Students begin battle against fee hikes

Students begin battle against fee hikes

The Victoria University Council meeting cancelled today because students refused to let their Council raise fees is just the beginning of a national student campaign against fee increases, according to the New Zealand University Students' Association.

"Students at Vic today showed that they will not let tertiary institutions get away with unnecessary fee rises," said Fleur Fitzsimons, NZUSA Co-President. "They forced the fee rise meeting to be cancelled - and have given University bosses the chance to rethink their greedy fee grab."

Students around the country will be heartened by the action of Victoria students, and will be campaigning to make sure that there are zero fee increases at all tertiary institutions for 2004.

"With a three percent increase in government funding and most institutions showing healthy surpluses, it will be an uphill battle to prove that student fees need to rise," said Fitzsimons.

"Those responsible for fee setting have to acknowledge that student hardship is already widespread and that their fee increases will lead to even more debt piled upon the $6 billion owed now."

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