Awaiting advice to get King's out of the red

The Long-Term Financial Strategy Task Force at King’s has been designed to create ways to get the university out of its current financial state.
With a $1.1 million deficit and a debt of about $5 million, a report with recommendations couldn’t come any sooner. And on Oct. 9 it will be released to the public.
The university’s president George Cooper said everything is up for discussion with the task force, including more fee and tuition hikes.
Salary freezes have been brought up, but aren’t likely to happen.
“We feel very strongly that if we were to go down that route, it should be on a voluntary basis,” Cooper said.
KSU president Michaela Sam said she understands King’s need for students but is worried they’ll only be looked at as numbers with another rise in tuition.
“Tuition fees cannot continue to go up, they cannot continue to increase,” she said.
“Ancillary fees cannot continue to increase in the way they have for years.”
Those ancillary fees are additional costs that include athletic fees and administration fees.
Sam suggested lowering tuition would actually attract more students.
“King’s isn’t competitive when it comes to its scholarships and bursaries. But what we can be competitive in is reducing fees and increasing enrolment that way, being more open to welcoming students both from Nova Scotia and outside of this province,” she said.
For now options are limited and the school’s deficit clock is ticking.
MORE TO COME AFTER THE REPORT IS RELEASED ON OCT. 9…