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In a news release announcing its formation, the coalition said the student unions and associations banded together because they have “reached a tipping point” with the cuts to education this year.

The provincial budget released in March included $25 million in cuts to university funding and left post-secondary institutions scrambling to try to meet their new budgetary restrictions. Personal tax credits for tuition were also cut.

In a written response to a request for comment, the Ministry of Advanced Education noted scholarships and programs are still in place to help students.

“In this year’s budget, funding across government for post-secondary education and student supports is 52 per cent higher than it was in 2007-08,” the statement said.

Jermain McKenzie, president of the University of Regina Students’ Union, said he was willing to join the URSU with the coalition because there is strength in numbers.

“For quite some time, the student voice has not really been given the type of consideration it should get at the provincial level,” McKenzie said. “I think this organization will give us the ability to be able to better get in the ear of the government.”

D’Eon said he hopes the coalition will continue into the future, and members will meet regularly in person and through phone conferences to maintain communication. In the short term, he said it has two major goals: getting the government to take students’ concerns more seriously, and having a better chance to communicate to the public about the needs and goals of students.

“What concerns us is the trend, that this isn’t the only year we’ve seen an impact on post-secondary education,” D’Eon said.