'This is much more than just a budget issue': STUSU president urges action ahead of March 17 protest
- Polina Kozlova
- 9 hours ago
- 3 min read
On March 10, student leaders from student unions around New Brunswick met with Premier Susan Holt and Jean Claud D'Amours, minister of post-secondary education, training, and labour, to discuss the proposed budget cuts to post-secondary education.
The conversation came ahead of the provincial budget’s official release on March 17.
In the meeting, Holt assured students that STU will not close. Still, student leaders say program reductions and funding shortfalls remain a risk, especially for smaller programs that depend on part-time faculty.
However, St. Thomas University students are mobilizing ahead of a protest, raising concerns about post-secondary funding in New Brunswick. The protest will take place on March 17 outside the legislative assembly.
STUSU president Ana Lucia Pavon, in an interview following a Student Representative Council meeting, said Holt acknowledged the mental health impact of leaked budget discussions and addressed the province’s fiscal deficit.
“I’m glad she openly apologized about how the cuts coming out of nowhere might have impacted students’ mental health. That was something I appreciated,” said Pavon.
Despite the premier’s assurances, even minor reductions or funding that fails to keep pace with inflation could harm programs and course offerings.
“In the room, basically, the feeling was, these cuts are going to happen. There was a sentiment that they might not be the 10 per cent expected. However, even a zero per cent increase could be harmful to students, because investment in post-secondary education has not kept up with inflation at St. Thomas for more than a decade.”
“If cuts happen, it’s only a matter of time before programs that rely on part-time faculty are at risk. The lack of funding could take away options for many students in the future,” said Pavon.
STUSU is encouraging students to participate in the March 17 protest to show the government the impact of possible cuts.
“It’s really crucial that students are aware and participate actively. We want the government to see that students are not just a statistic—they’re real people and our futures are impacted by these decisions,” she said.
There is a concern that STUSU’s prominent protest role could affect its invitations to government budget discussions.
“While STUSU is one of the leading organizations in the protest, we are not the sole leader. This is much more than just our movement and we hope the government sees that students from across campuses are coming together,” said Pavon.
The UNB Student Union has secured an invitation to the provincial budget lock-in, a session where stakeholders review the budget before it is tabled. STUSU has not yet received an invite but is seeking access.
Pavon said participation in both protest and budget talks is important.
“We care about maintaining a relationship with the government, but we care more about our relationship with students. Our duty is to ensure student voices are heard in every way possible, including on the streets and in the rooms where decisions are made,” she said.
UNBSU statement
UNBSU emphasized a collaborative approach while opposing potential cuts. Their statement highlighted the importance of engaging with government officials and university leadership:
“We have no disagreement with the fundamental idea of protests and we fully support any UNB students who wish to participate,” the union statement said.
“Our focus is to maintain constructive relationships with key stakeholders, including government officials and university leadership, so that student voices remain included in the rooms where decisions are made.”
For students at STU, the stakes are high. Programs in philosophy, history, English and other smaller disciplines could face cuts if funding falls short. Students in programs supported mostly by part-time faculty are especially worried about long-term effects on course quality and availability.
Pavon emphasized that students must act now to protect their educational options:
“This is much more than just a budget issue—it’s about the future of post-secondary education in New Brunswick. We want the government to see students actively engaged because that shows how much these decisions affect real lives,” she said.
With the March 17 protest approaching, students and unions are focused on accessible education, protecting programs and maintaining diverse options at STU. Their advocacy, from protests to budget talks, highlights the importance of student voices in shaping the future of higher education in New Brunswick.
With files from Fernanda Sánchez