Student fees

TJJP

Myth wrote:

Registration fee is set by the Government. It goes towards registration, examinations, and student services (plus anything else that the college sees relevant to be under these very general headings). If you're paying extra, chances are it's a levy for a sports hall, or student centre, USI membership, or something else.

Eh? See Universities Act, 1997.... Section 40 or IoT's 2006.

Fees are set by Higher Education institutions with agreement of GOV, so as to prevent rapid increase. Suggest you read the text of the letter you linked to again. In effect it approves the increases sought.

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/ZZA24Y1997S40.html

The_Minister

randylonghorn wrote:

Folks, just a reminder that free fees only apply to full-time students.

I hate to burst your bubble, but at the last USI conference, Mary Coughlan announced that part-time students will be included in the "free fees" scheme.

thebman

brianthebard wrote:

Brim4brim, where you studying in Maynooth? As Infront says the fees paid at registration go straight to the college.

I was studying Computer Science & Software Engineering using computers that didn't meet the minimum requirements for the OS they were running. Lecturers had nice new Apple laptops though!

randylonghorn

The_Minister wrote:

I hate to burst your bubble, but at the last USI conference, Mary Coughlan announced that part-time students will be included in the "free fees" scheme.

And what "bubble" would that be, exactly?

I am delighted to hear that the Minister for Agriculture announced the extension of the free fees initiative to part-time students at the USI conference. Unfortunately, the Dept. of Education have not issued any such instructions to the third-level colleges as yet.

I expect to hear many more such announcements and promises over the next few weeks, on everything from education to health to transport to tiddly-winks.

Do you think that all of those will be implemented when election fever has died down, unless pressure is kept up on the winners to do so?

randylonghorn

Just following up on the above, AONTAS, the national association for adult education, has launched a campaign to seek various improvements in the area which they see as essential.

The changes they are seeking are here, and they include the abolition of fees for part-time third level students, to bring them in to parity with their full-time colleagues.

AONTAS are asking people to show their support by signing the online petition.

They do acknowledge here that one of the issues which they highlight (BTEI fees) has to a great extent been addressed recently, and that promises have been made of very limited improvements on the issue of part-time third level fees.

These latter promises, even if they were to be implemented, still fall far short of eliminating the present discrimination against part-time students at third level with regard to fees.

I could go on (at length, being me! :rolleyes: ) about the justice / equality issue, and the social reasons why this is important ... but let's just look at it from an economic point of view: adult education and training are hugely important issues for our economy, and if we are to continue to compete and prosper as a country, we must be prepared to support and to motivate our people to upskill and indeed to re-train. All parties seem to agree on this ... time for less talk, and more action, as far as I am concerned.

Agent J

The_Minister wrote:

I hate to burst your bubble, but at the last USI conference, Mary Coughlan announced that part-time students will be included in the "free fees" scheme.

This would be the same Free fees scheme that Coughlans predescessor in this current government tried to dismantle?

<edit>

I also remind you of the Massive increase that was put on the registration fee by this current government right after the last election.

If was still currently a student... i would be fearful they they will pull the exact same move they did last time they were elected.