Lecturers and students returned to classes today at the University of Belize but tonight things at Belize’s national university are from normal. Tensions continue to mount over a wage freeze on faculty and staff and a new proposal to increase tuition rates by 500%. It has stoked the spirit of activism in students who today protested on the main campus in Belmopan – alongside their lecturers. 7News was there.
Keith Swift Reporting,
It began in a packed Jaguar Auditorium where about 300 students were resolute, firm, and for at least today – they were standing in solidarity with faculty and staff.
Alex Anderson, UB Student
“Together as one we can show them that faculty, staff, and students of UB can come together and we will come together to stand in solitary for one cause. Students let’s march over to the other admin building and we will march there in solidarity.”
And while the students were riled up inside the Jaguar Auditorium, outside a group of about 100 faculty and staff members were marching to meet them. Instead of shouting - they were humming.
Humming: ‘We shall overcome today.’
Both groups coalesced into one giant crowd of protestors – maybe as much
as 400 – students and teachers – marching side by side on the university’s campus.
Student: ‘Noh mess with Mr. Pott pay.’
It was professors and their students - united in spirit, purpose, and as these three students demonstrated – they were also united in message in front of the school’s admin building.
Students Chanting: ‘No freeze, no increase. No freeze, no increase…'
Steven Sho, Student Government President
“As you’ve heard, in fact you were there that the decision was
maintained that the student body is supporting the faculty and staff with their cause.”
But while unity is one thing – the students also have their cause. They are staring down a 500% increase in tuition. They say it will drive them out of school.
Antonio Solomon, UB Student
“I think that the whole situation is ‘lone fool because man like done have little money to come to school already and if they raise the fees how will I come to school. I won’t be able to come to school. So I’ll join the amount of pickney them and the youths on the streets doing God knows what. It looks like that is what they want and I am not on that. I am here for my education. I don’t care how the building look as long as I get my education. They have an ad up about some pretty building and this and that. I don’t care about how pretty the building. I want to know that
my lecturer will be there to teach me so that is all I di worry bout.”
Ruby Polanco, UB Student
“The logo here is that they care, we care. They are supposed to be doing what we want, not doing whatever they want and that they don’t care. Some students, we come here by loan, we are not working. So that we expect someone to come and study, get your education but not to increase our tuition. From where will we get that money?”
Ashanti Garcia, UB Student
“I don’t agree with it, I don’t see the reason for them to be raising the prices because as far as I am concerned I believe that they already have the profit and they don’t need the raise. So I don’t understand why they are doing it.”
Keith Swift,
“How will it affect you?”
Ashanti Garcia,
“Well personally I can’t afford a raise. It is not in the plan at all. It will affect me and my family to come.”
Keith Swift,
“How many years you have left at UB?”
Ashanti Garcia,
“Well this is my first semester so it is like….hmm for the Associate’s program it will be like two more years or less.”
Keith Swift,
“And you paid $29 a credit hour right now?”
Ashanti Garcia,
“I am paying $29 per credit hour.”
Keith Swift,
“So imagine having to pay 500% more.”
Ashanti Garcia,
“That won’t be possible for me to pay.”
Lenelli Martinez, UB Student
“They are saying it’s a proposal but that is why we want to take it on now when it is in the proposal phase. Right now the teachers, they have already been cut from since August. As students we want to be proactive and we want to start now.”
And that’s the message they’ll take to the board tomorrow.
For clarity – the proposed tuition increase is 500% or 5 times the current rate – not “500 times”. It would go from $29 per credit hour to $150 per credit hour. Again, it is just a proposal and will be discussed tomorrow at a special meeting of the Board of Trustees. That will be followed by what should be an interesting meeting with the entire student body.
But what isn’t a proposal – is the increment freeze on salaries of faculty and staff. That has already been implemented and faculty and staff are telling the board to wheel and come again. We’ll have that story later.
