Current Research

Outcomes and Implications of a Provincial Government Policy that Requires Universities to Co-Determine Compulsory Non-Tuition-Related Ancillary Fees with Students

Did you know: The Provincial Government in Ontario, Canada, requires publicly assisted colleges and universities to obtain the approval of their respective student population (or their representatives) prior to implementing a new "compulsory non-tuition-related ancillary fee" or increasing an existing such fee.

What are "compulsory non-tuition-related ancillary fees"? These are levied above and in addition to tuition to recover costs associated with (but not limited to) student services.

Each postsecondary institution and its student government(s) must have one or more agreed-upon protocols that govern the co-determination of compulsory non-tuition-related at their campus(es). Protocols can be revisited by the relevant parties and up-to-date copies must be filed with the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities.

If a college or university implements a new fee or fee increase that contradicts its protocol and there is no subsequent resolution (e.g., refunding students), the Ministry has the option of "clawing back" the amount raised by the illegal fee from the institution's operating grant.

What's so interesting about this policy?

• It essentially gives student negotiators the ability to veto proposals, in this case for new compulsory non-tuition-related ancillary fees and/or increases to such fees,
• It is a rare example of a scenario where students hold at least 50% + 1 of a decision within the context of institutional decision-making,
• Many aspects of student affairs and services budgets are in essence being negotiated by postsecondary institutions and their students.

My current research examines longitudinal outcomes and implications of this policy- including for shared governance and student services at the Province's publicly assisted universities.

Sample contributions related to this project

Beaulieu, J. (2021). How universities' spending on student services has changed since the introduction of Ontario's ancillary fees policy. Paper presented at the Canadian Society for the Study of Higher Education Conference (Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences), Edmonton, AB (presented virtually due to COVID-19 pandemic).

Beaulieu, J. (2021). Ontario's ancillary fees policy: Does it shape the performance and/or quality of student services? Senior student affairs and services administrators weigh in. Paper presented at the Canadian Society for the Study of Higher Education Conference (Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences), Edmonton, AB (held over from 2020 conference; presented virtually due to COVID-19 pandemic).

Beaulieu, J. (2021). Ontario's ancillary fees policy: Longitudinal outcomes and implications for student affairs and services. Canadian Association of College and University Student Services. (held over from the 2020 conference; presented virtually due to COVID-19 pandemic).

Beaulieu, J. (2020). Studying shared governance approaches to managing student services. https://supportingstudentsuccess.wordpress.com/2020/01/24/studying-shared-governance-approaches-to-managing-student-services/

Beaulieu, J. (2019). To what degree are governance-related student involvement opportunities accessible and inclusive? Ignite paper presented at the Canadian Society for the Study of Higher Education Conference (Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences), Vancouver, BC.

Beaulieu J. (2019). How much will the changes to OSAP actually save? OISE Centre for the Study of Canadian and International Higher Education blog. https://ciheblog.wordpress.com/2019/03/04/how-much-will-the-changes-to-osap-actually-save/

Beaulieu, J. (2018). Comparing the protocols used to determine compulsory non-tuition-related ancillary fees at Ontario's universities. Paper presented at the Canadian Society for the Study of Higher Education Conference (Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences), Regina, SK.

For information regarding my other research collaborations, publications, presentations, and professional background in student services - please connect with me for a copy of my curriculum vitae.