***UPDATE*** This afternoon, October 22/09, York sent an email to students notifying them that the full funding package will be honoured. Thank you for your support and for helping inform York that we will not stand by passively as students' rights are infringed upon. We could not have won without you, thank you. Special thanks to Erin Millar of Maclean's magazine for publishing our story. Thank you everyone. Sincerely, MSW students, York University http://oncampus.macleans.ca/education/2009/10/21/in-surprise-move-york-university-rolls-back-funding-to-graduate-students/ York University has decided to withhold over 30% of the funding it promised to Master of Social Work students. Instead of providing $10,000 funding - as outlined in admission offers - students will receive ONLY $6,600 for the entire year. York claims that because the year consists of only 2 terms (not 3) they don't have to provide all of the funding; however, the funding package states that as long as we are full-time students (which we are) we are entitled to "at least" $10,000 - there is no mention of academic terms. Also, the students in the year ahead were offered the same funding package, had the same two-term academic year but they received the full $10,000.. We work two jobs - Graduate Assistants for York (our funding is our pay) and Internships with various agencies (unpaid), required for our program. On top of working two jobs we have full-time studies. We work seven days a week, are some of the brightest minds, and are being stripped of the funding we depend on for survival. Please sign this petition and support our cause.

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