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SIX POINT
PLATFORM |
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1. PROGRESS FOR AFFORDABLE EDUCATION |
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Fight to Keep the Tuition Fee Freeze |
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Students in Ontario
pay the second-highest tuition fees in Canada and
yet we have the worst professor-to-student ratios. Tuition fees in some programs are as high as $16,000!
After a decade of fee hikes and declining funding,
we know that higher tuition fees do not equal higher
quality. We also know students cannot afford to pay
more. Students working together won us a two-year
tuition fee freeze, and the Progress Team intends to
work to protect this freeze - and hopefully extend
it.
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Tuition
Fee Relief on Outstanding Balances |
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If you are late in paying your tuition fees, the
University of Toronto charges interest almost as
high as that of a credit card. Team Progress wants
to work with the administration to look into
extending the period of interest relief or lowering
the interest rates charged to a fair amount.
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2. PROGRESS FOR ORIENTATION |
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Deficit-Free Orientation
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We did it last year
and we will do it again. The Progress Team
will insist on weekly financial updates on the
Orientation budget being available for students and
college councils. With the strong financial
backgrounds of the Commerce and Economics students
on the Progress Team we will plan wisely to make the
Annual SAC Parade, the Clubs Carnival and plenty of
other inter-college/inter-faculty events exciting,
and in the black. |
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No Frivolous
Expenses |
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One way that the Progress Team
will keep costs down is by eliminating frivolous expenses that have contributed to the
$100,000+ Orientation deficits that SAC has suffered
in the past. For example, in 2003 SAC spent
close to ten thousands dollars on a golf cart when
a rental car would just as easily have sufficed
for Orientation transportation. We will refuse to
spend student dollars in such an irresponsible
fashion.
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3. PROGRESS FOR TRANSIT |
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Efficient Metropass Sales Locations |
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After years of mile-long lineups for the $87
Metropass,
members of the Progress Team took the initiative
to set up multiple retail locations for the SAC Metropass.
Now, there are SIX sales locations across campus.
Next year, Progress will look towards making the
line ups at these locations move more quickly,
adding more debt machines and more student staff -
creating more job opportunities in the process.
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Ordering Enough
Metropasses |
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Team Progress are commuter students too and we
shared your frustration this year when SAC sold out
of Metropasses several times. These shortages
occurred because of the number of passes allowed to
be ordered in the contract SAC held with the TTC,
which was negotiated several years ago. This
is why members of the Progress Team worked on
renegotiating the TTC VIP contract so now SAC can
order almost double the number of passes that it
could before.
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Listening to Student Opinion on the U-Pass |
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City Council wants students' unions across Toronto
to adopt the U-Pass, and several GTA unions are
considering it. This Universal Metropass would give
students unlimited access to the TTC with their
student ID, in return for a mandatory fee paid in
September, along with your tuition. Obviously some
students support a U-Pass while others are opposed
to it. The Progress Team will not force students to
pay for a U-Pass, unless there is a clear support on
campus for it. The Progress Team members are
currently organizing information sessions, town
halls and info-sheets so that students can decide
for themselves if the U-Pass is a good idea.
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4. PROGRESS FOR CLUBS |
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Increase in Clubs
Budget |
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At a commuter school like U of T, clubs are the
first social activities that many students get
involved in. We know how important the role of
clubs are at the University, and that is why Team
Progress candidates helped run the referendum this
past fall to introduce a dedicated levy to support
our clubs. This small fee that U of T students
will pay will help clubs get the money and
resources they need. Now that the money is coming
in, it is important to elect a team which is
committed to allocating it towards clubs, and not
wasting it.
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Open and Accountable
Allocation of Funds |
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We are committed to making sure that ALL clubs
receive equal treatment. There will be no
favoritism practiced by the Progress Team.
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Organized and Responsible Relationships with Clubs |
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The Progress Team has already implemented many
improvements to the Student Union's cheque
requisition system, but it can be better. The
Progress Team would ensure that all dealings with
clubs are professional and error-free, saving clubs
and SAC time and money, and creating a hassle-free
experience. The Progress Team pledges that there
will be no more waiting for months for club funding
cheques that may contain errors.
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5. PROGRESS FOR
THE U of T at MISSISSAUGA |
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UTM
Dollars Stay With UTM Students |
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SAC UTM is one of
the most active components of the students’ union,
but for them to expand their services SAC’s budget
must take into account how much UTM students pay
to their students' union. The Progress Team is committed
to making sure that every UTM dollar is returned to
the campus either through the budget or through
services provided by staff.
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