In a surprise move today, the four prominent student associations in Quebec announced that a tentative deal had been reached to end the nearly two-month strike that has polarized Quebec, led to over 800 arrests and has permanent injured several students. 

The government’s offer to students was announced this evening via press conference, where neither of the three student representatives looked overly enthused by the deal. In fact, they won’t even recommend adopting the principles - they’re leaving the decision to the general councils that will meet over the next two weeks. Until then, the strike continues. The details are as follows;

• Tuition fees will be increased at the rate proposed by the Liberals, over 7 years.
• Tuition increases will be offset by a reduction in institution/ancillary fees, maintaining an effective freeze on the cost of university.
• A council will be struck to look for efficiencies in the system, passing on all savings directly to students by way of tuition cuts.

Overall, this is a relative win for the students. It, however, might be a bigger win for the province. This proposal will not cost the government a dime - it will, seemingly, require universities to find the savings in their ancillary fees and keep them in line accordingly. The permanent work of the committee, on the other hand, is to ensure the mandate of the universities remains to staying accessible. 

These are things the student associations have been calling for since time immemorial. 

What I wondered is - what the hell is an ancillary fee?

Well, it’s essentially all the fees that aren’t tuition. If we look at the cost of a Bachelor of Arts from McGill, it breaks down like this;

Tuition: 2,167.80

Society & other fees: 356.02

Student Services / Athletics & Recreation: 507.00

Registration / Transcripts & Diploma / General Administrative Charges: 280.80

Copyright Fee: 24.90

Information Technology Charge: 210.30

SSMU Health & Dental Insurance: 184.60

Total Fees: 3,731.42

That’s a combined total of $1379.02 in non-tuition fees (excluding health/dental.) Those fees make up around 37% of thee cost of going to school. Concordia looks much the same way,

Administrative Fee:$ 288.70

Student Service Fee:$ 307.80

Recreation & Athletics Fee:$ 88.60

Technology Infrastructure fee:$ 138.00

Copyright:$ 27.30

Student Association Fee:$ 279.90

Registration fee:$ 50.00

FEUQ:$ 5.00

Compulsory fees (total):$ 1183.30

Those fees count for 31% of the cost.

Looking to the Francophone universities, however, paints a different picture. UQAM appears (if my math is right) to have a mere $458.46 in extra fees (out of a $2450.10 tuition.) That’s just shy of 19%. The University of Montreal, on the other hand, has decided to make their tuition fees illegible to anyone without a doctorate, so I’ll hold off on giving you those numbers.

The point is - yes, reducing extra (often unnecessary) fees is a good idea. However, shouldering the universities with these costs could prove to be dangerous for places like UQAM, which already appears to be running a very tight ship.