Uni students balk at rising costs

The rise in compulsory add-on fees at tertiary institutions is under fire from the New Zealand Union of Students' Associations.

Co-president Paul Falloon said lack of government funding meant universities were having to pass extra costs to students to provide services such as health and recreation centres.

Otago University students will pay the highest compulsory fee next year at $440 for a full-time student, with $225 of that for recreation and welfare.

Lincoln University students are charged $312, which includes the health and recreation centre, technical facilities and the students' association building.

Victoria and Massey have levies of about $300 for full-time students, while Canterbury charges just $85 in compulsory fees.

Falloon said the increases had been a concern for some time.

University tuition fees were restricted because of a government-imposed fee-maxima policy, he said.

That meant some things that had been core services were becoming additional provisions to be funded through sundry fees.

"It's a trend we haven't been terribly happy about," Falloon said.

"Universities want to provide world-class facilities and buildings and courses and support services, but they're not able to do so with core funding, so they introduce these fees."

Canterbury University Students' Association president Michael Goldstein said that despite having a lower student levy, Canterbury provided good services for its students.

The university's policy of including service fees in the overall cost of studying made it clearer for students.

"Other universities have to use these other charges to get services they should be providing anyway," Goldstein said.

- © Fairfax NZ News