Breaking Barriers to Postsecondary Education

Indigenization

We call upon the Government of New Brunswick (GNB) to implement $1.5 million into a “Reconciliation through Post- secondary Education” fund to support reconciliation initiatives and program- ming at postsecondary institutions across the province.

We call upon the Government of New Brunswick (GNB) to mandate a cultural sensitivity training to all employees of the department of Post- Secondary Education, Training and Labour, Child and Youth, and the Aboriginal Affairs Secretariat. This would include the ministers responsible for Postsecondary Education; Labour, Employment, and Population Growth, and Aboriginal Affairs.

Systemic Racism

We call upon the Government of New Brunswick to conduct an inquiry into systemic racism in New Brunswick.

We also ask the Government of New Brunswick to consult with First Nations, Black and BIPOC communities to honor the Government of New Brunswick Duty to Consult Policy when conducting the inquiry.

We further ask the Government of New Brunswick to consult with and support the work of federal and provincial partners striving to confront systemic racism within their respective jurisdiction

International Students

We call upon the Government of New Brunswick to regulate international tuition fees through a memorandum of understanding (MOU)with publicly funded universities by mandating, upon accepting international students, universities provide them with the actual cost of their tuition over the duration of their program.

We also ask that, through MOUs, international students be guaranteed the cost of tuition at the time of acceptance throughout the duration of their studies and that universities cap international tuition increases at 2% per year for incoming students.

We call upon the Government of New Brunswick to implement a New Brunswick COVID-19 International Student Financial Relief Package to support international students bearing the financial burden of COVID-19.

Student Loans

We call upon the Government of New Brunswick to eliminate interest on the provincial portion of student loans.

Mental Health

We call upon the Government of New Brunswick to include implementing e-mental health services for postsecondary students.

Sexual Violence

We call on the Government of New Brunswick to adopt legislation requiring standalone campus sexual violence policies on all publicly funded university campuses. This legislation shall include provisions ensuring student involvement in the drafting and amending process, as well as built in metrics to guarantee the clarity of the reporting structure at each institution.

We further call on the Government of New Brunswick to provide funding, or directly fund, specific trauma informed support services on all public postsecondary campuses.