Some students will have to pay more money to attend the University of Windsor.
The school's Board of Governors voted to increase tuition fees for students during a meeting Tuesday.
The decision came as students rallied outside the meeting protesting the fee increase.
University President Dr. Alan Wildeman was seen conversion with a group of concerned international students following the meeting.
“We’re very careful to make sure that what we’re charging for tuition is benchmarked against what other institutions are charging,” says Wildeman.
Student activist Bree Arbor tells CTV News that the decision was not surprising.
“They always vote on the tuition raises after school is over, which is quite convenient so it’s harder for students to make the meeting,” said Arbor.
According to Dr. Wildeman the University will continue to work under the provincial framework for domestic students, which means that the tuition hike will be capped at three per cent. However there is no such cap for international students, who could see an increase as high as 7.8 per cent.
International student representative Parth Patel says some families cans suffer financial hardships as a result of the costs.
“When it comes time to pay $2,000 more, for a middle-class family it is a wage of three-four months,” says Patel.
Another international student, Mohamed Almoayad, says "post secondary education should not be a debt sentence."
Under the plan, tuition fees jump $400 a year for business, engineering and computer science students. Law students will see an increase of about $800.
The board also approved increases to meal plans and residence fees.
The school says tuition hikes will be reviewed every two years.
The students says that will give them enough time to create a bigger student movement to oppose the increases.
