Shane De Rís | Contributing Writer
Nelson Mandela once said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which can be used to change the world”. In Trinity we are all aware of alumni who have impacted greatly on the shaping of society or contributed to the furthering of scientific learnings, names such as Bram Stoker and Mary Robinson may ring such a bell. Many of these are from a time when Trinity was a place for the elite, others from a more recent era when access to education was viewed as a right and not a privilege. We are lucky to be in a position to access such an education, but many of us might not be in such a position for much longer.
The College’s proposed implementation of levies on students, which include €20 for a replacement student card, €250 for supplemental exams and an increased commencement fee of €135, could act as the barrier which prevents students from accessing the precious gift of education.
We are lucky to be in a position to access such an education, but many of us might not be in such a position for much longer.
We need to vote YES to oppose these charges and stand up for our right to access the education we are entitled to.
The College’s attempt to sneak these charges in without prior consultation with student representatives is demeaning. Last year’s SU president was informed of the proposed charges the night before they were to go the College Board which would see them implemented if passed by said committee. The sabbatical team were successful in getting the charges deferred until this year, allowing time for consultation, but this incident showcases the College’s lack of respect and consideration for students.
If we stand idly by and allow the College to implement these charges without opposition from those it will affect the most, the students, a completely unacceptable precedent will be set. That is, that it is fair and just for Trinity to reach into the pockets of students and their families to fill a gap in their budget. If we let this go unopposed the College will see it as perfectly acceptable in the future to further financially burden students to fill whatever shortfall may arise in the future. We need to vote YES to ensure that students are valued and seen as more than just a financial stream.
Ireland has come a long way in opening up education and making it available for all, but unfortunately many still struggle to overcome the financial obstacles which stand in their way to achieving this. These charges will only create another barrier to the education that many so desperately yearn for and deserve. These levies could act as “the straw that broke the camel’s back” and be the reason a student is unable to progress through their degree. They target the most vulnerable members of our community. Students who sit supplemental exams are among those most at risk of dropping out. The €250 levy on such exams would prove only to worsen this. We need to vote YES to protect those most vulnerable in our community.
If we let this go unopposed the College will see it as perfectly acceptable in the future to further financially burden students to fill whatever shortfall may arise in the future.
In Trinity’s mission statement it says that the College is committed “to the enhancement of the learning experience of each of its students and to an inclusive College community with equality of access for all”. In the College’s own strategic plan it commits to increasing the number of students from non-traditional backgrounds. These charges show a clear divergence from these stated goals. The lack of means-testing or pre-defined waiver scheme is wholly unjust. We need to vote YES to ensure equity of access for all students, regardless of their background.
The lack of guarantee that the money raised will be put back into the funding of student services is intolerable. The money raised by these charges will go into Trinity’s central “financial pot”, the final destination of which is completely up to the College. They are at liberty to spend the money as they please. There is no insurance that it will go to improving services for students. We need to vote YES to oppose the transfer of funds from our back pockets into the College’s.
Education is a right, a right that these charges pose a threat to. We need to protect this right, and to do this we need to send a strong and clear message to the college. These charges could prevent the next Mary Robinson or the next Bram Stoker from accessing the ‘weapon’ that is education, thus preventing future and current students from achieving greatness. We need to vote YES to stand up for ourselves. We need to vote YES to safeguard our access to education.
