Post-Residency Fees Campaign

The Campaign for the Restoration/Maintenance of the reduced fees of Post-Residency Fee systems. 'Post-residency fees' refers to a structure in which graduate students, upon completion of course work, pay reduced fees during the independent research and thesis writing stages of their degrees. Post-residency fees are known by a number of names that vary from university to university. Terms such as 'maintenance', 'continuing', 'continuance', 'post-program', 're-registration', and 'additional session' fees are synonymous with post-residency fees. Many universities in Canada have eliminated their post-residency fee systems, and others are currently in the process of doing so.

The campaign for the restoration and maintenance of post-residency fee systems was adopted by the Caucus in February 2004. In September 2004, a factsheet on post-residency fees was developed and circulated to members. A revised and updated version of the fact sheet was developed and circulated in the fall of 2005.

Central to the campaign for post-residency fees is a pledge form that has been developed for students to sign and deliver to the university's governing body. The pledge includes a commitment that, as alumni, the signatory will withhold donations to their university unless post-residency fees are restored (in cases where they have been eliminated) or unless post-residency fees are maintained (in cases where they have not yet been eliminated).

An additional poster has been developed to promote the campaign on campus. The poster asks graduate students "would you pay $XX for a library card?" where the value of $XX can be customised by Locals to reflect the increase in fees resulting from a loss of post-residency fees.