Students challenge Maharey to watch fees go up

2 September 2004

Students challenge Maharey to clear diary and watch fees go up

Students are today challenging Tertiary Minister; Steve Maharey to clear his diary for the next few months and attend fee setting meetings at public tertiary institutions to get a first hand look at the failure of his fee maxima policy.

“Steve Maharey should come to these meetings and hear for himself the pathetic excuses for fee increases that institution managers put forward,” said Fleur Fitzsimons, Co-President of the New Zealand University Students’ Association.

“If Maharey comes to the fees setting meetings, maybe he will understand why students are protesting against fee increases, even more student debt and even longer repayment times and take steps to force fee reductions.”

Victoria University management yesterday announced that they would be seeking to put fees up by 4.5 percent and many other institutions are gearing up for fee rises when they set fees in the coming months.

“Tertiary institutions are showing complete disregard for students by attempting hefty fee hikes each year and Labour are doing nothing to stop them.”

“Labour’s fee maxima policy has failed students by leading to fee increases and set up numerous exceptions and exemptions to pander to institution managers. Poor students are funding wasteful advertising campaigns and lining coffers of public institutions.”

“Students have consistently warned Maharey about weak Councils that blindly follow the management of the institution in raising fees,” said Fitzsimons. “One look at these meetings should convince him to stop unnecessary fee rises.”

ENDS

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