HALIFAX – Today, students from NSCAD University wrapped the NSCAD lions in Granville Square courtyard in red fabric before marching to Province House to stage a game of ʻred rover,ʼ as part of a series of creative actions to draw attention to the need for the provincial government to take action to ensure NSCAD has adequate funding and remains autonomous.
“Students refuse to let the provincial government ignore our calls for a vibrant, strong and independent NSCAD,” said Sarah Trower, President of the Studentsʼ Union of NSCAD University. “NSCAD students are not going away. We will continue to take action to defend the quality of studio-based arts education in Nova Scotia.”
Students delivered their Manifesto for a Vibrant, Strong, and Independent NSCAD to MLA Leonard Preyra on February 6, and set a deadline of February 25 for a response from the NDP government. At a General Assembly last week, students voted unanimously to respond to the governmentʼs silence by staging a series of actions to call on the government to collaborate in maintaining NSCADʼs autonomy and integrity. “NSCAD is ʻin the redʼ because of government underfunding and poor financial decisions, yet students, faculty and staff continue to be forced to shoulder the burden of NSCADʼs debt,” said Elise Graham, Chairperson of the Canadian Federation of Students-Nova Scotia. “The government must take responsibility and address underfunding of arts education in Nova Scotia.”
For the past three years the provincial NDP government has cut funding to universities. Currently, NSCAD receives less funding per-student than other institutions receive for students in fine arts and media programs such as theatre, drama, music and journalism.
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Sarah Trower, President
SUNSCAD
(902) 802-0055
Elise Graham, Chairperson, Canadian
Federation of Students-Nova Scotia
(902) 476-7257
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