to next year's tuition in Student Legislative Council on Tuesday.

Cindy Ady [calgary.shaw]
Moe Amery [calgary.east]
Dr. Neil Brown [calgary.nosehill]
Manmeet S. Bhullar [calgary.montrose]
Lindsay Blackett [calgary.northwest]
Wayne Cao [calgary.fort]
Harry Chase [calgary.varsity]
Alana DeLong [calgary.bow]
Jonathan Denis [calgary.egmont]
Kyle Fawcett [calgary.northhill]
Heather Forsyth [calgary.fishcreek]
Yvonne Fritz [calgary.cross]
Kent Hehr [calgary.buffalo]
Paul Hinman [calgary.glenmore]