Description

Logistics 

Submit it online on Quercus via the Assignments tab. We use Turnitin.com for a review of textual similarity and detection of possible plagiarism. See the University policy on Turnitin.com below and in the syllabus. A late submission will be subject to a 20% penalty for every 24 hours. An assignment late for 5 days will get a grade of zero. No extensions will be granted under any circumstance (illness, computer problems, etc.).

Purpose 

To apply the economics that you are learning to the complicated real world and to help you practice your writing skills. 

Who you will write for 

You work as an intern in the Ministry of Colleges and Universities at Ontario. Your direct supervisor doesn’t know our economic terms and definitions, but she is smart and understands basic economic concepts. She expects the highest level economic analysis you are capable of, in clear English, without any use of jargon. You must use only words – absolutely no tables, graphs, equations or bullet points. 

Interactions 

Humans and zombies interact when they are co-located. Each interaction is dened as occurring between a single zombie and a single human.

What you will write about

Your supervisor is searching for options to reduce Ontario universities’ financial dependence on international student tuitions. Ontario universities receive most of their funding from government sources and tuition fees. The majority of government funding comes from the Ontario provincial government who collect the tax revenue mostly from Ontario residents. In the past decade, Ontario universities are increasingly relying on international students who pay significantly higher tuition fees than domestic students to make up shortfalls due to the decline in government funding. For example, international students account for 30% new intake at UTM (see attached registrar report). 

The Ministry is concerned that our universities may be financially vulnerable to exogenous shocks in the enrollment of international students. The government does not want to raise taxes, so it is nearly impossible to increase government funding for higher education given its current budget situation. Your supervisor thinks the first step to reduce universities’ financial dependence on international students is to reduce the enrollment of international students by 5%. But lower international student enrollment would lead to a funding gap for universities.