Multi-Million Dollar Judicial Review Launched against the

							Students Take the University of Toronto to Court to Recover Millions in Fees

August 18, 2007- For Immediate Release

Attention News Editors and Education Reporters

(Toronto)- In a landmark court case that could result in millions of dollars back to students, the part-time
and graduate students from the University of Toronto are challenging the U of T administration. This case
will be heard in court this Monday, August 20 th, 10:00 a.m. at Osgoode Hall (North/East corner of Queen
and University, Rm 6).

The challenge is being brought on behalf of students by the Association of Part time Undergraduate
Students (APUS, Association of Part time Undergraduate Students) and the Graduate Students Union
(GSU) at the University of Toronto. APUS and the GSU who jointly represent over 18,000 students felt
compelled to undertake this court application to counter attempts by the administration to implement
unfair fee increases. U of T has consistently attempted to side-step and undermine the provincially
mandated Council on Student Services (COSS), which must approve all fee ancillary increases before
they are implemented; if the increases are rejected by COSS the university can only increase fees
according to the cost of living.

This council is comprised of a majority of representatives from the three central student unions, to
safeguard against unilateral fee increases to the university’s ancillary budget. Despite the advice of COSS,
the University nonetheless proceeded to approve and collect these fees from summer students. The
Ontario Superior Court of Justice will be hearing arguments from the legal council the two student
organizations, which will require that the University of Toronto immediately:

       a)      Stop charging students double the cost of living increase for the Athletics & Recreation fee (a
               permanent increase of 2% plus a temporary increase by 7.16%).

       b)      That UofT cease charging an additional 8.6% increase in the Athletics & Recreation fee, which had
               not first been approved by a duly constituted COSS meeting.

       c)      That the University immediately refunds these invalidly collected portions of the Athletics &
               Recreation fee to every student who has paid it.

Murphy Browne, President of the Association of Part time Undergraduate says, "There are students who
are facing financial difficulties, the UofT administration is taking our funds and siphoning them towards
their own pet projects while ignoring the real needs of our members." Browne continues, “There are many
impoverished students on campus, if this legal challenge is successful it could save students millions of
dollars.”

Further information about this court challenge is available from the part-time student union at
www.apus.utoronto.ca or you can contact Chris Ramsaroop (647-834-4932) and/or Oriel Varga (416-978-
6234).

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