Massey students stung with fee increases in 2011

Students at Massey University will be hit hard with the maximum possible tuition fee increase in 2011, as well as increased student services levies, a new scholarship levy, and increased enrolment fees.

The Massey University Council recently approved a 4 percent increase in tuition fees for graduate and undergraduate students. The Council also approved a 47.5 percent average increase in the student services levy; this follows the 100 percent increase in 2010. The announced increases, including the October GST increase, mean that on average full-time students will pay 10 percent extra to study at Massey next year.

Student services levies for full time internal students will range from $150.00 to a maximum of $325.00 as the per-paper levy will be $25.00 on top of a $150 base rate. Extramural students will face up to a 300 percent increase in the levy, as the base fee will be the current $60.00 levy plus $15.00 per paper taken. This adjustment is to pay for more projects around supporting students, as funding is now linked to success and completion.

“Reduced Government funding, performance measures and capped student numbers are the drivers for these fee rises.” says Ralph Springett, president of the Extramural Students' Society (EXMSS).  “However, in approving the 2011 fees Massey University committed to working constructively with student representatives to get the right mix of services to support students academically, financially and pastorally.”

The scholarship levy, at $2.50 per 15 credit paper, will also have students involved in the way the funds are distributed. This levy will amount to about $350,000 annually.

Enrolment fees will nearly double - from $40.00 to $75.00 and will be non-refundable. “Universities now cannot afford to have students place-holding by enrolling in multiple courses or institutions, only to withdraw when enrolled in their preferred institution.” says Mr Springett.

Mr Springett is concerned that the increases will hit students hard, saying that Government policies allow universities to use student levies as a way of increasing fees beyond the fees course costs maxima. “Many students will face an increase of more than $500 when they re-enroll for 2011, purely because of the Government’s underfunding of the sector and its insistence on performance linked funding.”