28 September 1994 Restrained Rise in Lincoln Fees for 1995

Tuition fees at Lincoln for 1995 will rise by 6.8 percent for New Zealand students, with the University absorbing the impact of revenue falls and cost rises that could have added another 3 percent to the figure.

The increase, described as "restrained" by Registrar Allan Sargison, sees Lincoln's fees for a year 's fulltime study starting at $1384 (up from $1296) and ranging through to $2392 (up from $2240).

In setting the fees for 1995 Lincoln University Council took into account additional costs and revenue reductions. In particular these included the Government's recently announced 1.09 percent cut in tertiary funding levels.

"The 1.09 percent reduction might not sound significant," says Mr Sargison, "but it has to be understood in the context of the Government providing more than 80 percent of tuition costs. A reduction of this level increases the gap between the full cost and the Government's contribution by about 7 percent.

"Furthermore, the gap becomes even worse - rising to more than 10 percent - in the case of those degrees with greater inbuilt costs such as science and agriculture."

Mr Sargison said that the University Council was reluctant to pass on to students, who were already struggling, the full increase which could, theoretically, have been justified.

"Council members appreciate that students are already suffering financially from high levels of debt, significant fee increases in recent years, and reductions in the student allowances scheme."

Mr Sargison pointed out that for some time the Government had been progressively reducing the funding for students while at the same time passing on to institutions more and more of the costs of running the whole educational operation.

"For example, there have been funding drops in 1993, 1994 and 1995. This, plus the phasing in of the Study Right policy over the same period, means that the Government has reduced its contribution to the full cost of teaching from close to 95 percent in 1991 to an estimated 80-85 percent for 1995."

In response to this, Lincoln University has made significant productivity gains over the past four years.

Lincoln's fees are spread over three bands, based on the degree or diploma being studied. The Bachelor of Commerce and Management and most of the specialist B.Com. degrees are in Band A at $1384, the Bachelor of Resource Studies, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management, the first two years of the Agricultural and Horticultural science degrees and the undergraduate diplomas are in Band B, now $2016 (up from $1888), and the Bachelor of Landscape Architecture, third and fourth years of the Agricultural and Horticultural Science degrees, and most of the postgraduate qualifications are in Band C at $2392.

Ian Collins, Journalist, Lincoln University, Canterbury, New Zealand.