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Introduction of a Student Amenities Fee at Macquarie University in 2012

Dear Macquarie student 

The Australian Government recently passed legislation allowing universities to charge a compulsory Student Amenities Fee from 2012 onwards to support a range of student services such as sporting clubs, accommodation and employment advice, and health and welfare. Students will be able to defer payment of the fee through the SA-HELP system until they are earning a decent income, similar to HECS-HELP. 

I am writing to you to let you know about Macquarie's plans in relation to the fee, but also to give you some background about the history of student services here at Macquarie, as our circumstances are different from many other Australian universities. 

Prior to 2006, students at Australian universities were required to become a member of their student union automatically upon enrolment, after which a fee for student services or amenities was charged. This fee was typically collected by the university, which usually took a portion in collection fees and passed the rest to the student union, who distributed the money according to their own rules. 

On 9 December 2005, the Higher Education Support Amendment (Abolition of Compulsory Up-front Student Union Fees) Bill 2005 was passed in the Senate, removing compulsory student fees from 1 July 2006 onwards. 

At the same time, here at Macquarie, the student union (known as Students at Macquarie, or 'SAM') had been suffering from years of alleged electoral fraud and financial mismanagement, leading to the organisation being wound up by a liquidator in 2007.

Faced with these two threats to important student services on campus, Macquarie University resolved to provide these services itself, even though it was no longer collecting money from students to pay for them. Since then, Macquarie has been committing around $20 million annually to subsidise vital student support services, such as counselling and health, sport and recreation, student groups and entertainment. 

At many other universities these student services were greatly reduced or cancelled. Now that a bill has been passed to reintroduce a Student Amenities Fee (though not to be used for political purposes) these universities and their student unions are talking about once again being able to offer some of the services that we at Macquarie never lost. 

We have decided to introduce the fee from the beginning of 2012 also, however the money it raises will still be less than a third of what we will spend on student services next year. The fee will be charged in the following way:

  • Australian undergraduate and postgraduate students at the North Ryde campus will be charged the fee. Full-time students will incur the full amount of $263 per annum whilst part-timers will be charged $140. 
  • International students and MGSM students will not be charged a fee until 2013, as they agreed to their 2012 fees before the new legislation was introduced. From 2013 their fees will follow the full-time/part-time rules described above. 
  • Distance, COE, ICMS, City Campus and external students will not be charged a fee at all, as they do not have access to the full range of services provided at the main campus. 
  • PhD students' fees will simply be incorporated into their scholarship. 

MUSRA Convenor Gemma Brooks, asked to include the following in this announcement. 

"While it would be forgivable for students to look upon the fee as a burden, it is better to consider this as an opportunity to take a more active role in the way funds are spent at Macquarie.

"Students can now in a tangible way demonstrate a connection between their money and the finances that the University spends on services, and therefore it is our right and responsibility to extend our existing involvement in the distribution process and ensure we are happy with the outcome." 

I look forward to ongoing discussion with students at the University, and their representatives, on the range and quality of student services available at Macquarie.

Regards
Deidre Anderson 
Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Students and Registrar) 
Macquarie University