Fee Freeze: A bitter-sweet symphony

THE AUCKLAND UNIVERSITY STUDENTS' ASSOCIATION (INC.)
TE ROOPU TAUIRA O TE WHARE WAANANGA O TAMAKI MAKAURAU
http://www.ausa.auckland.ac.nz

Media Release
20 August 2001
For Immediate Use
Fee Freeze: A bitter-sweet symphony

Auckland University Students’ Association President, Kane Stanford has described Auckland University’s decision to freeze fees as a bittersweet decision.

“Students at Auckland University will be happy to know that tuition fees not be going up for the second year in a row. However, the costs of obtaining a degree mean that only those from very wealthy families are going through university without a large student loan. For a government that prides itself on reducing social inequality, this is unacceptable” said Mr Stanford.

However Mr Stanford also believes that the fee freeze will also have additional costs to students. “For over a decade successive governments have been under-funding universities, and the University has taken another funding cut by accepting the Government’s fee stabilization offer. This will be passed down to students in cuts to staff and library resources,” said Mr Stanford.

“Funding for a student studying at Auckland University is around 60 percent of that received by a student at a comparable Australian university. Clearly the Government cannot expect New Zealand to catch the knowledge wave if won’t provide funds for the surfboard,” concluded Mr Stanford.

ENDS

For further Information Contact:

Kane Stanford
President
Ph 309 0789 x 373
Cell 021 656 795

Stephanie Thompson
Education Vice-President
Ph 309 0798 x 204

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