Marketing and fees madness must end

Marketing and fees madness must end

Students are calling on tertiary institutions to stop wasting public money on inducements to students and other marketing and promotion, in the wake of the COOL scandal at CPIT.

“Whether its book vouchers, hacky sacks or cell phones, giveaways to induce enrolments are an irresponsible waste of money. Government should prevent tertiary institutions from spending student and public money on this nonsense,” said Fleur Fitzsimons, Co-President of the New Zealand University Students’ Association. “At the same time they should introduce controls on all forms of advertising for public education.”

Fitzsimons said that given the huge amount of profits made on the COOL course, fee increases at CPIT should be challenged. “Government should not allow institutions to fund huge surpluses through dodgy courses or through unnecessary fee increases.”

“Marketing and promotion expenditure by public tertiary institutions has increased by over 80 percent since 1999 meanwhile students are paying nearly $20 million more in fees in 2004,” said Fitzsimons.

“If this government is really opposed to inducements and interested in spending taxpayers money wisely, it should to prevent tertiary institutions from spending millions on marketing and promotion campaigns.”

“A better use of money would be providing independent and impartial careers and course advice to prospective students, reducing student fees and student debt.”

ENDS

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