The University of Guyana Students Society (UGSS) has called on the university’s administration to reduce the facilities fee, which was increased to $50,000 for the 2014/2015 academic year, while saying that there has continued to be poor management of the institution’s finances.
As it embarks on phase two of its “UG Revolu-tion” campaign, which was launched earlier this year for improved facilities and learning conditions, the UGSS has asked the University Council to reduce the fee to $30,000.
At the Annual Business Meeting (ABM) of the University’s Council last week Friday, UGSS President Joshua Griffith presented this demand on behalf of the student body.
Griffith additionally called for a refund of not less than $15,000 per student enrolled during the 2014/2015 academic year and for it to be made payable immediately.
There was no indication as to how this sum was arrived at, however the UGSS, in a statement, said the request was made as a result of several failures on the part of the UG administration.
It cited the absence of decisions by the Learning Resource Committee about the allocation of the Learning Resource Fee; the inability to appropriately allocate spending of this fee to the benefit of every student in an environment of consultation and inclusion; and the failure to fulfil all promised allocations of the facilities fee.
It also cited what it described as the prevailing deplorable conditions and facilities at the University of Guyana, the administration’s poor management of financial resources, the UGSS President‘s evaluation of the first year of the implementation of the new facilities fee and feedback from student consultations.
According to the UGSS statement, these observations and demands represent the “concrete opinion of the University of Guyana students,” which was determined by unanimous decisions at the Society’s General Meeting on October 6th, 2015 and via circulated petitions.
In a direct appeal to the Council, Griffith said the students do not seek handouts and do not subscribe to irrational and unreasonable approaches. Instead, he said, they ask to be treated fairly and respectfully as fellow academics who seek respect and academic justice.
In this vein, the UGSS called on the administration to resist the “uncalculated and inconsiderate” use of student fees for investments and advised instead that it address the unfinished facilities and deplorable conditions that plague both the Faculty of Health Sciences as well as the furniture and other infrastructural needs of the university, such as laboratories.
It also called for the placement of the Medical Students at the George-town Public Hospital and Cheddi Jagan Dental School to be addressed.
Other concerns of the students include inadequate security and the failure of the administration to grant 10 promised scholarships to deserving students.
On the latter point, the UGSS noted that a significant promise for the use of the facilities fee was that of 10 Scholarships annually for students who are poor but have excelled academically.
“Where are the 10 scholarships promised for academic year 2014/ 2015?” the UGSS asked.
While the UGSS has not indicated what action it will take if the university fails to respond, Griffith has noted ruled out a move to shut down the university once again.
