The importance and benefits of postsecondary education (PSE) cannot be disputed. Education opens the door to more job opportunities and greater personal fulfillment for many people. An educated and skilled workforce supports and sustains the economy and benefits society as a whole. However, colleges face a growing crisis in the delivery of postsecondary education (PSE) that simply cannot be ignored. The original mandate of the colleges, envisioned in 1965 by the then Minister of Education, Bill Davis, was the development of an institutional framework designed to bring education to the masses of people who were not connected to the university. This system would provide strong, hands-on educational experiences to a specific segment of the population and meet the growing labor market demands for a skilled workforce that would support the growth of Ontario's economy for years to come. Much has changed in the years since colleges were established. . Student demographics alone reveal a very different student profile today than in the past. A typical student is anything but typical: they have diverse and complex needs. This is confirmed by information contained in the 2009 Applicant Survey conducted by Academica Group and the MTCU Student Satisfaction Survey: "60% of college students have a high school diploma or less, 17% report neither neither French nor English as their mother tongue and 12% use “special” programs. Disability Needs/Services” (Summers, 2012). The diverse demands of these students have resulted in the growing need for an expanded and more multifaceted network of support services to support them academically, socially and emotionally, putting even more strain on faculty resources. and the institution.In ...... middle of paper ...... (2012). Tuition Fees: Presentation on the Ontario Tuition Fee Framework. Retrieved from College Student Alliance: http://www.collegestudentalliance.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/2012-Ontario-Tuition-Framework-Submission.pdfColleges - A popular choice for hands-on learners. (2012). Retrieved from Student Awards: http://www.studentawards.com/~/media/Documents/EducatorEssentials/Handouts%20and%20Links/Colleges-A-Popular-Choice-for-the-Hands-On-Learner-EN.ashxFedderson , K. (2008, autumn). What's wrong with Ontario's colleges and what can professors do about it? Retrieved from The College Quarterly: http://www.senecac.on.ca/quarterly/2008-vol11-num04-fall/fedderson.htmlMior, JD (February 2012). Conference. CMU Lecutre. Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Summers, B. (February 2012). Ontario Colleges. Accessed in 2012 on Drjoe.ca: http://gaia.flemingc.on.ca/~jmior/EDU655GBC2010/EDU655JM_gbc.htm