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Ontario remains in second-last spot when it comes to per-student funding for universities, but in this election campaign interest groups are struggling to get that message onto the agenda.

University professors, administrators and some student groups have all tried to raise increasing class sizes and growing student-teacher ratios as a concern, but they have a tricky argument to make.

That's because the Liberal government has injected an extra $6.2-billion into the sector after a sweeping review by former premier Bob Rae – something Premier Dalton McGuinty likes to boast about on the campaign trail.

Now university groups say that investment in the system and an increase in the university-aged population of the province have brought a flood of students to their campuses and created a new debate over the quality of university education.

“What we are dealing with is as major an increase in qualified applicants as we saw in the boomer generation,” said Paul Genest, a former policy adviser for the federal Liberals, who now heads the Council of Ontario Universities. This “stampede of feet” could bring as many as 120,000 additional students by 2021, his group estimates. “We are looking at a cliff if we do not have a plan,” he said.

A new study released Monday by the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations finds that the province's per-student funding level is 25 per cent below the national average. It estimates Ontario would need to increase operating funding by $1-billion in 2009 just to meet that average.

It calls for an immediate commitment of $1.6-billion more annually in operating and capital spending for universities.

Rising student numbers mean that the new money earmarked for higher education through recent reforms will improve per-student funding by only 1 per cent, the report says. “To some extent the success of what government did has created their problem – it's brought more students into the system than anticipated,” said Henry Mandelbaum, executive director of the faculty group.

That's left the university groups to make the case that still more needs to be done.

“Education is top of mind, but it's not universities that people are talking about, we realize that,” said David Simmonds, president of the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance and a student leader at the University of Western Ontario. “The big question is how do we manage the system we have created.”

While public attention in this election is focused on funding for faith-based schools, Mr. Mandelbaum said his group is using the campaign to begin discussions on the quality of postsecondary education that it can continue after the election.

“We are looking for commitment from all three parties on this,” he said. “We see the election as a jumping-off point and a way to bring the public into the debate as well.”

Universities also are looking to raise public awareness during the campaign. They took out a full-page newspaper advertisement last week urging party leaders to bring student-faculty ratios in line with other provinces and provide more spaces and resources for the growing student numbers. They also asked for more graduate funding.

So far, the postsecondary issue is far down the list of priorities in this election. The New Democratic Party has been the most vocal in this area, with Howard Hampton frequently mentioning his party's plan to roll back tuition fees and freeze them at the levels they were at before the Liberals took office – a key demand of the Canadian Federation of Students.

Aside from mentioning his government's past accomplishments, Mr. McGuinty has promised a few measures such as a new $300 textbook and technology grant.

The Conservatives' platform promises new per capita support for the system and more stable long-term funding, but the topic has been overshadowed by the party's pledge on religious schools.

“We don't think the election is going to be fought or won on the terrain of higher education,” Mr. Genest said.