Legal action over medical student fee rises

20 December 2004

Students threaten legal action over medical student fee rises

Students are threatening to bring judicial review proceedings against today’s decision by Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) Manager Max Kerr to grant Auckland University the right to raise medical student fees by 10 percent next year.

“We have given presentations, met with officials, pleaded with Tertiary Minister Steve Maharey, presented letters from health professionals and protested outside the TEC to oppose these fee hikes,” said Fleur Fitzsimons, Co-President of the New Zealand University Students’ Association (NZUSA).

“Legal action is the only option students have left in opposing these unnecessary, short sighted fee increases.”

“This decision, coming only days after a TEC decision to let Otago University, Christchurch College of Education and Dunedin College of Education raise their fees by 10%, is proof that Labours fee maxima policy has been a disastrous experiment at the expense of students.”

It is understood that the TEC initially refused to allow Auckland University to raise fees but backed down after intense lobbying from the management of the University.

“We are hopeful that a judicial review of the decision will overturn the decision to raise student fees and prevent future fee increases,” said Fitzsimons.

At the TEC Board Meeting on Thursday, NZUSA Co-President elect, Camilla Belich was approved as the Student Member on the TEC Board.

“I will be demanding that the Commission stops allowing unnecessary fee hikes and instead addresses the disastrous impact of high student fees and massive debts on the New Zealand society and economy,” said Camilla Belich.

ENDS

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