Latest news with #JeffKeshen
CTV News
16-05-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
‘ReconciliACTION': What is it and how can you take part?
FNUniv President Jacqueline Ottmann (L) and U of R President Jeff Keshen (R) speak at the National Building Reconciliation Forum on May 15, 2025. (Donovan Maess / CTV News) (Donovan Maess)
CBC
03-05-2025
- Business
- CBC
University of Regina raises tuition and cuts staff amidst budgetary challenges
Social Sharing Students at the University of Regina will be paying more for tuition in the 2025-26 academic year. The university's board of governors has approved the 2025–26 operating budget, which includes budget reductions of about two per cent. "Given the financial situation, cost-saving measures will be implemented across the University in alignment with our core mission of teaching and learning, research, community connection and student support," the university said in a news release Wednesday. Those measures include a four per cent tuition increase for new and returning students, as well as job losses. So far, the university has confirmed five layoffs. In its release, the university cited several factors behind the financial pressures: a drop in international students, flat domestic enrolments and tensions from the United States. "Along with ongoing financial pressures related to inflation, universities are encountering challenging financial times," Wednesday's release said. Jeff Keshen, president and vice-chancellor of the University of Regina, confirmed that the university has had a 59 per cent drop in new international student enrolment for the 2025 winter semester. "That's mainly due to what's been a real glacial pace of processing by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)," Keshen said. "So that has resulted in millions of dollars in lost revenue for our institution, and colleges and universities across Canada." Recent IRCC changes include a reduction in the number of study permits issued in Canada. Keshen said this has created apprehension among prospective international students, who fear being rejected by Canadian immigration. "The problem is that those students are no longer applying in those same numbers because Canada's reputation abroad has been so sullied because of all these rule changes, and because the students know that there's been such delays in processing and such high rejection rates," Keshen said. A counry-wide challenge Keshen noted that other institutions across the country are experiencing similar drops in international enrolment. "I will say that our 59 per cent drop is not out of line with what other institutions have experienced," he said. He added that the university had a multi-year funding agreement with the provincial government, an arrangement many other post-secondary institutions do not have. "We were thankful because a lot of places, they're either freezing it completely or they're cutting it," he said. That funding agreement expired last year, but was extended for one additional year. Keshen said it's unclear whether the province will continue supporting it amid ongoing economic uncertainty. The university says it does not take tuition increases lightly and will continue efforts to attract international students to Regina. Keshen echoed that sentiment, encouraging students in need of financial support to contact Student Affairs.
CBC
25-04-2025
- Business
- CBC
Students' union files lawsuit against University of Regina over terminated fee agreement
Social Sharing The University of Regina Students' Union has filed a lawsuit against the university as a dispute over the student organization's governance continues to escalate. A statement issued Friday by URSU's board of directors says the university is making "unilateral decisions without any co-ordinated input from the student body." The board claims the university is putting services at risk with potential negative impacts on students. Earlier this month, university president Jeff Keshen announced he had terminated the U of R's fee collection agreement with the student union effective Aug. 31. Keshen said university officials had lost confidence in URSU after an auditor reviewed its 2024 audited financial statements and found its finances unsustainable. WATCH| U of Regina ends funding agreement with students' union U of Regina ends funding agreement with students' union 17 days ago Duration 2:13 University of Regina president Jeff Keshen says the decision to terminate the agreement with the U of R Students' Union came on the heels of an auditor's report that found issues with spending. "The auditor pointed to an ongoing material uncertainty, which in auditor's language means that the financial sustainability of that organization is in serious question, meaning that they may not be able to pay their bills, they may not be sustainable," Keshen told CBC News earlier this month. URSU's financial report found that during the 2023-2024 fiscal year it had posted revenue of $8.9 million and expenses of $10.2 million, leaving the organization in a "deficit position" of approximately $1.3 million. Keshen said the auditors found URSU is "depleting any reserves that they have," and that the university has a responsibility to students to ensure the fees they pay are used responsibly. 'Unsubstantiated rumours' URSU's statement on Thursday claims the university should not have intervened in student governance "absent evidence of fraud." "Despite unsubstantiated rumours you might have read on social media, we do not have evidence that anyone committed fraud or that admittedly poor decisions were made in bad faith," the statement reads. The board admits that its prior record of financial loss is a reflection of much needed change to URSU's governance structure and its internal spending policies. In a statement, the University of Regina said it is "disappointed" with URSU's legal action. "Over the past several months, the University has tried to work with URSU leadership, offering financial and governance assistance. Unfortunately, URSU has not undertaken the steps recommended by the University to improve and address these matters," the statement reads. As a result, the university's administration says, it made the decision to terminate the agreement. The university said that earlier this year it implemented a payment protocol that would allow URSU to receive student fees so that its operations and student services, such as the UPasss bus pass and health and dental benefits, would not be interrupted. URSU has chosen to not engage with that protocol or access the funds, according to the U of R. "The University will be defending the action, and will not comment further while the matter is before the Courts," the statement reads.
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Students' union files lawsuit against University of Regina over terminated fee agreement
The University of Regina Students' Union has filed a lawsuit against the university as a dispute over the student organization's governance continues to escalate. A statement issued Friday by URSU's board of directors says the university is making "unilateral decisions without any co-ordinated input from the student body." The board claims the university is putting services at risk with potential negative impacts on students. Earlier this month, university president Jeff Keshen announced he had terminated the U of R's fee collection agreement with the student union effective Aug. 31. Keshen said university officials had lost confidence in URSU after an auditor reviewed its 2024 audited financial statements and found its finances unsustainable. WATCH| U of Regina ends funding agreement with students' union "The auditor pointed to an ongoing material uncertainty, which in auditor's language means that the financial sustainability of that organization is in serious question, meaning that they may not be able to pay their bills, they may not be sustainable," Keshen told CBC News earlier this month. URSU's financial report found that during the 2023-2024 fiscal year it had posted revenue of $8.9 million and expenses of $10.2 million, leaving the organization in a "deficit position" of approximately $1.3 million. Keshen said the auditors found URSU is "depleting any reserves that they have," and that the university has a responsibility to students to ensure the fees they pay are used responsibly. 'Unsubstantiated rumours' URSU's statement on Thursday claims the university should not have intervened in student governance "absent evidence of fraud." "Despite unsubstantiated rumours you might have read on social media, we do not have evidence that anyone committed fraud or that admittedly poor decisions were made in bad faith," the statement reads. The board admits that its prior record of financial loss is a reflection of much needed change to URSU's governance structure and its internal spending policies. In a statement, the University of Regina said it is "disappointed" with URSU's legal action. "Over the past several months, the University has tried to work with URSU leadership, offering financial and governance assistance. Unfortunately, URSU has not undertaken the steps recommended by the University to improve and address these matters," the statement reads. As a result, the university's administration says, it made the decision to terminate the agreement. The university said that earlier this year it implemented a payment protocol that would allow URSU to receive student fees so that its operations and student services, such as the UPasss bus pass and health and dental benefits, would not be interrupted. URSU has chosen to not engage with that protocol or access the funds, according to the U of R. "The University will be defending the action, and will not comment further while the matter is before the Courts," the statement reads.
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
U of R Women's Centre files legal claim against URSU for 'withheld' student fees
The University of Regina (U of R) Women's Centre has filed a legal claim against the students' union over nearly a year's worth of student fees that it says have not been paid to the centre. Court documents obtained by the Regina Leader-Post show the Women's Centre filed a statement of claim against the U of R Students' Union (URSU) near the end of March. It alleges that approximately $200,000 in student fees are being 'withheld' by URSU from the 2024 spring, summer and fall semesters as well as the winter 2025 semester. The centre wants those fees to be paid, along with unspecified punitive damages from alleged harm to its operations caused by the delay. Also requested is a court order to stop URSU from terminating its service agreement with the Women's Centre while legal matters proceed, plus an order to prevent the students' union from claiming the centre has failed to comply with its service agreement. The action is similar to one filed in February by UR Pride Centre for Sexuality and Gender Diversity — another group on campus that supports LGBTQ+ students. The Women's Centre provides study space, counselling, connective supports and bursaries to students on campus, in addition to planning events and doing advocacy work on the topic of women's rights. No further disruptions as University of Regina Women's Centre succeeds with second AGM attempt UPDATED: University of Regina students' union denies involvement in Women's Centre disruption Both organizations have been part of a months-long dispute triggered when URSU claimed the centres have been non-compliant with their service agreements. The dispute went public in late 2024 after URSU's board of directors proposed a student referendum to stop fee collection for UR Pride and the Women's Centre. The referendums did not go ahead. UR Pride says its efforts to come into compliance have been unsuccessful after more than a year of working with URSU. The Women's Centre denies being non-compliant. Nearly all of the Women's Centre's operational funding is provided through student levies, as is a significant portion of UR Pride's funding. The university recently announced it will end its agreement with URSU to disperse student fees as of August, stating the decision comes amid concerns over the union's finances and governance. At the time, U of R president Jeff Keshen said in a written statement that the university had 'lost confidence in URSU's ability to serve and represent' its students. Despite terminating the agreement, Keshen said core student services would continue in the fall 2025 term, 'as will the collection of student fees that fund those services.' lkurz@ The Regina Leader-Post has created an Afternoon Headlines newsletter that can be delivered daily to your inbox so you are up to date with the most vital news of the day. Click here to subscribe. With some online platforms blocking access to the journalism upon which you depend, our website is your destination for up-to-the-minute news, so make sure to bookmark and sign up for our newsletters so we can keep you informed. Click here to subscribe.
