1. What Is The Problem You Are Trying To Solve? 

 If UBC should keep increasing the tuition for international students or not.

2. Is the solution obvious? Why or Why Not?

It is NOT obvious.  In order to find a perfect solution to this probelm, we need to do a comparison analysis among several universities not only within Canada, but also in the u.s.  To measure and discover the reasons for popularity of UBC, why students chose to come here, how much impact they recieve from even further increase in tuition, etc., will be necessary. 

3. What are some possible solutions? Have any of these been attempted in the past?

There are many possible solutions to this problem.  For example, UBC can keep increasing tuition, decrease tuition, other universities match their tuition with UBC (increase), further bargain (decrease), UBC offer better courses, better environment...etc.  Some of these issues have been discussed in the past.

4. For each possible solution who would gain and who would lose? What controversies are there? Are there some groups that would be very unhappy if they did not get their way?

If UBC decides to decrease tuition for international students, international students will gain, and UBC, possiblly domestic students will lose.  The controversies are that there is a fact that even with recent rapid increase in international students tuition, the number of international students is rising.  UBC will be very unhappy if they cannot increase international students tuition because they have already planned to invest about 30 million dollars into constructing new sections in a libarary by 2005.  Also there is a possibility that the domestic students become unhappy because they may have to pay more instead of the international students paying more.

5. If double the money were available, what would the solution be?

IF government had double the money, they should support UBC financially more.  If UBC had double the money, they should spend the money so that students do not have to pay anymore.

6. If No Government funds are available, what would the best solution be?

To increase both international students tuition and domestic students tuition by an equal amount.

7. What would happen in 10 years if this problem were ignored?

There is a possiblity that UBC will have a bad reputation, and the number of applicants will decrease.

8. What professionals in addition to an economist would be required to solve this problem?

Good school board comitees who have access to students all over the world.  And also people who can think of ways to decrease the cost of building new facilities and/or its real necessity.

9. What questions would you need to ask Government Officials?

Is it really worth it to increase international students tuition by that much?  Does UBC really need that much money not for increase in wages for professors or TAs, but to build new facilities? 

10. What questions would you need to ask Business Owners?

Nothing much.

11. What questions would you need to ask Residents of the area?

How much the new solutions will affect them both in positive, and negative ways.  Also if they really need new facilities, and how much that will affect them, and if it's really worth it or not in terms of convenience, and inconvenience from its construction. 

12. What questions would you need to ask Non-Residents of the area?

How much the new solutions will affect them both in positive, and negative ways.  Also if they really need new facilities, and how much that will affect them, and if it's really worth it or not in terms of convenience if it was actually built.

13. If Unlimited data were available what you like? What data on costs would you like to have?

The opportunity costs on international students and domestic students going to other universities rather than UBC, what difference will it make?  By how much will the number of applicants to UBC decrease if they increase tuition by another 30% within next 5 years?  And how much will that affect UBC's budget?

14. What past research has been done on this subject?

SIU (Southern Illinois University) has had a similar issue. http://newshound.de.siu.edu/online/stories/storyReader$3255

McGill University has had a similar issue. http://ww2.mcgill.ca/uro/Rep/r2909/tuition.html

CSU(Charles Sturt University)http://orion.csuchico.edu/Pages/vol42issue11/news/n.5.outofstate.html

15. What current special interest groups exist that are concerned about this problem?

16. Who would be happy to see your results and conclusions?

UBC, international students, other universities which accept international students, domestic students, and myself.

17. What data is currently available that is useful?

Several articles from newspapers, the data on tuitions for universities everywhere, the ranking of the universities in North America, UBC's budget for various purposes, etc.

18. What are the expected funds from Federal, Provincial, Local governments, business, residents, and non-residents that could be used to solve the problem?

Governments could fund more to build new facilities inside UBC. 

19. Is this a problem that can be solved by the User-Pays principle or will government funds be required?

It could be solved if domestic students pay more for tuition, or goverments could pay more instead of international students.

20. Will any government make money if the problem is solved?

Maybe, if decreasing in tuition actually attract more international studetns.

21. Is any politicians job at risk because of this problem?

No.

22. How have other communities solved similar problems?

23. Can the private sector solve this problem without any government help?

24. Can the government simply pass laws to solve the problem? Would that be a good solution?

Government can increase tax and fund more for UBC, but it will create a big disagreement between the residents and the city.