Joyce up to his usual tricks.
Students may be left without essential student services under a proposal from Tertiary Education Minister Steven Joyce.
The objective of the proposal is to establish a framework for how compulsory fees and student services are administered by universities. This framework aims to create transparency and accountability in decision-making on these issues. Part of the proposal states the categories of student services that can be funded by compulsory service fees. These categories exclude a number of services that universities currently offer and are in strong demand. The proposal states that service fees could cover advocacy and legal advice, careers information and guidance, counselling services, employment information, financial support and advice, health services, student media, childcare services, and sports and recreation services. The planned implementation timeframe of the proposed changes has drawn criticism from NZUSA co-president, Max Hardy. “[Joyce] is expecting associations and institutions to adjust to a massively altered funding environment in just a few short months. They couldn’t have done much more to make this as difficult as possible for the sector to manage,” Hardy says. “We hope that the Government has made an oversight and will be fully engaged in the consultation process.” The Minister is currently seeking submissions from anyone who is concerned about the proposed changes.