Board Approves Tuition Hikes and New Recruitment Policy Draft

On March 27, the University of Alberta’s Board of Governors approved tuition increases and a new recruitment policy that omits explicit EDI language. The meeting marked the seventh straight year the board has endorsed higher tuition.

Budget and tuition decisions

Vice-president Todd Gilchrist presented a balanced budget for 2026–27. He said projections for the next few years are also balanced, but financial pressures remain.

The board approved a two percent increase to domestic undergraduate and graduate tuition for fall 2026. The university awaits the Minister of Advanced Education’s approval for previously approved exceptional tuition increases.

Student union response

U of A Students’ Union president Pedro Almeida urged a one-year hold on domestic tuition. He argued the unexpected operating grant increase in Budget 2026 reduces the need for higher tuition.

President and Vice-chancellor Bill Flanagan welcomed the grant increase. He said, however, that the added funding falls short of covering rising costs and enrolment pressures.

Exceptional tuition increases and international fees

The board had approved an ETI package in December, now pending ministerial approval. These ETIs propose steep rises in specific programs.

• 75% increase for course-based and thesis-based master’s of nursing.
• 20% increase for nursing PhD programs.
• 50% increase for the master’s in school and clinical child psychology.

Separately, the board approved a 5.5% rise for international undergraduate and course-based graduate tuition. International computing science faced a 26% increase, and international nursing saw a 20% rise.

The board also voted to cut international thesis-based tuition by 5.5 percent. All international changes will take effect for students starting in fall 2027.

Controversy over recruitment policy and EDI

Governance debates focused on a New Recruitment Policy Draft that removes explicit EDI commitments. General Faculties Council passed a motion on January 26 opposing the removal.

Many students protested at the March 27 meeting. Demonstrators displayed signs and voiced concern about the policy’s impact on campus diversity.

Voices in the debate

Lise Gotell brought forward GFC’s recommendation against eliminating EDI. Leah Hennig Gotell warned that dropping explicit EDI language risks reducing equity to procedural fairness alone.

BoG member Kevin Kane raised compliance concerns with the Canada Research Chairs Program. Provost Verna Yiu responded that the university has remained compliant with Tri-Council EDI requirements.

Janice MacKinnon spoke in favour of the new policy. She said hires should be assessed on contribution rather than on innate characteristics.

Votes and next steps

The motion to approve the New Recruitment Policy Draft passed. Pedro Almeida, undergraduate BoG representative Karina Banerji, and graduate representative Aashish Kumar voted against it.

The board also approved the university’s 2026–27 consolidated budget. Filmogaz.com will continue to follow ministerial decisions on exceptional tuition increases.