Aussie Students Protesting

[DBAHO]

I thought I should post this, because it also invovles myself. My commerce course has increased by 25% and it will leave students further in debt.

 

STUDENTS are planning major rallies around the country next week after storming campuses last night and staging sit-ins to demonstrate against increases in education fees.

 

Thousands of students will gather in state capitals and regional towns in what the National Union of Students has described as a "resurgence in student radicalism".

 

In Melbourne last night, students stormed a campus building at Monash university, causing $3000 in damage while staging a sit-in.

 

At the University of Queensland, about 400 students protested ahead of a council meeting which would agree an increase in HECS fees of 25 per cent. Similar sit-in protests are anticipated by student leaders after the rallies next week.

 

NUS education officer Paul Coates said: "The protests which have been seen on the campuses so far this year would indicate that the feeling is pretty strong among students. We haven't seen a rally of (this) size for almost a decade."

 

Mr Coates said attempts to convince university councils to back down from planned fee increases had so far been ineffective.

 

"What we're seeing is the resurgence of student radicalism," he said. "The Government has really overstepped the mark."

 

The rallies will start at university campuses in all the state and territory capitals next Wednesday, before students converge on central locations in every capital city for a mass demonstration in the afternoon.

 

There will also be demonstrations at regional centres, including Wollongong and Newcastle in New South Wales, Launceston in Tasmania, and Townsville and Cairns in Queensland.

 

Monash vice-chancellor Professor Richard Larkins said last night the university supported the students' right to protest peacefully, but did not accept damage to property or putting people at physical risk.

 

"But we don't accept situations where people are put physically at risk and damage is done to university property," he said.

 

A security guard was hurt when he was pushed over and his hand was trampled, and there was damage and graffiti inside the building, Prof Larkins said.

 

Blood, glass and files were strewn everywhere and a portrait of Sir John Monash had graffiti scrawled across it, he said.

 

Asked about the damage today, Mr Coates said: "It pales into insignificance by comparison to the councils' decisions to increase fees.

 

"Every time the councils increase the fees they inflict violence on the ideals of public education in this country."

[Soxy]

Oh you lovely, lovely countries. I remember a friend I had was studying in Germany and the students there went on Strike because they raised tuition to $75 a semester.

 

I feel bad for you Australians, and thank the Lord I am almost done with the gouging that is private education (although, my parents and I pay only $500 more to send me to a private school than my sister to a state school...).

 

Just out of curiosity--how much does a uni usually run over there?

[DBAHO]

Just out of curiosity--how much does a uni usually run over there?

My 3 year course has been increased from $21,000 over 3 years to $26,500. What's really annoyin is that a lot more full - fee paying students, e.g students who will pay about $12,000 to $15,000 a year to study are getting into the course they want even if they don't hav the neccessary requirements, that's what's really pissin off the students down here. With our HECS system down here, u can pay all of your 1st year courses, (bout $5000) off in the 1st year, or you can make a partial payment. But when you eventually get a job in the future, the money you 1st earn, will be used to pay off your HECS, which increase over time with the interest.

[southsider2k5]

My 3 year course has been increased from $21,000 over 3 years to $26,500. What's really annoyin is that a lot more full - fee paying students, e.g students who will pay about $12,000 to $15,000 a year to study are getting into the course they want even if they don't hav the neccessary requirements, that's what's really pissin off the students down here. With our HECS system down here, u can pay all of your 1st year courses, (bout $5000) off in the 1st year, or you can make a partial payment. But when you eventually get a job in the future, the money you 1st earn, will be used to pay off your HECS, which increase over time with the interest.

Footnote here from the man in the futures business. The Aussie dollar is worth about 75 US cents right now, and has been in the 65 US cent range for most of the last 10 years. So take about 2/3-3/4 of the total to equate that to US dollar.

[DBAHO]

Footnote here from the man in the futures business.  The Aussie dollar is worth about 75 US cents right now, and has been in the 65 US cent range for most of the last 10 years.  So take about 2/3-3/4 of the total to equate that to US dollar.

I think only bout a month or 2 ago is was almost 80 cents, best for sum time.