AUSA irate at Government’s betrayal of students
The Auckland University Students Association today expressed its surprise and disgust at the scale of fee increases heralded by the introduction of fees maxima in today’s budget.
Having reviewed the fees that students will be charged in each of the University’s departments next year, and contrasting them to previous figures, AUSA Education Vice President Kate Sutton admitted that this year’s budget “may well rival some of the excesses of National Party in its heyday.” Budget announcements point to increases in nearly all of the courses at the University of Auckland, with some of the University’s most popular courses expected to rise by more than a quarter.
“It is so rich that at the same time as Government and Business are desperately encouraging students to embrace technology subjects such Science and Engineering, the Government turns around and hammers students in these areas with massive cost increases” Ms Sutton continued angrily.
While students at the University of Auckland will be hard hit by this initiative, Ms Sutton also expressed concern and outrage for the impact this is likely to have on students in the nations other tertiary providers, whose fees have mostly been traditionally lower than in Auckland, and who will be hit even harder.