‘It doesn’t reassure me': STU students reflect after budget cut uncertainty

Tamika Gideon, a first-year student at St. Thomas University, shows a direct message from Premier Susan Holt clarifying that the province is not pursuing a merger or closure of STU. (Suzanne Shah/AQ)

Even after New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt assured students that St. Thomas University would not close or merge, some say the uncertainty surrounding proposed post-secondary funding cuts has already left a mark.

For third-year student Zachary Girard, the initial reaction was immediate.

“I was upset that this was even being discussed,” he said. “It felt like there wasn’t much consultation with students.”

Earlier reports suggested the provincial government was considering $35 million to $50 million in post-secondary funding reductions, along with structural changes that could have included mergers. 

While Holt has clarified that there are no plans to close or merge STU, students say the broader concerns remain.

“It doesn’t reassure me all that much,” Girard said.

He described the situation as part of a larger issue of transparency and trust.

“I feel like a lot of students feel, in a way, betrayed,” he said.

Girard, who is pursuing honours in sociology while majoring in communications and public policy, said cost pressures are already shaping student life.

“I worked two jobs and I’m [a] full-time [student] here. It puts a lot of strain on me,” he said.

He added that even floating ideas of cuts without consultation feels dismissive.

“It kind of shows so little understanding for what we’re going through.”

For international student Bipin Bijumon Attiyil, the conversation hits differently.

“I work five jobs … I literally work full-time,” he said.

Balancing six classes alongside on-campus and off-campus work, Attiyil said finances leave little room for flexibility.

“It’s tight, but at the end of the day, there is not an option.”

While he said Holt’s reassurance brought some relief, he remains cautious.

As an international student paying significantly higher tuition, Attiyil emphasized the sacrifices involved in staying enrolled.

“First of all, family. I haven’t seen family for years. That’s a major sacrifice.”

He said policy decisions should consider those realities.

He added that before major funding decisions are made, students’ lived experiences should be part of the process.

Tamika Gideon, first-year representative for the St. Thomas University Students’ Union, took a different approach when the discussions first surfaced. 

After noticing that Holt was responding to public comments online but repeatedly using the word “close,” she decided to reach out directly.

Gideon, who plans to double major in political science and environmental studies, said she wanted clarification on whether the wording was intentional.

“Education should be free. It’s a human right,” Gideon said.

Even after receiving confirmation that STU would not close or merge, she emphasized that funding reductions still raise concerns.

She described the moment as one that brought students together across campus and beyond.

For Gideon, the experience underscored the importance of student engagement in political decisions.

“We should be included in the conversations, not an afterthought,” she said.

As the provincial budget approaches, students say the episode has revealed deeper anxieties about affordability, transparency and the future of post-secondary education in New Brunswick.

For some, reassurance is welcome. For others, questions remain about whether funding cuts could still affect services, tuition or student employment.