As financial barriers to higher education limit key opportunities, it's important to reflect on what can be done to create a fairer system
By: Dawn McKee, Opinion Contributor
Education is often seen as the gateway to opportunity—a way for individuals to improve their circumstances and contribute to society in a meaningful way. However, for many, the cost of higher education presents a major obstacle, making access difficult due to circumstances largely out of their control.
If we want everyone to have the same equality of opportunity, it is clear that something must change to make education more economically accessible and less financially stressful. But what solution should we strive for? Should tuition be free, or should student loans be fully federalized?
In the current system, students from low- and middle-income families often find themselves at a disadvantage. High tuition costs and reliance on private loans—or even government programs like OSAP, which are available but still require students to take on debt—can be stressful and may discourage some from pursuing post-secondary education. Some students also work multiple jobs while at university to afford tuition and living costs each semester, further adding to the challenge of balancing academics and finances.
Meanwhile, students from wealthier families who can pay for their tuition pursue higher education without the same financial worries. This creates an unfair system where a person’s access to education—and therefore their prospects—depends, to some degree, on their socioeconomic background rather than their abilities or ambitions.
One solution is to make tuition free and covered by a government fund. This would remove financial barriers entirely for domestic students, allowing all students within the country, regardless of income, to pursue higher education. In most cases, however, international students would still be required to pay tuition, though potentially at a reduced rate. Countries like Germany and Sweden have already adopted this model and seen positive results, including increased enrollment and reduced inequality in access to education.
Beyond benefiting individual students, this approach could strengthen the country as a whole by creating an increasingly educated workforce, driving economic growth and reducing dependence on social welfare programs in the long term. When higher education is accessible, more people can contribute meaningfully to society and earn more for themselves, leading to greater innovation, productivity and overall stability.
When higher education is accessible, more people can contribute meaningfully to society and earn more for themselves, leading to greater innovation, productivity and overall stability.
Some argue that free tuition could lead to overcrowded schools and higher taxes, but these challenges can be addressed through careful planning and resource management within the higher education system.
Another option is to federalize student loans. Under this system, the government would handle all loans, offering lower interest rates and more flexible payment plans based on income.
Currently, in Canada, student loans are split between federal and provincial programs, leading to inconsistencies in interest rates, repayment terms and eligibility for assistance. Some provinces have eliminated interest on loans, while others still charge it, creating an uneven playing field for borrowers depending on where they live.
A fully federalized system would standardize these conditions, ensuring that all students, regardless of their province or their parents' income, have access to the same repayment benefits and financial assistance. It could also reduce or eliminate the need for private loans, which often have higher interest rates and stricter repayment conditions.
A fully federalized system would standardize these conditions, ensuring that all students, regardless of their province or their parents' income, have access to the same repayment benefits and financial assistance.
By making student loans more accessible, manageable and equitable, federalization could reduce financial stress and allow students to focus on their studies and careers. While this option doesn’t eliminate tuition costs, it would significantly reduce and equalize the financial burden on students, making education more affordable in the long run.
Both approaches have their strengths, but they share a common goal: ensuring that every individual has an equal opportunity to succeed, regardless of their family's financial background. For both individual students and society as a whole, access to education should not be determined by pre-existing economic circumstances beyond students' control.
A kinder and more respectful world starts with tough conversations, and a few whiskers
By: Dawn McKee, Arts and Culture Contributor
From 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Jan. 13, 2025, Sexual Assault Centre Hamilton and McMaster’s Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Office hosted Cats Against Catcalling, a joint event in the McMaster University Student Centre.
This event tackled the issue of street harassment while offering students the chance to engage with adoptable cats from the Hamilton/Burlington SPCA. The event used a unique approach to address a serious topic, combining education with stress relief to facilitate meaningful conversations about catcalling and its impact.
The event organizers—Miranda Jurilj, Jessica Sondhi-Cooke, Rinsy Gandhi and Nada Nassar—emphasized that catcalling is a form of sexual violence, not a harmless compliment. Sondhi-Cooke explained that Canadian statistics show over a quarter of women on post-secondary campuses experience harassment, along with six percent of men. Marginalized groups, including non-binary individuals, are disproportionately affected.
Cats were a creative way to draw in people to attend while creating a welcoming environment for discussions about sensitive topics. Before interacting with the cats, students attended a presentation on bystander intervention, ensuring that they left with both knowledge and an engaging experience.
“We want students to understand that harassment is never acceptable and that they can take steps to stop it," said Sondhi-Cooke.
We want students to understand that harassment is never acceptable and that they can take steps to stop it.
Jessica Sondhi-Cooke, Peer Educator
McMaster SVPRO
The HBSPCA’s involvement also highlighted animal welfare, adding another layer to the event’s message of compassion. “We love animals, and working with the SPCA allowed us to align our goal of providing care for both people and animals” shared Jurilj.
Nassar explained that the event focused on teaching the "five Ds" of bystander intervention: direct, distract, document, delegate and delay. At the event, organizers explained how students could use these strategies to intervene safely when witnessing harassment, tailoring their actions to their comfort levels and circumstances.
“Whether it’s distracting the harasser, recording the incident, or supporting the person being targeted afterward, there’s always something you can do to help,” said Jurilj.
Whether it’s distracting the harasser, recording the incident, or supporting the person being targeted afterward, there’s always something you can do to help.
Miranda Jurilj, Public Education Coordinator
SACHA
Street harassment resonates with students, many of whom are away from home for the first time and navigating unfamiliar environments. The event emphasized that everyone plays a role in creating a safe campus culture and showed survivors that they are not alone.
“Ending harassment is possible when we work together. Every action, no matter how small, can make a difference,” said Gandhi.
Peer-led education played a significant role, with student presenters breaking down barriers to participation. Stickers and other take-home materials encouraged participants to continue the conversation beyond the event.
By combining education with engagement, Cats Against Catcalling demonstrated that small actions can drive meaningful cultural change. The event left students with tools to address harassment and a sense of shared responsibility for fostering respect and safety on campus.
Combining art and coaching on fostering positive mindset change, McMaster's Museum of Art workshop offers a unique perspective on future-focused thinking
On Jan. 23, 2025 from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., the McMaster Museum of Art hosted Reimagining Mindsets for the Future, an interactive workshop designed to help participants explore new ways of thinking and approaching challenges. By blending visual arts, group coaching and education, the event aimed to inspire personal growth and equip attendees with tools and strategies to stay positive and navigate uncertainty in today’s world.
Co-created by executive, leadership and team coach, Amanda Calzolaio, alongside Nicole Knibb, a senior educator at the McMaster Museum of Art, the workshop took place in the museum’s gallery space. Attendees were invited to engage with art, participate in discussions and reflect on how mindset shifts could shape their perspectives on the future.
Calzolaio and Knibb, drawing on their experience in coaching and arts education, designed the workshop to integrate three core elements: visual arts, group coaching and education. According to Calzolaio, this blend creates a “dynamic interplay” that deepens awareness and fosters connection.
“Art allows for expression of values, perspectives and identity. Education invites new knowledge. And coaching deepens the awareness of self, others and the world. So, collectively, these components shift mindsets and inform how we see ourselves and the world,” explained Calzolaio.
Art played a significant role in fostering self-awareness and connection during the workshop, with the museum environment enhancing the experience.
“Being in the gallery, surrounded by artwork, creates a unique space for reflection and connection. It’s a really great way to get to know yourself, your place in the world and be with other people in the same space,” said Knibb.
The workshop also placed a strong focus on the concept of futures thinking, a creative and analytical approach to envisioning what the future could look like and how to shape it positively.
“Artists are really good at seeing things others might not. They spot signals that help us think about what might happen and how to prepare for it,” said Knibb. “Futures work offers hope and optimism and encourages us to imagine better possibilities rather than focus on dystopias."
Artists are really good at seeing things others might not. They spot signals that help us think about what might happen and how to prepare for it.
Nicole Knibb, Senior Educator: Academic & Professional Engagement
McMaster Museum of Art
The workshop also emphasized the importance of building momentum as part of future thinking, a concept central to the coaching process.
“In coaching, our goal is to move from the present into the future. Future thinking is about creating forward-facing momentum that’s relevant to each participant, helping them build a vision of what’s possible,” said Calzolaio.
For many participants, the workshop offered a chance to engage with new perspectives and rediscover creativity. “We want participants to leave with a sense of curiosity and connectedness—with themselves, others and the world. It’s about tapping into something they didn’t know was possible or maybe forgot about,” Calzolaio said.
We want participants to leave with a sense of curiosity and connectedness—with themselves, others, and the world.
Amanda Calzolaio, Leadership and Team Coach
Knibb added that the museum's central location on campus makes it an ideal setting for such an event. “It’s accessible for students and others and it’s a great way for young people to spark creativity, imagination and optimism about the future,” she said.
As the second workshop in what the McMaster Museum of Art hopes will become an ongoing series, Calzolaio noted, “This is just the beginning. We hope to continue this work and bring it to even more people in the future." Reimagining Mindsets for the Future reflects the museum's commitment to blending arts-based education and group coaching to foster growth and collaboration.
Details about upcoming workshops and events can be found on the McMaster Museum of Art's social media and website.
The future of McMaster’s learning environment is at stake as sessional faculty approve a strike mandate and negotiations with the university stall
McMaster sessional faculty represented by CUPE local 3906 are inching closer to a strike as bargaining continues to stall between the union and the university. While last December’s 83 per cent approval for a strike mandate, should negotiations fall through, doesn’t mean a strike is inevitable, students are going to have to consider what the possible labour action on campus might mean for them.
The potential strike, far from just a potential disruption, could be a major turning point for teaching and learning at McMaster.
Sessional faculty, faculty typically paid per class to teach, represent a significant amount of McMaster’s teaching workforce. The use of this poorly compensated and precarious workforce by the university represents a unique challenge to student learning.
The heavy demands placed on sessional faculty and the limited support provided to them by McMaster mean their ability to meet student needs, whether for accessibility, timeliness, or flexible office hours are limited.
The union and the university remain far from agreement on many issues as bargaining is likely to approach conciliation — a non-binding process in which a third party attempts to bring the negotiating parties closer to an agreement.
The disagreement between involved parties is over proposed pay increases and contract length. McMaster’s proposed pay increase would keep sessional faculties pay behind other universities for at least four years according to the union.
CUPE’s proposed 3-year contract is an attempt to align the collective bargaining process of multiple of the union’s contracts, which the union hopes will give them more leverage in future negotiations because of a higher risk of disruption from more employees.
From a student perspective the union’s demands are related to teaching and job security. The union has demanded a minimum of one TA per 50 students to support faculty and a responsibility for McMaster to offer sessional faculty who have taught a given course twice to teach that course again should it be re-run.
For factors largely beyond the control of individual sessional faculty, they are ill-equipped to best meet and exceed student needs. Sessional faculty are faced with heavy demands of their time, including often commuting between multiple schools, being given limited grading support and being forced to teach a larger number of classes in addition to other career requirements.
Students, faculty and administrations recognize the need for career-related mentorship between students and faculty, but without adequate time and compensation, this is a difficult need for sessional faculty to meet.
This divide between sessional faculty and students is replicated at the department level, where sessional faculty struggle to be included in a meaningful way in department operations.
Committing to job security for sessional staff makes both financial and educational sense. McMaster recognizes the need to invest in sessional faculty's teaching skills, which it does through the MacPherson Institute. So why are they unwilling to make a simple policy change to invest in sessional faculty's job security?
McMaster's goals of fostering a better learning environment can only benefit from this security. By allowing for longer term investment in secure sessional faculty's professional development, as well as rewarding sessional faculty's personal investment of time and effort into the university and students, the campus community can only benefit.
As the bargaining process escalates between McMaster and CUPE local 3906, students have more at stake than just a potential disruption to classes. McMaster and CUPE have the chance to strike a deal that benefits both student and sessional faculty, and that can facilitate better educational relationships between them.
McMaster and CUPE have the chance to strike a deal that benefits both student and sessional faculty, and that can facilitate better educational relationships between them.
McMaster’s stated objective to develop a flexible, personalized learning experience requires support be given to its hard working sessional faculty. It's now time for them to step up.
Having the lowest voter turnout of any age group, Canadian university students need to embrace their civic duty and utilize their right to vote
By: Zarah Rahman, Opinion Contributor
Every four years, Canadian students huddle around laptops, like watching a reality show, as news anchors crack down on maps filled with red or blue as the results of the American election come in.
At McMaster, US politics has great engagement - a panel event discussing the November 5th election nearly sold out to 500 attendees, both online and in-person. But do we have this same energy for our own local and federal politics?
Canadian youth aged 18-30 has an alarmingly lower voter engagement compared to other age groups. One survey by the Canadian government found that youth voter turnout was 14 per cent lower than those aged 47 years or older during the 2019 federal election.
Many factors may contribute to this, like variable civic education. As a Toronto District School Board student, I have participated in Student Vote since elementary school and was taught how to research political campaigns. These classroom lessons helped me understand how to make the important decision on who to vote for, which encouraged me to vote for all elections that I was eligible for.
However, after a conversation with my friends, I found that those who did not have this education may face greater difficulty navigating confusing political campaigns and races. A survey by Civix Canada found that two-thirds of Canada’s youth report teaching civic education not being a priority at their schools. Individuals who do not learn about how how government institutions work are less likely to vote.
Another barrier may be the accessibility to voting services. In 2021, the Canadian Vote on Campus program was suspended for the 44th general election due to COVID-19 and the snap-election call, limiting many post-secondary students from an accessible polling station.
The program allowed students to vote for either their home riding or for the riding of their university. This program enabled students not able to visit home to vote strategically.
When coming to university, we meet people from various educational backgrounds. This is why we have many introductory courses to make sure all students receive essential foundational knowledge. I think this should also be the case for civic education within McMaster, which has thousands of eligible student voters.
One model to implement this could follow that of the CONSENT 1A00: It Takes All Of Us offered by the Sexual Violence Prevention and Response Office, which auto-enrolls McMaster first-years to spread awareness on sexual violence. On a larger scale, McMaster could work towards increasing on-campus awareness of voting stations and resources for voters. This could also mean encouraging Elections Canada to bring back the Vote on Campus initiative.
On a personal level, we need to reflect on our civic duties. When facing uncertainty about who we should vote for or how our electoral politics even function, we could utilize tools, such as VoteCompass, to help us understand our political alignment and find our places in the political sphere. Discussions with friends and family could also help us understand diverse perspectives while also encouraging our circles to vote.
Politics impacts all aspects of student life. From your city’s local climate response, to the province’s OSAP policies and the Federal Government’s pharmacare pilot, we have the power to influence change with our vote. With the possibility of elections both federally and provincially occurring within the next year, this rings true now more than ever.
Politics impacts all aspects of student life . . . we have the power to influence change with our vote.
We know the power of paper with our degrees - but we can also see this power reflected on the ballot. With these upcoming Canadian elections, as students we should all contribute to increasing the currently sad voter turnout of our age range and embrace our civic duty as citizens of a democracy.
McMaster Community Garden’s new expansion is underway, adding green space and improving accessibility for students on campus
The Community Garden at McMaster is expanding behind Burke Science Building and is set to open in Spring 2025. The expansion will double the garden's growing capacity and feature a fully accessible garden, including wheelchair-accessible paths, raised garden beds provided by Raised Beds Canada and a variety of accessible gardening tools and seating areas.
The Community Garden, a student-led initiative launched
Throughout the growing season, the garden cultivates a variety of produce, such as carrots, kale, strawberries and golden raspberries. The garden also features a grapevine that spans the entire perimeter and a cherry tree.
Thush Gnanamuttu and Olivia Rowan, the 2024-2025 coordinators for the Community Garden who oversee all decisions and manage the volunteer team, spoke about the design of the upcoming expansion.
“We worked with accessibility groups including Maccess, Facility services and other on-campus accessibility consultants on the work of the design. A lot of the work this summer was making sure it was a collaborative design and a lot of thought was put into the features,” said Rowan.
We worked with accessibility groups including Maccess, Facility services and other on-campus accessibility consultants on the work of the design. A lot of the work this summer was making sure it was a collaborative design and a lot of thought was put into the features.
Olivia Rowan, Co-ordinator
Community Garden
Gnanamuttu and Rowan mentioned that the new garden will feature raised garden beds at varying heights, designed to be more wheelchair-friendly and accessible to all. They also noted the addition of an accessible picnic bench that was donated by the McMaster Class of 1954. “We wanted to bring a bench in here because it would be cool to run educational workshops and just have this as a space that volunteers can enjoy as well,” said Rowan.
Gnanamuttu and Rowan acknowledged the hard work of their volunteers, who assisted in building the garden beds, picnic table and garden shed.
“It's really important to have community-centred green spaces where people can learn about gardening, get a break from the work they’re doing but also do something really meaningful to support their community and we see that with all the volunteers that come in. They really feel like they have a sense of purpose,” said Rowan.
It's really important to have community centered green spaces where people can learn about gardening, get a break from the work they’re doing but also do something really meaningful to support their community and we see that with all the volunteers that come in they really feel like they have a sense of purpose.
Olivia Rowan, Co-ordinator
Community Garden
The coordinators also shared their plans to add a Little Free Library in front of the garden expansion. Their goal is to place books about sustainability and gardening education in a public bookcase, allowing people to exchange books as they pass by.
The coordinators recognized several sponsors who helped design and execute the expansion, including OPIRG McMaster, the McMaster Okanagan Office of Health and Wellbeing, McMaster Facility Services, Raised Garden Beds Canada and Little Free Library.
As a news media publication, making space for historically neglected voices and issues is a vital component of reconciliation
For three years now, the Silhouette has been dedicating nearly half of our print issues to covering stories about and the voices of communities that have been historically and continually marginalized.
Our Love is Love issue, which runs in June, is dedicated to covering people of and issues facing the 2SLGBTQIA+ community at McMaster and in Hamilton. Vision, which runs in March, is dedicated to highlighting the stories and voices of Black students and faculty at McMaster.
This issue, Education and Reconciliation, not only gives platform to the voices of Indigenous students, faculty and community members, but specifically strives to highlight stories and discussion about reconciliation with Indigenous peoples and the dark history of the land we occupy.
For those that do not understand or may question the importance of these issues, especially this one, allow me to spell it out for you in the simplest of terms. Despite the appalling history that looms behind us and the resulting systemic issues that continue to face Indigenous people today, the voices of Indigenous people and the serious issues that have and continue to affect them have been sorely underrepresented by the news media industry.
The voices of Indigenous people and the serious issues that have and continue to affect them have been sorely underrepresented by the news media industry.
One way by which we can do our part as a media publication in working towards reconciliation is by making a concerted effort to platform what has historically been neglected. But I must also make clear that our special issues are not the only time for these topics to be platformed and written about.
On the contrary, working towards reconciliation as a news media publication means reporting on these issues whenever they are pertinent. Nonetheless, we believe specifically dedicating space to talk about and report on reconciliation and what still needs to be done on campus and in our community is also important considering this history of neglect by news media.
We believe specifically dedicating space to talk about and report on reconciliation and what still needs to be done on campus and in our community is also important considering this history of neglect by news media.
When curating our first iteration of this issue three years ago, the Silhouette collaborated closely with the then Indigenous Studies Program. In curating this year’s iteration of the issue, we collaborated with the now Indigenous Studies Department, as well as a many Indigenous student groups at McMaster. I would like to thank both the department and these student groups for working with us over the summer and early fall to support us in doing our part in reconciliation.
As this year’s issue hits the stands just ahead of National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, I hope that along with other initiatives on campus , the content of this issue will serve to be a cause for reflection and contemplation on the part of you, our readership.
Arts for All presents "fabric > fabric," an interactive exhibit that invited Supercrawl attendees to celebrate the joy of creating together
Arts for All, formerly Culture for Kids in the Arts, is a charitable organization run by the Hamilton Conservatory of Arts that provides access to arts education programming to children and youth throughout Hamilton and surrounding areas.
One of Arts for All's initiatives is Artasia, a summer program which mentors and equips young adults to deliver a five-week arts program to children in their neighbourhoods. Selections from this year’s program, “fabric > fabric,” were displayed at Supercrawl alongside an interactive tapestry exhibit.
This past summer, Artasia brought arts education to over two thousand children in 44 neighbourhoods including Waterdown, Crown Point and Binbrook. Participants explored the meaning that can be both found and created in fabric and fabric-based art practices such as drawing with fabric markers, gluing fabric scraps and tie-dying. The “fabric > fabric” program considered and included themes related to community, cultural identity and sustainability.
Artasia facilitator Setareh Masoumbeiki discussed the inspiration for this year’s program in an interview with the Silhouette. “What I really enjoy about Artasia, and what Artasia is to me, is that it always starts with a question. And this year we started with a question of when is fabric more than fabric? How can we look at fabric with different eyes, with new ways of looking?” said Masoumbeiki.
What I really enjoy about Artasia, and what Artasia is to me is that it always starts with a question. And this year we started with a question of when is fabric more than fabric? How can we look at fabric with different eyes, with new ways of looking?
Setareh Masoumbeiki, Artasia Facilitator
Arts for All
At the conclusion of each summer, Arts for All puts together an artwork that incorporates the children’s artwork from Artasia. This year, the “fabric > fabric” exhibit at Supercrawl featured two quilts made up of tie-dyed and flower-pounded fabric created during the program.
The quilts were hung up on a rope between two trees and incorporated over 400 individual squares of fabric. Masoumbeiki described the impact the scale of the exhibit had on her. "You come and you look at them and it’s just breathtaking. All of [the kids], all these neighbourhoods, all these organizations," said Masoumbeiki.
Masoumbeiki described the quilts as a testament to the children’s abilities. “It’s a quilt but it’s also a banner. It’s a statement of the children’s voices, what children can do and how capable they are in creating art and being creative,” said Masoumbeiki.
It’s a quilt but it’s also a banner. It’s a statement of the children’s voices, what children can do and how capable they are in creating art and being creative.
Setareh Masoumbeiki, Artasia Facilitator
Arts for All
In addition to displaying work from the summer program, the “fabric > fabric” exhibit also featured an interactive community tapestry. Nine looms were constructed with metal frames and orange fencing. Supercrawl attendees were invited to participate in the exhibit by writing ideas and stories on strips of fabric and weaving them into the looms. Participants also knotted and braided the pieces of fabric.
Masoumbeiki said that the exhibit was designed with kids in mind. The looms were low enough to the ground that young children could participate in the tapestry.
To create fabric strips for the community tapestry, the Artasia team repurposed and naturally dyed donated bed sheets. Masoumbeiki stated that she hoped the exhibit would prompt people to think about sustainability, something that is central to Artasia’s practices. She said that she hopes people will start to understand that “things can be one thing, and then you can use them to create so many other things.”
"We always want to have something to be interactive, because that interactive part of it, that community art is always part of what we believe in," said Masoumbeiki. She also noted that the looms will be donated to the community organizations that supported Artasia 2024.
If you are interested in learning more about Arts for All and the programs they provide, check out their website, Instagram and Facebook.
With the competitive job market, students are struggling to prioritize their academic goals
Have you noticed that it's becoming more difficult to get a job?
Some are fortunate to have an established network of people who help make securing a job easier. However, seeking a job solely on your own which can involve sending out several cold emails, endlessly browsing job boards, and creating a network, often proves to be more difficult than anticipated.
As a co-op student, it felt harder than necessary to secure a job for my first placement. Out of the 70 jobs I applied to, I only received four interviews.
Although this may not be the case for everyone, many students have also experienced this when it comes to job hunting.
The co-op program at McMaster University requires students to secure a job placement before their allotted work term. If a student is unable to get a job their work-term can either be moved to another semester, they may only be required to complete three work terms or they may also be removed from the program if they have not been actively searching for a position.
With limited prospects in the current job market, having to pursue one of the alternatives listed above can significantly impact our academic terms.
For many co-op students, in third year we often have our fall semester as an academic term whereas our winter and spring/summer terms are work placements. We then have a regular term during our fourth fall semester. In the winter of our fourth year, we begin looking for our next placement for the upcoming spring/summer and fall semesters of fifth year. We finally end our undergraduate careers on with one last academic term.
For a student whose work term is moved to another semester, also known as resequencing, they may not get into their required classes. We must enroll for the co-op course instead, while some of our required courses are only available during certain terms. Since students will be on work terms during the spring/summer semesters, it may become more difficult to catch up on missed pre-requisites as they are on a co-op placement during this time.
Although it is possible to begin catching up while on a work placement, co-op students are only allowed to complete one course per semester during a work term with permission from their supervisor. If your course is offered during these semesters, it can be difficult to balance this and full-time work.
If we fall behind, we don't have much room to catch up with courses. Failing to find a co-op placement in part due to the current job market being so limited faces us with dire consequences when it comes to obtaining our degrees. We are disadvantaged from successfully completing our academic requirements. We also may be putting our dreams of a thesis at risk as resequencing causes us to have a work term during our fourth year.
However, this struggle is not only limited to co-op students. The current job market has not been kind to any student. With positions being more difficult to secure, the stress we experience interferes with our academics.
The process of actually finding a job may not be the cause of stress for non-co-op students. The financial aspect of what a job promises can cause students to displace their focus from academics to job seeking. Meanwhile, many students need a part-time job to pay their expenses that OSAP and other financial aid services might not cover cover.
With jobs difficult to secure and the rising cost of living, we are detracted from prioritizing our studies. How can we, if we have to worry about next month's rent with no income to support ourselves?
When we worry about fulfilling our most basic needs like rent, food and tuition, it becomes difficult for us to focus on our education.
When we worry about fulfilling our most basic needs like rent, food and tuition, it becomes difficult for us to focus on our education.
I am not sure if you can relate, but I am more inclined to skip a lecture when I have more urgent matters to attend. Can't get into a course that is crucial for a concurrent certificate? I'm skipping a lecture to talk with an academic advisor. Can't secure a position for co-op with the deadline fast approaching? I'm skipping another lecture to try and find a solution.
Although these are conscious choices that I am making, the external influence of the tight job market becomes detracts greatly from my academics as I worry about the implications of not having a job.
This is something many students face. I hear it frequently when talking to my peers. Many of us are seeking jobs to help supplement what OSAP does not cover, but are struggling to get a job because of the current market. This constant struggle keeps us distracted from our academics, negatively impacting our performance.
It's tough finding a job in the real world.
As undergraduate students, we have access to resources that make the job-hunting process slightly less challenging. Jobs listed under the student-work program and co-op-specific job board are exclusive to McMaster students. Access to these resources limits the size of the applicant pool, increasing students' odds of securing a job.
Nevertheless, the process of job hunting doesn't get easier after we graduate. The co-op job hunting process is not a reflection of real-world competitiveness due to the supports and exclusive job board we are given.
With many companies cutting back their available positions due to a lack of funding, everything has become increasingly competitive. Being thrown into this without support can be challenging.
However, using university resources to your advantage to create a network can help improve your chances of securing a job. By connecting with your professors early on and attending campus events, you are building bridges to help facilitate the connections needed to get you into your field of work.
Using university to your advantage to create a network can help improve your chances of securing a job. By connecting with your professors early on and attending campus events, you are building bridges to help facilitate the connections to get you into your field.
Although job hunting is not easy, my biggest piece of advice is to keep working away at it. Maintaining resilience and working early ahead are the best things you can do to overcome the challenges we all face as students while maintaining your academic performance. By starting the job application process earlier, you will increase your chances of securing a position because the more jobs you apply to, the more likely it is to secure a position - it's a numbers game.
And remember, you aren't alone! Take advantage of the support McMaster has to offer. It may take some time, but you will be able to secure a position.
Federal government announces it will approve fewer international students, in wake of the housing crisis and universities taking financial advantage of international students
On Jan. 22, Marc Miller, minister of immigration, refugees and citizenship, announced that smaller cap on the number of international student permits to be approved will come into effect this year.
In an online news release on Jan. 22, the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada stated that about 360,000 new international study permits will be approved in 2024, which is a 35 per cent reduction from last year. The IRCC also stated that while international students are an integral part of Canadian society and the economy, they are currently being taken advantage of by some educational institutions aiming to earn more revenue from the higher tuition international students pay.
“Some institutions have significantly increased their intakes to drive revenues, and more students have been arriving in Canada without the proper support they need to succeed,” stated the IRCC online news release.
Some institutions have significantly increased their intakes to drive revenues, and more students have been arriving in Canada without the proper support they need to succeed.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, Jan. 22 online news release
The news release also cited that increasingly high numbers of admitted international students are putting pressure on housing services.
This new international student cap coincides with Miller’s December 2023 announcement that access to funds of at least $20,635 are needed for international students to study in Canada. This is double the previous requirement and this amount is in addition to the cost of student’s tuition and travel expenses.
Miller stated that this decision aims to protect international students that cannot afford to live in Canada from academic institutions aiming to take advantage of them.
These new requirements were also justified by Miller in light of the current housing shortage, the effects of which are increasing in severity for both international and domestic students as enrolment for both groups continues to rise.
"Through the decisive measures announced today, we are striking the right balance for Canada and ensuring the integrity of our immigration system while setting students up for the success they hope for," stated Miller, in the Jan. 22 online news release.
Through the decisive measures announced today, we are striking the right balance for Canada and ensuring the integrity of our immigration system while setting students up for the success they hope for.
Marc Miller, minister of immigration, refugees and citizenship, in Jan. 22 online news release
Under the new federal limit, provincial limits have been established according to each's population. As a result, provinces with the greatest numbers of universities and hence international students will likely see the greatest decrease in approved permits.
The cap does not apply to graduate students, nor to elementary and high school students. The cap also does not apply to students that already hold a study permit, so current international students are not at risk of having their ability to study in Canada revoked.
This cap will remain in effect for two years and the number of new international students to be approved in 2025 will be decided at the end of this year.
This is an ongoing story.
