Post-secondary students are coming up on the end of the fall semester. It can be a challenging time of year, not just academically, but also financially. Students will spend the next couple of weeks cramming for exams and finishing projects, but many will also be stressing about money. “Although they’ve planned for their financial situation throughout the term, (they) are coming to the point where they may be experiencing being a little short on funds,” said Kathleen Massey, University of Lethbridge vice-provost, students. The University of Lethbridge Students’ Union also experiences a similar rise in demand. This year appears to have more students asking about financial support than last year. “We’ve seen an increase of students coming in the office and emails requesting funding assistance,” said Moyosoreoluwa Oladoye, union vice-president, operations and finance. “Even compared to last year, when we had to increase the budget, we have seen an increase.” The union is doing what it can to help, but with only so much money budgeted for the year, it can be difficult. The union is encouraging students to look into what supports the university has to offer as well as provincial and federal grants. The university is looking at ways to support students this exam season. Its free on-campus breakfast for students campaign is making a return. This, as well as many other programs and supports, would not be possible without community support. “It is vital to the success of our students, to ensuring accessibility to the transformative power of education … making sure students can afford to go to school,” said Massey.
