It’s no secret that law school is an expensive undertaking. This article aims to shed some light on the recent updates from the York University and Osgoode Hall Law School communities related to funds that impact the student experience.
L&L Referendum
Recently, the Legal & Literary Society (L&L) announced that they intend to hold a referendum in March during the general elections for the student body to vote on increasing the L&L levy. L&L does not receive any amount of our tuition dollars. Instead, there is a levy within our annual fees from which L&L collects just less than $40 per student, per year. The levy has not changed significantly in nearly a decade. However, in that time, the number of student clubs has doubled in response to an increasingly diverse student population. Thus, there is currently an unsustainable trajectory for the relationship between available funds and meaningful club initiatives.
The purpose of the referendum is to increase the levy amount by $20, effective starting the 2025 fall term. L&L President Julie Choi explained that the increase is to ensure that the growing number of clubs and student-led initiatives can be more meaningful by accessing the budget they need through L&L. She disclosed that, for the 2024–25 school year, the approximately 70 L&L ratified clubs requested a sum of $123,500. However, L&L only had $30,000 to distribute, despite taking drastic measures to cut operational costs such as halting yearbook productions and renegotiating or terminating contracts with various partners. The proposed increase of L&L levy in our student ancillary fees is to ensure that club initiatives can not only continue, but improve. L&L recently circulated a petition to hold the referendum, an administrative step required by York University which must receive at least 100 signatures signalling the interest for a referendum before it can be formally held. The petition passed and the referendum will be in March during the L&L general elections.
York Budget Cuts: Impact on Osgoode?
While the L&L Society seeks more funding for student clubs, the broader financial landscape for higher education is becoming increasingly constrained. It is a difficult time across Canada, as we’ve seen through the various tuition freezes and new government regulations. Universities across the province are feeling the effects of these ongoing challenges and York is no exception. But the money needs to come from somewhere and so York’s three-year budget plan announced significant cost-decreases to limit spending to mitigate these concerns.
Osgoode’s Dean, Trevor Farrow, shed some additional light on if and how these changes to the York budget may impact our Osgoode student experience. He explained that as a general matter, the demand for the JD program signals strength and desirability; we remain in a strong spot. So far, we remain more or less status quo. There will be some minor efforts to shrink the budget where possible without meaningfully impacting core elements of our student experience. And, if there is to be any cost-cutting, the choices will be informed by where there is student demand. For example, a potential place to shrink the budget may be by looking at opportunities to reduce undersubscribed programs. Dean Farrow assured that Osgoode will remain as student-focused as it can be and will prioritize protecting the student experience. Some students may be concerned that these budget cuts may impact access to financial aid; however, Dean Farrow also reassured that the administration’s goal has been to consistently maintain or increase available student aid. “At the end of the day, we want to be transparent and honest,” was Dean Farrow’s message to us. “Investment in excellence, and our people, students, and program will get us through.” While educational budgets across Canada are facing challenges, Osgoode’s program remains strong.
Learning More About Your Tuition & Fees
If you’re interested in educating yourself further on your tuition and fees, we recommend checking out the 2015, Obiter Dicta article titled “What is my $23,599 paying for?” by Henry Limheng. The article revealed many of the additional inner workings of tuition fees at Osgoode, information not necessarily commonly available, as our Osgoode tuition is regulated by York University administration. Limheng sheds light on how tuition and fees were generally distributed at the time, including faculty salaries, operating costs, and contributions towards bursaries and financial aid. There are two general categories of fees. The first is the centrally collected ancillary fees, which include athletics and recreation, health and counselling, and student support services for career, academic, and community safety. The second major category is the student levy. These are much smaller contributions towards a variety of mostly Osgoode-related initiatives including Legal & Literary Society, Osgoode Hall Law Journal, Community & Legal Aid Services Program, Obiter Dicta, and more. Additional fees that students may opt into include International Students Health Insurance, Student Health Plans, and any associated course fees (and we all know how textbook fees can add up quickly).
Though this article provides a great historical perspective, we encourage students to explore more recent updates from the university’s financial reports.