The cost of tuition will be tied to the rate of inflation starting in the fall of 2007, according to Alberta’s advanced education minister. This is a long-awaited, but welcomed announcement.

However I do have one question regarding this announcement, which I have written to the minister about. In the article above, it states that the minister says this move could save the average university student $3800. Now, I’m in a post secondary institution, which means I know how to do some math. I do not see how he calculates a savings of $3800. My tuition is $4200 which is for a college, but I should still see around the same savings on this plan as a University student. The average cost of tuition at the University of Calgary is $5200. I would welcome a decrease of my tuition to around $400, and I’m sure a UofC student would love tuition at the rate of $1400. However I do not see how these savings can be achieved under this plan, and unless I’m missing something, I believe the minister is trying to deceive the educated. Tieing the cost of tuition to the rate of inflation will only make the increasements in the rate of tuition smaller, and tuition certainly doesn’t rise $3800 in one year. I should give the minister a chance to respond to my letter before I criticize him anymore.

Can anyone reading my blog help me find the mystery savings of $3800?

Edited To Add: Supposedly QR770 misreported. The $3800 is savings over a total of 4 years. Still a high estimate at $900/year. And still this plan is not enough to make tuition affordable, it is already unaffordable. This won’t make it easier for anyone. - http://www.expressnews.ualberta.ca/article.cfm?id=7992