The Martlet accepts Letters to the Editor! Letters must be 200 words or less and cannot contain any images, videos, or links. They must be written by an individual (not anonymous) and cannot be authored by a group. If you would like to submit a letter, you may email your submission to edit@martlet.ca along with your full name and phone number.
Starting September 2022 UVic’s Student Service Fee will be mandatory for all full time students in the Continuous Studies Division’s business administration diploma or certificate. This $676 fee includes the bus pass at $161, CARSA gym membership at $200, and Guard.me medical at $275.
Students that have the B.C. Medical Service Plan (MSP) will have to pay the $275 medical fee, and only after receiving their policy number can request an opt-out by submitting their MPS information to Guard.me. And if Guard.me is satisfied, they will refund the fee.
Private insurance companies, then, have the right to adjudicate a matter involving public health care provided by the Government of British Columbia. This measure creates a huge inconvenience for students who will be under the judgment of a private insurance company even though they are covered by the MSP.
The CARSA gym membership is a fee that students cannot opt-out of even if they don’t want to use this service. This policy is forceful and unreasonable.
In an online petition, students are currently collecting signatures to request that UVic review and ban CARSA fee.
This letter was submitted by Isabela Freitas da Silva.
