Staff Union: Don’t increase Victoria student fees

Don’t increase student fees at Victoria, says staff union

The executive committee of the Victoria Branch of the Association of University Staff is opposed to increasing student fees at the university, spokesperson Dr Richard Arnold said today. He was responding to a 4.5% increase proposed by the Vice Chancellor that will be considered by the university’s council at 4pm on Thursday 9 September

“AUS has always advocated as low fees as possible and the Victoria Branch Executive fully supports students in opposing any increase in fees at Victoria,” Dr Arnold said.

“Increased tuition fees put University study further and further out of reach for many people, and for others mean a crippling burden of debt on completion of their studies.

“It is of grave concern to staff to see students having to work excessive hours in employment during teaching terms to the detriment of their studies.

“The answer to the university's problems lies in increased government funding not increased course fees”

“The AUS is working with Vice Chancellors to prepare a comprehensive case to put to Government on the need for increased funding and is also taking part in tripartite talks on the matter. That is where the pressure must go.

“There is wealth of empirical evidence that tertiary education is a public good, not just in providing employers with a pool of skilled employees but in increasing tax revenue and decreasing welfare expenditure. It is an investment opportunity the Government cannot afford to miss”, Mr Arnold said.