Student bursaries

Press, 23 March 1981, Page 16

Student bursaries

Sir,—On page 2of “The Press”, today I found that university students are once again moaning and groaning that their free hand-out from taxpayers, otherwise known as a bursary, is insufficient to sustain and support them in the manner to which they would like to be accustomed. If they perhaps altered their style of life, survival could be obtained at far cheaper cost. Last Saturday night while passing the Students’ Union Building, during a false fire alarm, it was obvious that (a) nearly all present were under the influence of alcohol. This was demonstrated by both their actions and comments towards the fire brigade, and (b) nearly all must have arrived by late model cars, as judged by the crammed car-park and further scores of vehicles parked in Ham Road. It is no wonder the .$23 standard bursary (and who knows how many were receiving “hardship”, allowances) cannot keep up with all this frolic.-Yours, etc., ALAN JONES. March 12, 1981. .[The president of the University of Canterbury Students’ Association, Miss , Katrina Amos, replies: “What Mr Jones calls a ‘free hand-out from taxpayers,’ is what the Government provides in its dismal attempt to ensure a right to education, irrespective of one’s financial circumstances. Most students are required to survive on their holiday earnings, and the tertiary'study, grant of $23 a week. (Less than 10 per cent of students receive a hardship allowance). For. most, students, that means taking a loan at the end of each year andr having a part-time job, so hindering their studies. Certainly, a few students-have

cars and receive other money, often from their parents. Is Mr Jones suggesting that these students should not come to university? Open education means that all people, rich and poor, should be able to come to university if, they have the ability. It also means that those with no “independent income” should be given sufficient financial assistance while they study; Mr Jones cannot be seriously suggesting that $23 a week is sufficient to cover even the most basic necessities. Mr Jones refers to the final function of our Orientation Festival — a week mainly designed to help first years settle in, and it includes social functions. For this I do notapologise: students have the right to socialise amongst themselves. A false fire alarm forced us to evacuate 2000 people which took only nine minutes, a fact which impressed the Fire Department, as did the students’ orderly conduct. Certainly some students wanted to know when they could return to the function, after waiting nearly an hour in the cold. I would suggest that Mr Jones,’ had he attended the function, would have been similarly curious.';]