Students must now pay to attend their own conferrings. Eh...what?

deisedude · 01-04-2010 06:21PM

D-Generate wrote: »

Well he is not too far off the point. The quality of the lectures I have been to in the US and in the UK have been streets ahead of the quality of lectures I received in my own department in UCC. That coupled with the ridiculous grade inflation devalued the quality of a university education.

I'm studying in the US now and the standards for a lot of classes are nothing short of a joke. They are handing out A's. I had an open book final exam in one class. In another class you got extra credit for bringing cans into class for the homeless. If thats not obvious grade inflation then i don't know what is

daniel.ocarroll · 01-04-2010 07:06PM

Hi guys,

The Cork Student News has set up a Facebook group to join if you oppose the fee:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Abolish-the-UCC-Conferring-Fee/105497372820124?ref=ts

Also, the online petition is here (please sign if you don't like the fee)

http://www.petitiononline.com/csn1234/petition.html

Eliot Rosewater · 01-04-2010 07:39PM

Eliot Rosewater · 01-04-2010 07:46PM

PaulieC wrote: »

Put it this way I'm skint for the last 2months

And??? No one forced you to do a third level degree. Everyone going into college knows it going to be tough financially, what with the "cheap student" cliche and all. Do think you have some right to demand that you go through life with the Government paying for everything you want?

Mario007 · 01-04-2010 08:54PM

Am lads, 65 euro is pretty much 2 nights out for a college student...wow how disgraceful that college would ask you to cut two nights out in your final year to save for this?

Mind you I'm not endorsing the idea, but for such a small charge you're making a lot of fuss.

Pi^2 · 01-04-2010 09:44PM

Dead right Mario007.

Why is it that people think everything to do with college must be free?

The college should start charging money for a lot more things and that will sort the wheat from the chaff in terms of who wants a good education and who wants to have a laugh.

Free third level education was a great idea for a while when it was regarded as a privilege. Now that people think it is a right its a joke.

And while I'm on my little rant... who the hell thought it would be a good idea for a pub, let alone 2 pubs, on campus??? What a farce.

D'Agger · 01-04-2010 11:27PM

Eliot Rosewater wrote: »

And??? No one forced you to do a third level degree. Everyone going into college knows it going to be tough financially, what with the "cheap student" cliche and all. Do think you have some right to demand that you go through life with the Government paying for everything you want?

Nobody forced me to do a 3rd level degree - no. I want one because I want a job in the IT sector with most of the jobs I've been applying for requiring one - ergo I need one.

How did you actually comprehend my post - I don't expect anything from the government - I especially don't expect them to pay for 'everything I want' - I genuinely wasn't trying to make this about me - I'm just relating to the fee from my own personal point of view

What I'm simply saying is I've gone through the same system every other graduate has, I've paid my dues, worked hard just like everyone else - and it's a royal slap across the face to be told 'oh wait you've to pay to get handed the degree you've rightfully earned' - do you not see where I'm coming from like - and yes, I understand the whole UCC is riddled with debt argument and nobody wants to pay for it but it's going to leave me with a bad taste in my mouth if it's UCCs graduating students who're going to end up paying such a retarded fee - why not charge for Autumn exams - I've had to do them and to be honest if I'd to pay for them I'd have accepted it.

Eliot Rosewater · 01-04-2010 11:42PM

PaulieC wrote: »

worked hard just like everyone else

I dont see how you working hard and studying covers the costs of going to a University.

legal eagle 1 · 01-04-2010 11:45PM

I paid seven thousand in fees this year......i think that should entitle me to graduate without forking out an additional 65 euro!!

D'Agger · 01-04-2010 11:54PM

Eliot Rosewater wrote: »

I dont see how you working hard and studying covers the costs of going to a University.

Be sure not to take my whole post into consideration, rather take out a snipet and pose a generic question.

I mean honestly - where did I say studing hard covers the costs of going to a Uni. Do you not get my point that at the end of the day - after all the hard work.

PAYING-TO-GET-HANDED-YOUR-DEGREE-IS-A-BIT-RIDICULOUS

I've no problem with fees that're necessary such as printing to stop waste and abuse of the facilities made available to us - this fee is unwarranted. It's simply how I feel about it.

D'Agger · 01-04-2010 11:55PM

legal eagle 1 wrote: »

I paid seven thousand in fees this year......i think that should entitle me to graduate without forking out an additional 65 euro!!

If you don't want to divulge personal information that's fine but dya mind me asking how it's costing you 7k??

x in the city · 02-04-2010 12:01AM

PaulieC wrote: »

Be sure not to take my whole post into consideration, rather take out a snipet and pose a generic question.

I mean honestly - where did I say studing hard covers the costs of going to a Uni. Do you not get my point that at the end of the day - after all the hard work.

PAYING-TO-GET-HANDED-YOUR-DEGREE-IS-A-BIT-RIDICULOUS

I've no problem with fees that're necessary such as printing to stop waste and abuse of the facilities made available to us - this fee is unwarranted. It's simply how I feel about it.

]

get it posted...

if your very lucky UCC might cover postage.

and no one is telling anyone attend conferring,

D'Agger · 02-04-2010 12:05AM

x in the city wrote: »

]

get it posted...

if your very lucky UCC might cover postage.

and no one is telling anyone attend conferring,

I'm seriously considering it except I know my parents will want to see their little boy getting his degree - fúckin parents!!

quietsailor · 02-04-2010 01:00AM

PaulieC wrote: »

If you don't want to divulge personal information that's fine but dya mind me asking how it's costing you 7k??

More than likely they are a (mature) student who already attended college. Mind you if they worked they your not entitled to a BEA and because they went to college already they're not entitled to the grant. --- 7K is only the start, add in accom etc and it gets damn expensive per year. I can see myself taking out a loan soon to pay for the rest of my degree - ala the American system. We're heading that way

x in the city · 02-04-2010 01:59AM

PaulieC wrote: »

I'm seriously considering it except I know my parents will want to see their little boy getting his degree - fúckin parents!!

well if it was me I would give them 2 fingers.. (ucc, not your rents..:D).

everyone should just boycott it and organise their own

'grad day'... just need a spacious room, a photo dude (plenty of talent on boards), and a nice sexy sheet for them photo backdrops.

and a outfit of course...

if students are so inclined im sure a life size cut out of various academics could be organised to 'hand over' your hard earned parchment...

:);)

Eliot Rosewater · 02-04-2010 11:01AM

PaulieC wrote: »

I mean honestly - where did I say studing hard covers the costs of going to a Uni.

The argument of your last few posts has been that is is unfair for you to be charged any more money for your degree because your short on money at the moment and because you've put in a lot of work into the degree.

PaulieC wrote: »

my already expensive "world class" degree

Eliot Rosewater wrote: »

How much did you pay for it?

PaulieC wrote: »

Put it this way I'm skint for the last 2months ... I wasn't just referring to the monetary cost ... [for] me to bust my ass for the last few years and then be asked to pay so I can walk on stage and take a degree I've rightfully earned from Mr. Murphy galls me.

My reading of this is that you oppose more fees because you feel you've already paid enough by studying and living without alternative finance. That is, you feel you've paid enough for it even though actually haven't paid for most of it. Unfortunately the staff and suppliers of UCC don't except a slip of paper saying "this student did x amount of study" as payment for their services.

Educating you has cost UCC money - money that the student body is rather selfishly determined not to pay, even if it negatively impacts upon their degree.

D'Agger · 02-04-2010 12:46PM

Eliot Rosewater wrote: »

The argument of your last few posts has been that is is unfair for you to be charged any more money for your degree because your short on money at the moment and because you've put in a lot of work into the degree.

Not to be charged any more - Fair enough I said my degree was expensive but I've also argued that I'd have no problem being charged for taking resits, its not that I don't want to pay any more for the degree - If I had to I would, I simply don't want to spend it on this fee because to me its an insult to ask a graduating student to do so.

My reading of this is that you oppose more fees because you feel you've already paid enough by studying and living without alternative finance. That is, you feel you've paid enough for it even though actually haven't paid for most of it. Unfortunately the staff and suppliers of UCC don't except a slip of paper saying "this student did x amount of study" as payment for their services.

Again, I oppose this fee only - I genuinely think that there are better ways of making the money...again I'm going to use the charging for resits example...charge students who have attendance less than the required percentage etc.

Educating you has cost UCC money - money that the student body is rather selfishly determined not to pay, even if it negatively impacts upon their degree.

I'm well aware that it has cost UCC money, I'm not asking for everything to be made free to me as you accused me of a few posts ago - far from the case. Yeah I've had to save etc. but if more fees were introduced I'd get a loan, get another job - I'd manage. Just understand that the driving force behind my posts isn't "Fees are bad. No fees ever" - Rather, this fee is completely avoidable and at the end of the day I don't think I should have to pay to be handed my degree.

I feel if we're to pay UCC it's to educate us and I'm fine with that. Don't make us pay for something we've earned.

rebel girl 15 · 02-04-2010 01:24PM

quietsailor wrote: »

More than likely they are a (mature) student who already attended college. Mind you if they worked they your not entitled to a BEA and because they went to college already they're not entitled to the grant. --- 7K is only the start, add in accom etc and it gets damn expensive per year. I can see myself taking out a loan soon to pay for the rest of my degree - ala the American system. We're heading that way

It starts at 7K for some courses, I know the mature students in my course are paying around the 9K mark before accommodation etc

IMO the fee is ridiculous considering the amount that students already pay to the college, and it was very sneakily done, same as the printing fees that came in last year. I don't mind paying the registration fee and other charges that we have (we are required to do outside courses at our own expense, at least two level 1 coaching courses for our degree), but to add more to an already expensive day is ridiculous. There is no justification in the email, just says that UCC will introduce the fee, no reason why.

Eliot Rosewater · 02-04-2010 01:56PM

PaulieC wrote: »

I feel if we're to pay UCC it's to educate us and I'm fine with that. Don't make us pay for something we've earned.

Apologies for mis-judging your posts.

I do agree with you. I think the having a graduation fee is undesirable, and that the alternatives you suggest are much better. Having a large fee for repeats would certainly put the pressure on for people to actually do some work.

But I'm willing to accept the graduation fee. I've no interest in seeing the college's debt continue to the point where the quality of our degrees starts heading southwards.

rebel girl 15 wrote: »

IMO the fee is ridiculous considering the amount that students already pay to the college

Like what? Most students' tuition fees are paid for by the State.

rebel girl 15 wrote: »

There is no justification in the email, just says that UCC will introduce the fee, no reason why.

I think its pretty obvious that the college is severely in debt and needs to open new revenue streams.

Manach · 02-04-2010 01:59PM

In rebuttal to the poster "Eliot Rosewater", I'm also a mature fee-paying, tax-payer. This is UCC admin. attempting to alter a special day that should be one of celebration for years of hard work to that of a ham-fisted attempt to gather money.

rebel girl 15 · 02-04-2010 02:54PM

Eliot Rosewater wrote: »

Like what? Most students' tuition fees are paid for by the State.

I think its pretty obvious that the college is severely in debt and needs to open new revenue streams.

You still have to pay the €1650 for registration, tuition fees are paid, but what about accommodation etc,

I want to know exactly what that €65 is for - a breakdown of it, then I may accept it, until then I won't. People will blindly hand over the money without knowing what it is for. How come it could be paid up until now? Its not like the college went into debt 2 days ago. They are already using their own robemaker and photographer, a monopoly there already and no doubt the college getting a decent cut for creating the monopoly

I wouldn't trust Murphy as far as I could throw him at the moment tbh. As far as I can see from the cost cutting report published 1/12/08, there was no mention of charges for graduation. It does mentioned the following

An immediate ban on the provision of refreshments at University Departmental /College public events such as public lectures, book launches and the like (but excluding private retirement functions at which guest contributions are used to subsidise the cost of the event), unless signed off by the UMT budget holder and within prescribed limits set by the Bursar.

Does that cover graduations and to cover the cost they have to charge students?? I don't think so as this said it was immediate, back in Dec 08.

Manache wrote:

This is UCC admin. attempting to alter a special day that should be one of celebration for years of hard work to that of a ham-fisted attempt to gather money.

Absolutely true imo

x in the city · 02-04-2010 03:19PM

next year we will be paying to take a dump the way things are going

D'Agger · 02-04-2010 03:37PM

x in the city wrote: »

next year we will be paying to take a dump the way things are going

BYOTP

MisterCadbury · 02-04-2010 04:37PM

It is an absolute disgrace.
And to be honest all the people saying well education costs money and what not clearly don't pay a registration fee at the start of the year . And if they do and are making statements like that then they clearly are of a lot sounder financial means than the majority of the student body. Cos I don't know bout you lads, but 65e is a lot of money to have to pay for something that you have already put so many hours of hard work into achieving.

The very fact this has been introduced on the back of revelations about the presidents expense claims disgusts me. I genuinely do not understand why we all have to pay 65e to graduate so he can bring his wife with him on business trips and say in posh hotels. F'ing disgusting...

Eliot Rosewater · 02-04-2010 04:51PM

MisterCadbury wrote: »

And to be honest all the people saying well education costs money and what not clearly don't pay a registration fee at the start of the year

Oh come on, do you honestly think €1650 covers the cost of your education?

Why do people feel they should get a huge chunk of college fees paid for free?

MisterCadbury wrote: »

And if they do and are making statements like that then they clearly are of a lot sounder financial means than the majority of the student body.

I've had this one thrown at me lots of times. As it stands I get no financial assistance from the State whatsoever, besides the tuition fees they pay for me. My family is up **** creek with money, a creek thats only going to get narrower when my father (the only worker) retires in July. I've been out about 5 times since the new year due to a lack of cash.

If tuition fees were introduced I would have to take out a bank loan to cover them.

However I'm not going to support abusing the Government to get others to pay for things I want in life.

MisterCadbury · 02-04-2010 05:06PM

Oh come on, do you honestly think €1650 covers the cost of your education?

Why do people feel they should get a huge chunk of college fees paid for free?

Unless I am misinformed its the college that has introduced the fee for graduating not the government. I have no problem with the government its the appalling running of UCC over the last 2 years that I have the problem with. We shouldn't get a large chunk of our fee's paid by the government but we do. Thats how people who are less well off are afforded the opportunity to go to college. It hos Ireland knowledge based economy was built. If fees are reintroduced it will basically cut the legs from underneath the Irish economy.

I've had this one thrown at me lots of times. As it stands I get no financial assistance from the State whatsoever, besides the tuition fees they pay for me. My family is up **** creek with money, a creek thats only going to get narrower when my father (the only worker) retires in July. I've been out about 5 times since the new year due to a lack of cash.

If tuition fees were introduced I would have to take out a bank loan to cover them.

I didn't for ask for your family history but you did highlight one important point and that is your parents paid your fees for you. What if they couldn't? You would get a loan is it? That idiotic attitude of yours vexes me. If you had any idea how hard it is for a person with a guaranteed wage to get a loan then you'd that quite frankly my dear you don't stand a chance. And what do you propose you do them? You can't pay your fees and you can't get a loan? Will you ask the president of UCC not to take his wife on his next trip so you can use that money for your fees? Ha I'd love to see the response you'd get.

Its pathetic to think someone is actually arguing against opposition to the fee.

Esse85 · 02-04-2010 05:13PM

Im doing a 2 year Masters, my fees cost €4,800 in year 1 and another €4,800 in year 2. In year 2 ill just be doing my thesis, we wont have any classes at all, i dunno how the college can demand this 2nd year of fees.

My accommodation costs at least €5000 a year (12 months). I dont get any grants at all, I never have done. Im not entitled to them. I had to give up weekend work back in February as the workload in my course requires me to.

Im gonna have to continue paying rent and supporting myself this summer while I work unpaid placement for 3/4 months.

So for anyone to say education is free, your having a serious bloody laugh, and to now add this €65 and not give legitimate reasons is an insult.

Eliot Rosewater · 02-04-2010 05:19PM

MisterCadbury wrote: »

I didn't for ask for your family history but you did highlight one important point and that is your parents paid your fees for you. What if they couldn't?

Then the government would pay, as they do now. The government pays the registration fees for those in difficult circumstances. The free fees system only helps the middle-classes, although they like to say they're standing up for the ppor off because it makes their cause look nobler.

MisterCadbury wrote: »

If you had any idea how hard it is for a person with a guaranteed wage to get a loan then you'd that quite frankly my dear you don't stand a chance

If a demand for student loans grew a supply would emerge. How do you think these things operate in other counties?

MisterCadbury wrote: »

Its pathetic to think someone is actually arguing against opposition to the fee.

Whats the alternative to this fee? How is UCC going to get the funding it needs?

Esse85 wrote: »

i dunno how the college can demand this 2nd year of fees.

No one forced you to do your masters. If you've a problem with the fee regime in UCC don't go.

ballsymchugh · 02-04-2010 05:22PM

i wonder what'll happen to all the honorary degrees??
imagine if dodgy gerry wrixon was asking roy for €65 back in 2002..
he'd never have made it to saipan in the first place!

MisterCadbury · 02-04-2010 05:26PM

Seriously elliot go home. Your behaving like you are the president of UCC . You have no right to tell someone they shouldn't do a masters. I love the way your attempting to pick apart my posts in a childlike manner while failing to answer any of the questions I put to you (i.e what you would do if you don't get a loan, which you won't, or any of my points about the presidents personal expenses). That comment about the banks increasing supply to meet demand is idiotic. Its not a farm , you can't grow money because theres more demand for it. Obviously they will only give high interest loans to people with a chance of paying them back.

Students must now pay to attend their own conferrings. Eh...what?

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