Too many new students, AGAIN?!?

[Mr T needs work]

Does anyone else get the impression that once you're in this place, nobody gives a damn about you any more as long as you're paying your fees?

I've been hearing that the university has once again taken on far too many new students. Whether this is true or not, I wouldn't be surprised if they have.

If most of the current students who want to go back into halls don't get a place, and the university gets fined again for over crowding, who else is going to be as pissed off as I am?

[Darshybaby]

Yeh well some of us were in last week's SRC/SSC meeting and the principal admitted that they are aiming to get an extra 100 students each year, for the next four years! At the moment, the number is 6,400 approx he said (im sure its more like 6,500) and he wants at least 6,800!

The guy is completely mad - i cannot understand how ridiculous this is.

[ButlerLass]

the situation with admissions and the impact it has on accomodation and other services is maddening. it drives up the cost of living and makes it increasingly impossible to afford a basic student life in st. andrews. i'd go as far as to say that the administration is even guiltier than our loathsome estate agents. after all, the estate agents are primarily able to get away with raised rents as the university increseases property market value by over enrolling. and for as many people who get fucked off with st. andrews and want to leave/change things/all out RIOT there are thousands of eager and starry-eyed prospective first years gagging to fill our places. just like the estate agents don't have to offer value for money on accomodation because someone will *always* rent, the university also doesn't really have to give a crap about us because applications are so high. the money will keep rolling in. it's so disheartening.

[LeopardSkinQueen]

I was there too, and the urge to scream at the principal was strong.

I have to say, it is totally shocking. Whare are these people going to live?

Add to that the removal of cheap DRH accomodation and replacement with expensive ensuite, and only the rich will be able to come here.

[hr]NUTT: You'd be surprised how many women find my size intriguingly alluring.

MULDER: And you'd be surprised how many men do as well.

X-Files, "Humbug"

[harmless loony]

only the rich will be able to come here.




I think you've hit the nail on the head. Rich people = lots of money. You can just see the pound signs glinting in the admin/management/whatever people's eyes

[Al]

I don't think you can blame estate agents for charging high rents. Their role is to get the best possible return for their clients. I don't even think the high university rents have a knock on to private lets. The cause of high private lets is caused by the shortage of suitable property in St Andrews.

[hr]We are near waking when we dream we are dreaming.

[ButlerLass]

i think the university is to blame for the high cost of living both in halls and in the private sector - estate agents are able to demand more money for crap properties simply because the university has let in more students than there are beds for them to sleep in. the administration is enabling the situation with estate agents, the agents aren't doing this purely out of an independent desire to bleed students for money. what really gets me is that the university charges for rooms in halls at current market values for property - values THEY are responsible for raising due to enrolling too many students! so they're making even more money that way. like they give a crap if they're fined 100,000 pounds...they're way too far into the profit margin for that to matter in the slightest.

[ButlerLass]

Al - also on that note, their role IS to get the best possible return for their clients...BUT the higher the return, the higher their commissions. and again, it's mostly the excessive greed in the admissions office that allows those rates to continue escalating. tone down admissions = less demand for housing. less demand = lower prices. nice for students, bad for university moneymongers. like university was ever about the students....*sooooo FED UP!!*

[Darshybaby]

[s]Al wrote on 23:15, 27th Mar 2003:
I don't think you can blame estate agents for charging high rents. They're role is to get the best possible return for their clients. I don't even think the high university rents have a knock on to private lets. The cause of high private lets is caused by the shortage of suitable property in St Andrews.

[hr][i]We are near waking when we dream we are dreaming.
[/i]

You let more students in, more cannot get uni accommodation - so more have to rent privately - therefore, more shortage of private flats vs demand.

THEREFORE PRICES UP!

Ok, fair enough, the private prices went up because the tabloids starting buying up private property in the town, so that journos had places to snoop from but as explained above, the university by accepting more people, is not doing anyone any favours. It is beyond retardness on the part of Brian Lang. As leapordskinqueen did, i also wanted to scream at him - but resisted. He seemed so smug.

Another thing that annoys me is the number of JYAs, who do one semester of popular subjects like IR and therefore, the depts cannot let fulltime students in!

Also, i know for a fact that many halls reserve rooms specifically for our visiting friends! It is so wrong, they seem to get preference over us, just because they pay more.

We should really make a fuss to Lang before this gets too far.

[ButlerLass]

darshan - we should definitely make a fuss to lang. it's all well and good to air out our thoughts here on the message board but if enough people feel this way (and it's my distinct impression that they do) we should do something more than just vent about it.

[Darshybaby]

[s]ButlerLass wrote on 23:31, 27th Mar 2003:
darshan - we should definitely make a fuss to lang. it's all well and good to air out our thoughts here on the message board but if enough people feel this way (and it's my distinct impression that they do) we should do something more than just vent about it.


LETS SORT THIS BY ACTUALLY TAKING THIS TO THE RECTOR.

its the highest point we can take it, without reaching Lang himself. See, i do not think it is good strategy to go to Lang first, because we could be cut down to begin with but by going to the Rector first, we shall get more of a chance to sort this.

I completely agree that this is wrong and that airing it here is not going to help that much. So let us plan something.

[Mr T needs work]

I agree with ButlerLass on this one. I'm all for free markets and market prices, but the market price for accommodation in the private sector is high because of the shortage WHICH WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED HAD THE UNIVERSITY TAKEN ON A REALISTIC NUMBER OF NEW STUDENTS. This is clearly a knock-on effect from hall accommodation to the private sector.
I think the university has an obligation to house its current students comfortably and at a decent price. This means taking into account what will happen both in their halls and in the private sector.
SINCE THE UNIVERSITY HAS SUCH A DOMINANT PRESENCE IN THIS TOWN, DOESN'T IT REALISE THAT ITS ACTIONS INFLUENCE THE PRIVATE HOUSING SECTOR TOO?

[harmless loony]

I also think that you're likely to look a lot more credible if you have the support of the rector behind you. How about a well thought out campaign by the students union etc? We've just elected them - so they should attempt to do something that will benefit many students.

At this precise moment in time, if rents continue to rise as they are doing so I don't envisiage me being able to make it to 3rd yr! And i don't think either the economics or philosophy departments are so worth me getting into such severe debts for.

[Mr T needs work]

Yes, lets take this further.

[LeopardSkinQueen]

The new accomodation rep is meeting with the rector. Email her

[hr]NUTT: You'd be surprised how many women find my size intriguingly alluring.

MULDER: And you'd be surprised how many men do as well.

X-Files, "Humbug"

[harmless loony]

Sorry I'm back again (gawd you can tell I'm avoiding writing my stupid essays). Just a thought for Darshan - I'm not aware of how the debating society etc works, but surely a motion concerning the number of students being admitted to this university may attract a lot of attention and may cause the powers that be to take notice?

I mean the motion itself would have to be controversial (something to attract attention). But I can't think of anything right now (my brain isn't capable of functioning coherently at this precise moment in time.

What does everyone else think?

By the way I am so copywriting ths idea so you don't attempt to pass it off as your own!!!

[ButlerLass]

i believe the new accomodation officer (alyson?) has met with the rector either today or yesterday. i met with him myself yesterday to discuss issues pertaining to my former flat. he said he was meeting with a local authority to discuss taking action against estate agents due to the high level of complaints against them from students. i wonder what he'll do if a similar level of complaint is levied against the university admissions and accomodations departments. he won't be in st. andrews again until next month having just finished his visit, but he can be written to at clement.freud@virgin.net. he even posts his home phone number on his page in the saint. with new sabs recently elected i think now is also a good time to approach them with this issue - especially derek as a lot of his campaign was based on wanting to hear from the students on issues such as these. i think accomodation is probably one of the largest problems affecting the most students at the moment. can't think of a better issue for him to start with when he takes office.

[ButlerLass]

i was also thinking that a debate related to this topic might be in order. but don't worry, i won't infringe on anyone's copyright! i will definitely turn up to give support to the motion tho. someone should email david bean as well.

[harmless loony]

[s]ButlerLass wrote on 23:52, 27th Mar 2003:
i was also thinking that a debate related to this topic might be in order. but don't worry, i won't infringe on anyone's copyright! i will definitely turn up to give support to the motion tho. someone should email david bean as well.




ok I'll let you off then It's the only sensible idea I've had all night and it's not in anyway related to my essay! dammit!

[Darshybaby]

[s]harmless loony wrote on 23:48, 27th Mar 2003:
Sorry I'm back again (gawd you can tell I'm avoiding writing my stupid essays). Just a thought for Darshan - I'm not aware of how the debating society etc works, but surely a motion concerning the number of students being admitted to this university may attract a lot of attention and may cause the powers that be to take notice?

I mean the motion itself would have to be controversial (something to attract attention). But I can't think of anything right now (my brain isn't capable of functioning coherently at this precise moment in time.

What does everyone else think?

By the way I am so copywriting ths idea so you don't attempt to pass it off as your own!!!


That's a brilliant idea for a debate. The problem is that the debates calender is drawing to a close for the year (i just got bak from one, and am now trying to get my philosophy essay done!). We shall discuss this at the next board of Ten meeting.

thanks for the idea. I am determined to tackle Lang on this one.