The following question will be voted on by ALL Dalhousie students:


Whereas, the provincial government is cutting funding to universities with expectations of tuition increases; 

Whereas, the Alliance of Nova Scotia Student Associations (ANSSA) presents thoughtful solutions to make Nova Scotia’s university system accessible, affordable and of the highest quality;

Whereas, existing fee levels of $2.65 for full time students and $1.58 for part time students are insufficient to meet the member demands for an organization with increased capacity to deliver additional projects and campaigns, including expansion of services and outreach;

Do you support a Dalhousie Student Union fee increase of an additional $3.00 for full-time students and an additional $2.00 for part-time students per academic year, for membership fee increases to the Alliance of Nova Scotia Student Associations (ANSSA), the Dalhousie Student Union's provincial lobby organization, subject to ratification by council? 

Yes/No

About ANSSA:
The Alliance of Nova Scotia Student Associations ( ANSSA) represents over 35,000 university students across Nova Scotia. We envision a Nova Scotian post secondary education system that is accessible, affordable and of the highest quality.

What We Do:
Our goal is to bring students and people who make decisions about students closer together. ANSSA has developed relationships with individuals throughout the bureaucracy in Nova Scotia, each of the three major political parties and elected government representatives. We regularly produce reports and research that advise and support our policy creation and advocacy efforts. 
Results:
The Government instituted a 3-year tuition freeze in 2008, with subsequent reductions in the following years 

The Government established a student loan debt cap for the first time ever after ANSSA had been the only group lobbying for one for three years.  

ANSSA and the DSU collaborated with international students in an effort to keep the Minister of Labour and Advanced Education to her word regarding the increase of International Student tuition and decreased the Administration-endorsed fee proposal. 

What we WANT to do:
With only one full time staff person, no matter how amazing he/she is, a bulk of funding and time must be spent on administrative work and overhead.

With this modest $3/$2 fee increase, we can hire two new staff to better serve you:

- A communications manager, working to bring ANSSA closer to students and campuses to give them a more direct line to the government.

- Another who would focus on administration, research and policy development.

Doing this would allow the executive director to spend more time developing well planned strategies, representing student interests in meetings with the government, community members and other groups.

Chief Spokesperson:  Daniel Gillis, daniel.gillis@dal.ca