University funding deal “inadequate” say staff
Freezing fees a palliative measure
The Association of University Staff [AUS] has welcomed the news that three university councils have agreed to freeze
student fees for 2003, but has warned that the 4.5 per cent increase in public funding that they will receive in return
is inadequate.
“The 4.5 per cent increase in the Government’s contribution, with no increase in student fees, means the actual increase
in university income is significantly less than 4.5 per cent,” said Dr Grant Duncan, AUS National President. “That
hardly keeps up with inflation – so that university funding effectively stands still. It certainly does nothing to
restore the drastic cuts in university funding experienced during the 1990s.”
“There will be no highly-skilled, knowledge-based economy for the future, unless this Government is prepared to tackle
the fundamental problem faced by New Zealand’s university system – which in terms of real Government funding,
experienced, on average, annual reductions of 2.8% each year during the 1990s”.
“We are all for reducing the personal cost of studying at university,” said Dr Duncan. “But this must not be at the
expense of university staff and the quality of university education. A substantial injection of additional Government
funding for our universities is urgently needed and until this is recognised, the current policy of freezing fees must
be seen as a very limited palliative measure.”
Contact
Dr Grant Duncan, National President,
021 680 475; 09 443 9700, ext 9086