VIUSU Takes Student Concerns to Government: Funding Cuts, Program Losses, and the Future of Post-Secondary Education
TL;DR: We took student concerns straight to the provincial government.
Here's what we asked for:
• More public funding for colleges and universities
• Release the Sector Sustainability Review and continue consulting students prior to decision making.
• Keep BC's 2% tuition cap in placeWhy? Because students are already feeling the impacts of program cuts, campus closures, and shrinking services. Education shouldn't become harder to access because institutions are being forced to do more with less.
"The question isn't whether post-secondary education is worth investing in. The question is whether we can afford not to."
— Callum Rivoire, Director of External Relations
On Friday, June 19, VIUSU's Director of External Relations, Callum Rivoire, spoke to the Province's Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services as part of BC's 2027 Budget Consultation process.
Representing more than 10,000 students across Vancouver Island and coastal BC, Callum brought a simple message to government:
Students are feeling the impacts of post-secondary funding cuts, and it's time for the province to invest in education.
Why This Matters
Over the past few years, students at Vancouver Island University have watched programs disappear, campuses close, services shrink, and staff positions go unfilled.
These aren't just administrative changes. They affect what students can study, where they can learn, and what support is available when they need it.
At VIU alone:
32 undergraduate, graduate, certificate, and diploma programs have been cancelled or suspended.
The Parksville campus and Cowichan Trades Centre have closed.
Significant faculty and staff reductions have taken place.
Maintenance, technology, and infrastructure projects have been delayed.
For students, that can mean fewer course options, reduced services, longer wait times, and fewer opportunities to access education close to home.
For communities across Vancouver Island and coastal BC, it means losing programs that train future workers in fields our region depends on.
The Problem Isn't Students
During the presentation, Callum highlighted a challenge facing post-secondary institutions across British Columbia.
For years, colleges and universities have become increasingly reliant on international student tuition to make up for insufficient public funding. When international enrolment declined, institutions were left with major budget shortfalls.
At VIU in 2024/2025, international graduate enrolment dropped by 60% while international undergraduate enrolment dropped by 48%, resulting in more than $10 million in lost tuition revenue.
The result? Institutions have been forced into survival mode.
Students are seeing the consequences through program cuts, reduced services, and uncertainty about the future.
What VIUSU Is Calling For
VIUSU presented three recommendations to the committee.
Restore Public Funding
VIUSU is calling on the provincial government to restore public funding so that it covers 75% of institutional operating budgets.
Post-secondary education is critical to addressing many of BC's biggest challenges, including healthcare shortages, housing construction, skilled trades recruitment, economic development, and climate action.
Universities and colleges cannot continue to produce the workforce BC needs if they are being forced to cut programs and services.
Release the Sector Sustainability Review
Students participated in the provincial Sector Sustainability Review and deserve to know what was learned.
VIUSU is calling on government to publicly release the review and ensure students remain involved in future conversations about the sustainability of post-secondary education.
Protect Affordable Tuition
Students are already struggling with the rising costs of housing, food, transportation, and everyday life.
VIUSU urged the province to maintain BC's 2% Tuition Limit Policy, which helps keep tuition increases predictable and manageable.
Students should not be expected to solve institutional budget challenges through higher tuition fees.
An Investment in Students Is an Investment in Communities
Post-secondary education isn't just about classrooms. It is how communities train nurses, teachers, tradespeople, planners, technicians, entrepreneurs, and future leaders. When educational opportunities disappear, communities feel the effects for years to come.
"Students understand that institutions are facing financial challenges," said Rivoire. "But the solution can't be endless cuts. The province needs to invest in the people, programs, and services that communities rely on."
As BC begins planning its 2027 budget, VIUSU will continue advocating for accessible, affordable, and sustainable post-secondary education for students across Vancouver Island and beyond.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Sector Sustainability Review?
The Province commissioned a review of BC's post-secondary sector to examine long-term sustainability challenges facing colleges and universities. Students participated in consultations, but the recommendations have not been publicly released.
Earlier this year, the Province also launched a second independent review examining how to strengthen and sustain BC's public post-secondary education system. Student representatives, including members of the BC Federation of Students, participated in that process.
Why is VIUSU calling for public funding to cover 75% of institutional operating budgets?
Post-secondary education is a public good that benefits communities, employers, and the province as a whole.
Restoring public funding to 75% of operating budgets would help institutions reduce their reliance on unstable revenue sources and focus on providing accessible, high-quality education.
Why not just increase tuition?
Students are already facing rising costs for housing, food, transportation, textbooks, and other essentials. Institutional funding challenges should not be solved by shifting costs onto students.
How do you know funding is the issue?
Across the province, institutions are responding to financial pressures through program closures, service reductions, staffing vacancies, deferred maintenance, and campus restructuring. Students experience the effects through fewer opportunities, reduced services, and barriers to accessing education.
What makes VIU unique?
VIU serves regional, rural, coastal, and Indigenous communities across Vancouver Island and coastal BC. Many students choose VIU because it allows them to study close to home. When programs or campuses are reduced, some students lose access to post-secondary education altogether.
How do program closures affect students?
Program closures can mean fewer educational pathways, longer commutes, relocation costs, delayed graduation timelines, and fewer opportunities to study in their communities.
Which program losses concern students the most?
Students have expressed concerns about the loss of programs such as the Dental Assistant Certificate, GIS Advanced Diploma, Master of Community Planning, and Arts One: First Nations Certificate, all of which addressed important workforce and community needs.
Why is VIUSU asking for the Sustainability Review to be released?
Students participated in the review process and deserve transparency about the findings and recommendations. Institutions are making significant decisions today, and students should understand the information shaping the future of the post-secondary sector.
What does "students at the table" mean?
It means meaningful consultation before decisions are finalized, particularly when those decisions affect affordability, access to education, campus services, and institutional restructuring.
Why is VIUSU advocating to keep the 2% tuition cap?
The 2% Tuition Limit Policy is one of the few affordability protections students can rely on. It helps keep tuition increases predictable at a time when many students are already struggling with the rising cost of living.
What challenges are students facing right now?
Students continue to report concerns about housing affordability, food insecurity, transportation costs, textbook expenses, and access to support services. VIUSU is also seeing increased demand for food supports, emergency funding, advocacy services, and other forms of student assistance.
If government could only do one thing, what would VIUSU prioritize?
Restore public investment in post-secondary education. Many of the challenges facing institutions, students, and communities stem from ongoing funding pressures.
What would success look like five years from now?
A post-secondary system with stable public funding, predictable tuition, strong student supports, preserved access in regional communities, and institutions focused on growth and innovation instead of cuts and closures.
Why should the Province invest more in post-secondary education?
Every major provincial priority from healthcare and housing to skilled trades, climate action, and economic development—depends on a strong post-secondary system.
Investing in students today helps build the workforce, communities, and economy British Columbia will rely on tomorrow.
