Commerce Degree To Cost More

Sydney Morning Herald

Monday June 18, 2007

Anna Patty Education Editor

THE University of Sydney is expected to be the first in Australia to charge students more than $1000 extra a year for government-subsidised economics and commerce degrees.

The university senate will tonight consider approving the increase just one business day after a bill was passed in Federal Parliament to reduce the government's annual contribution to accounting, administration, economics and commerce student places from $2703 to $1674, in line with that for law students.

The bill also removes the cap on full-fee paying student places, which had been limited to 35 per cent of the number of government-subsidised (HECS) places offered in most courses and 25 per cent in medicine.

The student union will stage a protest today against the proposed fee rise, saying it is unjustified after the university's record surplus of $190.6 million last year, $80 million more than the previous year and more than any other university.

The university senate agenda, a copy of which has been obtained by the Herald, recommends the student contribution for study in accountancy, administration, economics and commerce be increased to the maximum for units of study in law.

The president of the University of Sydney Students' Representative Council, Angus McFarland, said the increase would apply to about 3000 students from next January.

"We believe the university should not be transferring more of the financial burden onto students, particularly when it has just recorded a $190 million surplus," he said.

"The university should not be rushing this through within one business day of the changes happening through the Senate because the outcome of the federal election later in the year will no doubt affect the future of higher education funding."

The federal Minister for Education, Julie Bishop, said universities were able to align student contributions for economics and commerce courses with law degrees.

"Students in accounting, administration, economics and commerce degrees have the opportunity to earn considerable lifetime earnings as graduates from those courses, akin to law students," Ms Bishop said.

However, given that universities would be receiving an extra $557 million for specific courses including maths, science, engineering and psychology, they could take the opportunity to leave the student contribution loan scheme unchanged.

The government says it is not expecting a decline in the number of full-fee paying places as a result of its decision to fully fund university places that exceed enrolment limits by up to 5 per cent.

Ms Bishop has said universities will need to seek her approval to introduce courses filled entirely with full-fee paying student places. Universities are required by law to fill HECS places before they begin offering full-fee places.

The vice-chancellor of the University of Sydney, Gavin Brown, declined to comment on the fee increase before it was discussed by the university senate.

© 2007 Sydney Morning Herald

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