University of Guyana (UG) Vice-Chancellor Professor Ivelaw Griffith has committed to seek to reverse a recent decision to implement an annual 5% increase in tuition fees from the 2016/2017 academic year.
Students of the university were informed via email last Friday that they would be expected to pay an increase of 5% annually, effective for the 2016/2017 and 2017/2018 academic years, based on a decision by the university’s Finance and General Purposes Committee.
Students responded to this move by voicing their disapproval via social media and through protest action at the Turkeyen Campus yesterday.
Among the arguments raised by students was that the increase was approved and communicated in an arbitrary manner.
President of the UG Law Students Society Chevy Devonish told Stabroek New that to raise fees one month into the semester, after students had applied and registered for courses under a different fee structure, was “beyond unreasonable and in breach of administrative law and contract law principles.”
He along with others, including University of Guyana Students’ Society President Ron Glasgow, maintained that any intention to increase fees should have been communicated to students before the semester started. On this basis, they called for the decision to be reversed.
This position was supported by Professor Griffith. Speaking with the general student population at the George Walcott Lecture Theatre yesterday, Griffith told students that they had a reason to be angry.
“You have a right to be angry about that letter that came to you last week. I, as Vice Chancellor, owe you an apology and I give it to you now but you need more than my apology. The university did not do what we should’ve done, administratively,” he explained before committing to recommend to the Committee that the university no longer proceed with the five per cent increase this year.
Asked by one student what would happen if his recommendation were rejected, Griffith said that he had enough confidence in himself to know that his recommendation would be accepted.
The increase, if implemented, would raise the annual fee from $160,000 to $168,000 and the announcement came two years after the university increased both its tuition and facilities fees.
