News

Students Nova Scotia has erected a 25-foot-tall inflatable clock emblazoned with the words “Now or Never?” at Victoria Park in Halifax today. The action is drawing attention to the Nova Scotia government’s failure to respond to the Ivany Report, especially when it comes to youth employment, retention, and attraction.

Students were unimpressed as the Government of Nova Scotia announced the Graduate to Opportunities program this morning. Students Nova Scotia noted that the program does not come close to offsetting the more than $40 million taken away from students and recent graduates with the elimination of the Graduate Retention Rebate. Meanwhile, the program undergoing a very slow roll-out and it’s unclear to what extent it will create new jobs.

A report released this morning by Students Nova Scotia demonstrates the financial challenges facing many post-secondary students in Nova Scotia. Making Sense of Fees, Debt and Unmet Need: Case Studies in Nova Scotia Post-Secondary Student Finance outlines how changes in student assistance programs, fees and other costs have impacted on eight hypothetical students since 2004. The results show the difficult circumstances facing many Nova Scotia students and how different policies would address these challenges.

Students were pleased today to see the Nova Scotia Government approve a 20-cent increase to the province’s minimum wage, keeping it at the basic standard set by the low income cut off (LICO). Since 2004, the minimum hourly wage in Nova Scotia has risen from $6.50 to $10.60.

Following the revelations of misogynistic incidents involving students at Dalhousie University’s Faculty of Dentistry, Students Nova Scotia and its members have reiterated their commitment to supporting collective action to combat misogyny and rape culture. The full community, including individuals, student organizations, post-secondary institutions and government, need to work together to stamp out this culture and the sexual violence it facilitates.

Students Nova Scotia released a report today identifying numerous barriers that limit the ability of persons with disabilities to attend and succeed in post-secondary education. Disable the Label: Improving Post-Secondary Policy, Practice and Academic Culture for Students with Disabilitiesrecommends policy changes to protect the students’ human rights, address increasing service demands, and meet students’ financial needs. StudentsNS also launched an online petition linked to the report, calling for the Province to up-front funding for assessments required by students with learning disabilities.

Last week, the Association of Atlantic Universities released its preliminary enrolment numbers for 2014-2015, revealing that among full-time students, a decline in local student numbers was offset by a 5% increase in international student enrolment, leading to 0% growth overall. In response, StudentsNS reiterated their call for changes to Nova Scotia’s university system, including better supports for international students and more stable institutional funding.

The latest Vital Signs® report from the Nova Scotia Community Foundation paints a bleak picture of the circumstances of Nova Scotia’s youth. Youth in Nova Scotia face the highest unemployment rates and third lowest earnings in Canada, while accumulating the second highest student debt-loads. These factors have led to a fourfold increase in youth out-migration in the past five years. In light of these findings, StudentsNS repeated its call for the government to outline a clear and meaningful strategy for youth success and reinvest $35 million in cuts to support for youth retention.

Students Nova Scotia is calling on Nova Scotia’s public post-secondary institutions, once again, to pursue Wagemark certification to ensure fair wages. The mandatory disclosure of public salaries above $100,000, completed today, revealed that departing executives at Dalhousie and StFX took home $442,141 and $385,730 in 2013-14, while the average salary for top-paid employees at Nova Scotia’s public post-secondary institutions was $265,000.

A report released this morning by StudentsNS reviews the youth employment situation in Nova Scotia and concludes that leadership is critically needed from government, employers and post-secondary institutions. No More Farewells: Making a Place for Youth in Nova Scotia’s Economy recommends a suite of initiatives to create opportunities for youth to build their lives in Nova Scotia. The report release also marks the launch of Farewell to Nova Scotia, a campaign calling on the Provincial government to reinvest funds saved through the elimination of the Graduate Retention Rebate (GRR).