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Students and post-secondary institutions remain at odds over the Alberta NDP’s campaign promise to freeze tuition and roll back special hikes approved by the Tory government late last year.

On one hand, student leaders want to see the incoming New Democrat government tighten legislation around tuition to ensure any increase is capped at the annual rate of inflation and that any loopholes, such as market modifiers, are closed.

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But Alberta post-secondary institutions, which have suffered massive funding cuts and random cash injections under several PC leaders in recent years, say talk of a tuition rollback should include discussion of more stable funding.

“Tuition is one part of the funding picture for post-secondary institutions,” David Docherty, president of Mount Royal University, said in an interview Friday.

“Funding levels have gone down over the past number of years, so if there’s an opportunity to bring operating grants back up to offset any changes to tuition that would be a great conversation to have with the province,” Docherty said.