Students fail to stop rises

Press, 2 March 1977, Page 12

Students fail to stop rises

An attempt to arouse student opposition to a rise of more than 50 per cent in examination fees for postgraduate degrees has failed miserably at the University of Canterbury. Only 20 students attended a lunch-time forum to express their opposition to the rise, which has been proposed by the New Zealand Vice-chan-cellors’ Commit ee. The meeting was addressed by the research officer for the New Zealand University Students’ Association (Mr P. Franks) who urged students to support a‘ strong stand against the proposed increases which, for Ph.Ds, would raise the examination fees from $BO to $lOO and for higher doctorates from $lOO to $2OO.

Mr Franks said that the proposal had been shelved by the University of Otago Council recently when student representatives had opposed it.

“As usual the rather arrogant gentlemer. who sit on the vice-chancellors committee have failed to consult N.Z.U.S.A. on these proposals," Mr Franks said. He urged students at the forum to join him by attending the open meeting of the University of Canterbury Council as a form of protest against the proposed increases.

Four students attended the meeting and stared in disbelief when the proposal was supported by the council without any attempt being made to voice opposition to i the idea.