Ronan Costello
Editor
This week, Trinity students will get the chance to vote in a fees preferendum.
Students will be asked how they would like to see taught third level education to be funded, given a list of six options which they must rank in order of preference.
The list of options are a graduate tax, one hundred percent exchequer funded, one hundred percent upfront fees, student contribution, student loan scheme or none of the above.
The result of the preferendum will then bind the vote of the TCDSU block that will attend USI Congress in early April, at which USI is to create its new policy on fees.
USI’s current policy is that the Exchequer (i.e. the taxpayer) should bear the entire cost of tuition fees for Irish/EU students through progressive taxation. This policy has been reaffirmed by votes at USI Congress on a number of occasions, most recently in 2009.
USI say that the decision to revise the fees policy came as a result of the Minister’s commitment to increase the student contribution charge to €3,000 by 2015.
USI Congress happens once a year and all major policy decisions are made at it. Elections for USI’s officer board are also held at Congress.
Trinity sends 18 delegates to this conference, correlating to the number of students in the college, who are elected by SU council. These delegates will be asked to vote on behalf of Trinity Students as to what USI’s position on fees should be.
Traditionally, the other constituent organisations in USI take a more liberal stance on the fee issue than Trinity. If this bears itself out again and Trinity students opt for a more moderate funding option, then Trinity’s preferred option may not be the one that becomes policy.
SU President Ryan Bartlett said that the preferendum was an opportunity for students to have their voice heard on a hugely important issue on which there hasn’t been a general vote in years.
For more information on the options, click here for the SU’s information booklet on the preferendum.
Voting will take place in the Arts Block and Hamilton today until 8pm and Thursday 1pm-4pm.
Also on Thursday lunchtime from 1pm in D’Oiler Street.
