Just Say No To International Fee Rises

The Auckland University Students Association (AUSA) today launched its “Just Say No” campaign to oppose the University of Auckland’s likely move to increase tuition fees for International Students.

“AUSA is strongly opposed to any substantial increases in International Student Tuition Fees without due consideration to the wider impacts of those increases on our International Student Community”, said AUSA President Dan Bidois. “These students are viewed by many groups within the University community as a wealthy cash cow, to whom the University can turn to when it needs to make up shortfalls in revenue.” He said.

Mr Bidois added that the wider impacts on the welfare of International Students are not taken seriously by the University when it makes its decision to increase fees. “We are aware that International Students face a raft of welfare issues when they arrive in New Zealand to study. They are not the “rich kids with money to burn” that society in general and the University in particular considers them to be. In many instances International Students and their families struggle with the burden of tuition fees, and find themselves in situations that severely jeopardise their well being”, he said.

AUSA Education Vice President Xavier Goldie added that AUSA was campaigning to make sure that the University of Auckland Council was aware of the potential impacts of their vote on the 21st of August on International Students and the University in general. “The University of Auckland, along with the other universities around the country are facing falling International Student numbers (as Equivalent Full Time Students)”, he said. “It is quite likely that those falling numbers in part the constant increases in fees for International Students without any apparent increase in quality or services. Not only are International Students and their families seriously affected by these rising costs, but also the University itself may soon find itself in dire straits when the “cash cow” leaves for greener pastures”, he said.

ENDS

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