Non-instructional fees could rise at Mount Royal University

CALGARY (660 NEWS) – Going to school at Mount Royal University (MRU) could cost you more.

The university announced the cap on mandatory non-instructional fees has been lifted meaning costs might rise.

The fees impacted by the cap removal pay for things like academic advising, athletics and recreation, and other expenses.

When the cap was removed it brought new stresses for students like Shayla Breen with the Mount Royal Student Association.

She says in the past few weeks she’s received messages about students who don’t know how they’ll finish their degrees.

“I’m thinking about moving out of province. I’m going to have to take time off now to work an extra year’s worth of hours in order to pay for all the rising costs.”

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Breen argues the province continues to make moves without consulting students attending post-secondary schools.

“It was shocking to me to find out through the orders in council that students have been taken out of the process of things like exceptional tuition increases.”

She adds students should write their MLAs to take action on the rising costs.

READ MORE: More job cuts, select open positions won’t be filled at MRU

As a representative for the student body at MRU, Breen says the financial woes have been difficult for her to deal with.

“With the removal of the cap on mandatory non-instructional fees, I really don’t know what I’m supposed to tell students when they come and say to me ‘why are my fees so much higher this year in comparison to the last four or five years?'”

Last month, Mount Royal announced 10 jobs would be cut and up to 15 vacant positions would not be filled due to budget cuts from the provincial government.

Editor’s note: This article has been updated to reflect that the increases have not yet been made and there is no timeline as to when any increases could come.