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The Hot Seat: Rising International Fees a “Side Project” for MISN
Theo Talbot, president of MISN
Marie-Eve ClavetFor the nearly 20 per cent of McGill students who come to Montreal from other countries, tuition hikes, off-campus work permits, and permanent residency are important issues. Since Quebec and out-of-province tuition rates are government-regulated, international students have had to pay increasingly high tuition fees in recent years to compensate for University funding shortages. Last year, and in years past, the McGill International Students Network (MISN) has campaigned publicly against international tuition hikes by circulating anti-hike petitions, organising rallies, and lobbying the University to give international students more advance notice of fee hikes. The Daily recently sat down with current MISN President Theo Talbot to get an update on what’s being done to address the concerns of international students. McGill Daily: What’s going on with tuition fees for international students? Theo Talbot: Tuition fees for international students have been kind of a side project for the MISN, although it is something we’re trying to deal with…. There has been lots of back and forth with administration and SSMU about what’s going on. It’s hard to change the minds of administration with something they’re this set on. MD: What is the MISN doing to combat rising international fees? TT: We have the opportunity to sit on the International Student Affairs Committee (ISAC), which provides a lot of feedback to interested parties in the administration. Also, there’s been an effort through SSMU to maintain pressure on this issue. It can’t be stressed enough how important this issue is. MD: With international fees rising, will MISN be pushing for off-campus work permits for international students? TT: MISN is not primarily a political organisation. Student advocacy is not really something we budget. However, if international student hikes go into effect, we have no choice but to try. MD: What is the MISN process for helping international students become permanent residents? TT: That’s an issue of immigration, passports, and visas. In terms of settling people in McGill, that’s what we’re best at. Immigration is something International Student Services (ISS) is equipped to accommodate. MD: Does MISN have a stance on the accreditation referendum? TT: I can’t answer that as a representative of MISN. MISN functions under SSMU. If that’s something SSMU supports, we stand by them. MD: Is it true that the new principal, Heather Munroe-Blum, recently attended a reception with international students? TT: She did. I think that speaks volumes about the administration’s commitment to the international student population. But at the same time, I would like to stress that tuition hikes, like the sorts of things discussed, only threaten that community of international students. MD: Theo, if you could be any cereal, what kind would you be and why? TT: Frosted Mini-Wheats, because they bring untold joy to students in a rush everywhere, myself included.
Theo Talbot, president of MISN
Marie-Eve ClavetFor the nearly 20 per cent of McGill students who come to Montreal from other countries, tuition hikes, off-campus work permits, and permanent residency are important issues. Since Quebec and out-of-province tuition rates are government-regulated, international students have had to pay increasingly high tuition fees in recent years to compensate for University funding shortages. Last year, and in years past, the McGill International Students Network (MISN) has campaigned publicly against international tuition hikes by circulating anti-hike petitions, organising rallies, and lobbying the University to give international students more advance notice of fee hikes. The Daily recently sat down with current MISN President Theo Talbot to get an update on what’s being done to address the concerns of international students. McGill Daily: What’s going on with tuition fees for international students? Theo Talbot: Tuition fees for international students have been kind of a side project for the MISN, although it is something we’re trying to deal with…. There has been lots of back and forth with administration and SSMU about what’s going on. It’s hard to change the minds of administration with something they’re this set on. MD: What is the MISN doing to combat rising international fees? TT: We have the opportunity to sit on the International Student Affairs Committee (ISAC), which provides a lot of feedback to interested parties in the administration. Also, there’s been an effort through SSMU to maintain pressure on this issue. It can’t be stressed enough how important this issue is. MD: With international fees rising, will MISN be pushing for off-campus work permits for international students? TT: MISN is not primarily a political organisation. Student advocacy is not really something we budget. However, if international student hikes go into effect, we have no choice but to try. MD: What is the MISN process for helping international students become permanent residents? TT: That’s an issue of immigration, passports, and visas. In terms of settling people in McGill, that’s what we’re best at. Immigration is something International Student Services (ISS) is equipped to accommodate. MD: Does MISN have a stance on the accreditation referendum? TT: I can’t answer that as a representative of MISN. MISN functions under SSMU. If that’s something SSMU supports, we stand by them. MD: Is it true that the new principal, Heather Munroe-Blum, recently attended a reception with international students? TT: She did. I think that speaks volumes about the administration’s commitment to the international student population. But at the same time, I would like to stress that tuition hikes, like the sorts of things discussed, only threaten that community of international students. MD: Theo, if you could be any cereal, what kind would you be and why? TT: Frosted Mini-Wheats, because they bring untold joy to students in a rush everywhere, myself included.
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