They have the following views on post-secondary education. There should be an increased focus in recruiting foreign students as a way of increasing necessary or discretionary income for Ontario's institutions. Robert Cristie is here deputy minister. Premier Mike Harris supports private universities. He argues that with the growing demand for PSE in the province, self-funding private universities would create more places for students at no cost to taxpayers.
Student groups fear the worst with regards to private institutions.
They argue that when tuition is set by the market place, private institutions will only attract those who can afford to pay. Public universities would remain overcrowded, and worse off as public and private institutions vie for corporate and government support. As funding continued to be decreased, quality would be better at private institutions creating a two tiered system and a hierarchy of education. Accountability would be thrown out the window in addition to the concern that private universities could become degree mils, putting greater emphasis on affluence than excellence. This may force them to concentrate on only a few fields, making these institutions indistinguishable from current career colleges.