We should be proud.
Entering this year we were faced with the Kobyashi Maru, the unwinnable scenario. It was stated to us that differential tuition and maximum tuition hikes were a fait accompli, nothing we could do would stop it. We found ourselves at a crossroads. As students, did we accept the assumptions of the administration, put our tails between our legs and cower away? Or did we accept the test of character, stick by our principals and dig in for a long fight.
Thank you students, for deciding to fight.
Because of our exceptionally strong showing during our two weeks of protest, our Students’ Union is wielding more power and respect on campus and in the community than ever before. We may have lost the battle at the Board of Governors, but we strengthened our position in the war. As the myth of extreme apathy began to crumble under the weight of our student involvement, we felt the power to change our education system build.
We must, and will, continue the fight against archaic provincial policy that forces our university into these tuition debates through chronic under-funding. We will convince the board to stand up with the students and the community in challenging the government to re-invest in our post-secondary system. We will continue the fight and we will succeed.
Faced with the Kobyashi Maru, we accepted the test of character presented to us by administration. We passed that test with dignity and flying colours. Building upon our success will be a challenge for us and our Students’ Union in the future, but the struggle will continue, and we will enact change in our institution.
Our vision of a truly accessible university is a vision worth fighting for, and I thank all of those stu-dents who participated in the tuition fight. Our strength is only just becoming known, and our vision will succeed.