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Canterbury University To Charge Triple Fees

Student fees at the University of Canterbury should be increased three times.” This brief recommendation of the finance committee yesterday caused a two-hour debate by the university council on students’ fees, bursaries, part-time students, and university finance. But eventually the recommendation was earned without dissent.

At the outset, the Vicechancellor <Dr. L. t. Pownall) said he had been "disturbed” by a suggestion from an officer of the New Zealand Educational Institute in Christchurch that the council would reach a decision behind closed doors. This was the first opportunity for the full council to discuss the effects of recent developments and the discussion would be held in open meeting as was all business of the council affecting the public. The recently-announced scheme would undoubtedly make bursaries better. Dr. Pownall said. It put into operation some of the major recommendations of the Parry report. The University Grants’ Committee announcement that it intended to cut block grants by an amount equal to three times the fees now charged made necessary an immediate review of fees Dr. Pownall then tabled a report of 12 typed foolscap pages analysing the effects of the proposed new bursary regulations and tracing the development of the fees structure. From 1879 to 1910 the fee was £1 Is a subject and it was then raised to £3 3s. Dr. Pownall said. In 1923 there was a rise to £4 4s and in 1928 to the present £5 ss. In that year the salary of a Government cadet with university entrance was £65 to £BO so the university fee was l-12th to l-15th of his salary. Today a comparable cadet paying £5 5s a subject received £475 in salary or l-90th of his wages on fees. The proposed increase to £l5 15s would be about l-3Oth of such a salary. Dr. Pownall said. Full-time students would have their fees covered by bursaries and' also part-time students, provided they passed two subjects a year. But bursaries became much more valuable as the student progressed. ’■£22o Better Off” A full-time student receiving the improved bursaries and boarding allowance would be £220 better off at the end of four years,” Dr. Pownall said. "It should now be possible for any student who wants to attend full time, remembering that the university session is only 29 weeks of the year.” The Minister of Education had announced that special provision would be made for teachers studying at the university, Dr. Pownall said. At Canterbury there w'ere 185 teachers this year who paid £l3BO in fees. "The most important thing to us is that we have been told by the University Grants Committee that we will have our block grant cut by an amount,' worked out on fees.

which amounts to £128,160 from next year,” said Dr. Pownall. “This leaves us no alternative but to increase fees or re-write our budget.” We haven’t much choice,” said Mr G. Manning. Mr J. N. Matson, who is students’ representative on the council, asked how many students were likely to be affected by the proposals. This year the roll was 3469 and of that number 1188 were paying their own fees amounting to £15,410. said Dr. Pownall. That was 34 per cent, of the total. He would expect the number of full-time students now to increase but he did not expect any great decline in parttime students. Delay Requested Mr M. A. Connelly, M.P. said he had doubts about the effects on part-time students and . about the propriety of making this change when everything was not known about its implications. The Parry report recommended increased bursaries but not increased fees. The effect of the improved bursaries would be offset by increased fees. “Instead of implementing the principles of the Parry report we are doing just the opposite,” he said. ’’l don’t hold the view that increased fees will necessarily make students work harder.” said Mr Connelly. “I believe part-time students work hard. It seems to me that the Government is going to penalise many part-time students, particularly those who wish, later in life to improve their qualifications.” Mr Connelly then moved an amendment to the motion increasing fees that the council withhold action until the university, students, and other organisations interested had time to make submissions. Mr Manning seconded this pro forma. To a question about persons not qualifying for bursaries, Dr. Pownall said he was concerned only with those qualifying for university entrance. This year there were 82 admitted provisionally without this qualification. The university could not afford to delay decision because the Grants Committee had announced that it would make a cut of £ 128.000 and that could only be recovered from fees, most of which would be covered by bursaries. It was extremely doubtful whether any outside representations could alter that. “I think we have to agree to an increase in fees, no matter how reluctant we are,” said Mr T. H. McCombs. "But I’d like a clear understanding that if the new bursary regulations are not brought down before February, fees will not be

altered. I’ve known such delays to happen.” One thing he would like to see was better bursary provisions for Ph.D. students. They could forego a lot in earnings to improve their degrees. Miss R. F. C. Tyndall said members were obviously concerned about the 1188 who paid fees themselves. 185 of them teachers who were not all part-time. She would like to know the failure rate in that group and also like to see some transitional arrangements for those who had entered contracts. In the 1188, 366 were fulltime students not holding bursaries and 822 were parttime students, said Dr. Pownall. Out of that 185 were teachers. The failure rate would require examination of each card. "Unfair to Community” "But I would emphasise that you may be unfair to some students and you may be unfair to the community in expecting bursaries for a student who takes eight years to finish,” said Dr. Pownall. “The new regulations provide that, provided a student gets through two subjects a year, he still gets his bursary. It is a pretty poor man who cannot do that.’ “Those eligible for bursaries will still have all their fees covered,” said the Chancellor (Mr C. H. Perkins). “Those adversely affected will be those with no bursary rights at the start and those who fail. Many students have, in the past, had their education very heavily subsidised.” ‘‘How has this business arisen when our budget has been settled and we have no recourse or appeal?” asked Mr C. A. Noble. “It seems that the Grants Committee must have reached a decision a month or so ago and decided to act forthwith,” said Mr Perkins. Mr Manning asked about the student whose family circumstances prevented fulltime study. Passing Two Units ‘‘He still gets his fees covered by bursary as a parttime student,” said Dr. Pownall. "Where previously some got only half fees until they passed three units, they now get the lot from the start, so long as they pass two units a year.” At this stage Dr. Pownall thumped the table and repeated his last remark several times. This was the main point which critics had repeatedly overlooked, he said. Teachers were concerned about the effect on those undertaking their country service, said Mr W. J. Cartwright. Such people could hold over their bursaries and it was significant that the time limit matched that for country service, said Dr. Pownall. It was not a coincidence that this situation was met and that these teachers could still have all their fees paid. Some teachers also seemed to have missed the Minister’s promise of special provisions for teachers. Mr Connelly asked about the man who derided to take a degree later in life. “It is not necessary to take up a bursary immediately on leaving school,” said Dr. Pownall. “It can be taken up later but once studies start we expect them to continue.” The Very Rev. M. G. Sullivan said at present it was possible that some who failed still continued getting bursaries. Realistic “I am a little disappointed that the announcements we are discussing came so late but, whenever they were made and whatever protests were made, it would not alter the principles before us.” said Mr D. W. Bain. “There has been too much emphasis on alleged coercion to put up fees because the block grant will be cut. I accept the proposals on other grounds. I think fees paid by students are only 5 per cent, of our total recurrent academic and administrative costs. If fees increase that would be only 12J per cent. I have looked forward to the day when fees would be more realistic. If they make students work harder and faster these proposals are good. If they discourage those who repeatedly

fail, the university will not be worse off. Hardship cases can be the subject of special representations.” ‘ ‘The underlying principle seems to be that, since the Government has been asked to supply vast sums for university projects (the students' union subsidy of £121,000 today is just a small example) the community is entitled to an assurance that the best use will be made of its money,” said Professor N. C. Phillips. “This scheme shifts the burden from the successful to the unsuccessful stndent. There is no penalty on the industrious part-time student. I would wish that the authors of some examination papers I have lately marked knew the cost of failure.” “I agree,” said Mr Perkins. “Many students will in future be more careful about taking on more than they can cope with.” Mr Connelly’s amendment to delay decision found no other supporters and the motion to increase fees three times was carried without dissent. Floods in Spain.—Weeklong rains that caused the worst floods in Spain for more than five years abated late yesterday, leaving at least four dead and thousands homeless. Threequarters of Seville is still under water.—(Seville, November 27.)

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Permanent link to this item

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19611128.2.159

Bibliographic details

Press, Volume C, Issue 29682, 28 November 1961, Page 19

Word Count
1,665

Canterbury University To Charge Triple Fees Press, Volume C, Issue 29682, 28 November 1961, Page 19

Canterbury University To Charge Triple Fees Press, Volume C, Issue 29682, 28 November 1961, Page 19