Government support available for some Laurentian students whose programs were discontinued

Some students affected by Laurentian University’s recent restructuring hope to qualify for financial assistance from the provincial government, while others are disappointed when they find they are ineligible.

The school declared bankrupt on February 1, cutting dozens of programs and hundreds of bankruptcy protection jobs to begin its plan to return to financial stability.

The one-time provincial government grant is for students whose programs have been discontinued and who have had to move to another post-secondary institution in Ontario or across the country.

Eligible students receive a one-time grant of up to $ 4,000. This amount applies to domestic students, while international students can get up to $ 1,075 for possible transfer costs. To be eligible, the student must move to another publicly funded post-secondary institution in Canada as there are no alternative, related programs available at Laurentian.

In a statement to CBC News, Secretary of State for Colleges and Universities (MCU) Jill Dunlop said, “Since Laurentian joined the CCAA, the government has made it clear that it will take steps to clear the path to graduation for affected students protect.”

Prime Minister Doug Ford named Jill Dunlop Minister for Colleges and Universities in a cabinet reshuffle. (CBC)

“The program provides additional support for students whose programs at Laurentian University have been discontinued and who are transferring and continuing their studies to another institution. The government continues to monitor the CCAA closely and looks forward to taking steps in the future that will protect and support the long-term sustainability of post-secondary education in Sudbury and Northern Ontario, “the statement said.

The money can be used to offset moving costs or tuition grants if the tuition fees are higher at the institution they were transferred to. It can also be applied for for the extension of student visas.

The discontinued courses that are eligible for state funding are: Bachelor of Fine Arts – both music and musical performance, midwife, radiation therapy, and French language courses for midwife and theater.

According to Laurentian University, 155 affected students are unable to continue their education at the school because their programs have been discontinued and there are no alternative programs to match. However, of those 16 graduated this year, 139 are eligible.

Chantal Longobardi is entering the fourth year of the midwifery program. The cancellation of the program at Laurentian caused quite a stir in her life.

Now she is finishing her distance learning with Ryerson in Toronto while doing her internship in Peterborough.

While she applied for the full $ 4,000, she doesn’t know if she’s getting financial assistance as the criteria for relocation are tight and can exclude those whose internships were set before the university went bankrupt . how she was.

“I think there is a little loophole that you (MCU) may have put in, I’m not sure,” she said. “I’m sure the younger years, first and second years, will likely be able to meet these criteria, but for the third and fourth year students, I think that will rule us out.”

She says she has a huge financial responsibility because her young family stays in Sudbury and she tries to visit them as often as possible.

“I have a family, I have a mortgage, and I pay rent in Peterborough. Gas isn’t cheap now and I travel a lot.”

Other affected students feel left out

Another student says she was upset at first when she heard about the provincial government’s financial support, until she found she was not eligible.

Although Laurentian still offers courses for her graduate degree in psychology, Morgan Cashmore said the professor who was supposed to be her doctoral supervisor has been fired. Her other major – women’s, gender, and sex studies – at Thorneloe University, once an affiliate school with Laurentian, has been discontinued.

Cashmore is unable to work this summer because she is taking additional courses to make sure her requirements are met. To ensure this, she has increased her course load to 120 percent, and these courses come from different universities.

“As someone who incurs the expense of attending classes at three different post-secondary institutions and three additional classes at Laurentian University, I can’t save up for the fall / winter semester,” she added.

“It is a real shame that students like me are being excluded from provincial government scholarships because of the financial situation at Laurentian University,” she said.

source https://collegeeducationnewsllc.com/government-support-available-for-some-laurentian-students-whose-programs-were-discontinued/