The president of one of the New Brunswick's three religious universities is defending a provincial government's decision to include his students in a new program that would limit their debt at graduation even though the institution is private.

'They shouldn't get any public money unless they're part of the public system, and willing to subscribe to the standards and meet the criteria that the rest of us have to meet.'— Miriam Jones, UNB SJ professor

Critics say private universities shouldn't be getting financial help when public universities are starved for cash.

The province announced the Timely Completion Benefit in May. A post-secondary student who qualifies for the benefit will not have to pay back more than $26,000 in federal and provincial student loans as long as they graduate within the established timeframe of their program.

David Medders, the president of Bethany Bible College in Sussex, said the debt-cap program benefits students and not the school's operating budget. And he said it's absurd to say the religious school shouldn't be eligible for any government programs just because it is a private institution.

"If you took that [argument to its] logical conclusions, we shouldn't receive city water because part of the taxpayers money in Sussex supports a town water system," Medders said.

"So you have to have some common sense, somewhere along the line in this. And I think where the government has struck that line — we call it a pluralistic society, and it's mutual respect."

Miriam Jones, a professor at the University of New Brunswick in Saint John, said the decision to allow these religious school to have access to the student debt-cap policy is a bad idea.

Jones said the colleges are allowed to have Christian-only hiring policies because they're private and that status should extend to funding.

"They shouldn't get any public money unless they're part of the public system and willing to subscribe to the standards and meet the criteria that the rest of us have to meet," she said.

Post-Secondary Education Minister Donald Arseneault said he can understand objections to operating funds going to religious colleges, but he said this is a program to help students of the institutions lower their student debts.

The extension of the program also applies to students at Atlantic Baptist University and St. Stephen's University in St. Stephen.

No public funds for operating expenses

However, the Liberal government has indicated there's no plan to help the colleges with operating funds and the staff and students at Bethany Bible College like it that way.

'We don't want to compromise what we're allowed to teach, what professors are allowed to teach students, just for a cut, to save a few dollars.'— Greg Daggett, student

Medders said there's a difference between helping students with loans and subsidizing the school's operating budget.

"This is for students, not for an institution. It doesn't apply to the institution. It only applies to the students," he said.

In fact, Medders said government subsidies might force the college to water down its Christian character.

Greg Daggett, a student at the college, said he agrees that the school should avoid the slippery slope that could come with accepting additional public money.

"We don't want to compromise what we're allowed to teach, what professors are allowed to teach students, just for a cut, to save a few dollars," Daggett said.