Salient

Fees probably going up

By Seonah Choi | 6 Oct, 2008

The University Council will meet tomorrow afternoon to determine next year’s student fees, as proposed last month by the Finance Committee.

In a memorandum to the Council, the Committee recommended a five per cent increase in all government-funded undergraduate course fees or an increase up to the fee maxima – whichever is the lower of the two figures. All government-funded Honours and postgraduate fees similarly face an increase of $500 per Equivalent Full-time Student (EFTS).

“The recommendation for a fees increase is made with reluctance but out of necessity,” the Committee noted. “The fundamental cause of the need for a fees increase is the inadequacy of government funding of universities. The real value of government funding per student has declined annually for several years.”

Also facing an increase is the Student Services levy, which subsidises the cost of various University services including the Accommodation and Student Health Services, and Student Learning Support.

The Committee has advised an increase of $29 for students enrolled in over 60 points, from this year’s $121 to $150 and a proportionately lesser increase for distance students.

“The key reasons for increasing this levy… are to gradually lower the University subsidy of the levy and to be able to maintain the current high quality of service provision.”

Also awaiting approval at tomorrow’s meeting is the introduction of a $20 “technology fee.” After almost eight months of assertions that steady progress was being made on the matter, President Joel Cosgrove’s election platform of free internet has been partially fulfilled, with the Council likely to confirm the discontinuation of the current system whereby students continually pay for internet access, dependant on usage.

Instead, students will no longer be charged for internet use, although their download capacities will be capped, and the technology fee will assist in subsidising the provision of increasing internet bandwidth, as well as the expansion of wireless infrastructure. It is anticipated that internet speed on campus will increase by “at least another 20MB.”