by Mary-Ellen Godfrey

Holland College students got left out in the cold, says John Smallwood, Summerside Centre's student union president.

Smallwood's statement comes after the government's recent pledge of $2 million to post-secondary education on the Island.

The initiative came in the form of a three-tier plan: interest relief for the P.E.I. Student Loan Program, a student award program and $1 million towards a new student union centre at UPEI. The new interest-relief program will begin April 1 and will be similar to the federal program.

The money for the student union centre, which is projected to cost $3 million, is what Smallwood would like to see more money come in Holland College's direction instead.

"It seemed unfair that they (UPEI) got so much," he says. "We just have a room in the basement that isn't too pretty."

Smallwood says he would have liked to have seen more money given to the student unions at all the college centres.

He says he was pleased with the government's plan for Island Student Awards, which will see about 800 full-time Island students, entering their third or fourth years at UPEI, and about 400 students entering their second year at Holland College receive $600 each. The program will begin this year and will continue for the next 10 years as part of the province's participation in the Canada Millennium Scholarship Foundation program. Smallwood says he still left the press conference feeling let down.

"I was kind of disappointed," the Business Administration student says. "I thought it was good in some ways."

The same sentiment was echoed by ATHI/CIC student union president James Gratton who said the government is only Band-Aiding the problems with post-secondary education.

"There's always pros and cons," Gratton says of the announcement. "Six hundred dollars can go a long way for a lot of people."

At the same time Gratton says he would have like to see the college receive more money generally, just to help keep technology current and the college, itself, in good working order.

"There's basic things that need to be done, like revamping of facilities and bringing them up to date," he says.

While Gratton and Charlottetown Centre president, Patricia Cormier, both say the student awards won't affect them, they know college students from the Island will appreciate them.

And so far both have heard positive reactions from their fellow students.

"It's all been positive," Gratton says of the feedback.

"It'll benefit them a lot," Cormier agrees. "I think it's great." But Smallwood will be waiting to see if the government will be offering anything more to Holland College students.

"It'll be nice to see if we get some funding," he said.