Student groups urge St Andrews University to resist £9,000 tuition fees
Introducing £36,000 fees for English, Welsh and Northern Irish students at St Andrews University would be a "grave error".
- By Alan Wilson
- Published in the Courier : 08.09.11
- Published online : 08.09.11 @ 08.38am
St Andrews Students' Association and the St Andrews branch of the University and College Lecturers Union (UCU) spoke after reports suggested the university will announce the charges on Friday.
The two bodies believe the move would drive potential students away and are urging the university to keep fees as low as possible.
The warning comes after Edinburgh University decided to charge £36,000 for a four-year degree for non-Scots UK students, while Heriot-Watt is going for £27,000 and Glasgow Caledonian £21,000.
Student association president Patrick O'Hare said St Andrews can afford not to implement the charges when the university court meets tomorrow to decide on fees for rest of UK students for 2012/13.
This week several other universities set their fees at various levels, with Aberdeen also introducing fees of £9,000, but for a maximum of three years.
Dundee, Abertay and St Andrews stated earlier this week they would reveal their position in line with the Scottish Government's timetable, before the end of the month.
UK's 'most expensive'
Mr O'Hare said: "With the high cost of accommodation in St Andrews, we risk becoming the most expensive university in the UK for rest-of-UK students — far more expensive than Oxford or Cambridge.
We believe this will drive students away, especially those from a lower income background.
"With RUK applications already down 18%, even though fees are lower in Scotland, a more than quadrupling of the fees could have dire consequences."
He added: "We understand that the university and the Scottish Government are acting within the climate created by the anti-student policies of the Tory-led government in Westminster.
"Nevertheless, we do not agree that the buck and the financial burden should now be passed onto a future generation of RUK students.
"St Andrews should not merely follow expectations, but should become a progressive leader in the Scottish higher education sector by putting fairness and its students first."
No 'financial disaster'
Mr O'Hare said: "Make no mistake about it, avoiding £9,000-a-year fees would not spell financial disaster for this university, and indeed we would reap considerable reputational benefits.
"Whatever the decision made, we must couple fees with a considerable bursary, fee-waiver and scholarship package"
A UCU spokesman said: "The UCU opposes the increase in fees for RUK students in Scotland.
"Fees of £9,000 a year will discourage talented RUK students from less economically privileged backgrounds from applying to St Andrews."
09.55am - 08.09.2011 John Jones - Cupar, Scotland Report This
But Mr O'Hare and his union cronies also criticise the archaic library facilities, large classes and inadequate IT systems, while UCU demands much higher salaries. So: how much extra income tax should Scots pay to ensure "free" but "world-class" university education?
08.28pm - 09.09.2011 John Jones - Cupar, Scotland Report This
It's interesting that Mr O'Hare states confidently that "avoiding £9,000-a-year fees would not spell financial disaster for this university" when St Andrews itself says it spends around £11,000 per year educating each student. Clearly he isn't reading mathematics or economics.
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