New fees anger students

Shaun Hennessy, along with fellow students, is unhappy with the fees Wintec students studying at the Rotokauri campus will have to pay for parking.

Students are up in arms over the new Wintec Rotokauri campus parking costs, with many facing upwards of $300 per year to cover the fees.

The Waikato Institute of Technology (Wintec) Rotokauri campus is relocating the carpark to the opposite side of the campus. The current student carpark has been sold along with a section of land, however Wintec said the plan was always to relocate the carpark, regardless of the land sale.

Civil engineering student Shaun Hennessy said the announcement was pitched as a positive to students, with new camera surveillance, directional LED signs showing availability and better campus access, but Mr Hennessy said students would be happy with something much simpler if it was cheaper.

He said the additional cost of 50c per hour, or $4 per day, meant it could work out cheaper to move to a training facility where parking was free.

He said there were limited public transport options with a bus costing around $3 one way and which stopped a considerable distance from the campus.

Originally students were provided with an information flyer quoting a cost of $4.50 per day, however that has now been corrected to $4 per day. He said teachers would also be charged for parking. Parking at the Wintec city campus is charged at the same rate.

Wintec said the reason for the change is due to "reprioritisation of funding". They said parking is heavily subsidised and the revenue raised from staff and students paying for their use does not cover the costs of providing it. The current carpark is not charged for due to the poor standard of car park facilities and services.

"These amounts may not seem massive but they are considering our campus is right on the edge of Hamilton surrounded by farms and yet they are going to charge us the same amount for parking that you pay in the center of Hamilton," said Mr Hennessy.

"Public transport is rather limited and for an unknown reason Wintec students are not given any subsidies on the bus although the university students do. The expense is high on students. Also there is no stop at Wintec's Rotokauri campus so students have to walk to get a bus."

At present, Waikato Regional Council who operates the bus services has no plans to increase the frequency of buses or create additional bus routes. Wintec are currently trying to improve the situation by continuing to talk to the Waikato Regional Council, and encouraging students and staff to contact the Council themselves.

"I know this may not seem like a major deal but it is to the students and staff with some having to pay up to an extra $20 every week for something that most institutions in New Zealand offer for free, especially campuses like ours where land is not at a minimum."

A petition started by students has received more than 700 signatures in a week. Many students who've signed the petition commented on the struggle they may face with the parking fee.

"Being a student we are already studying full time, leaving limited time for working and paying our course. There is also no other parking close - practically obliged to pay here for parking," one said.

"I don't believe you should charge students who are already on a large student loan, who are often living week to week," said another.

Fees for many Wintec degree courses cost around $6000 and the Rotokauri campus hosts many courses which require 4-5 day a week attendance.

Mr Hennessy said there was no discussion with students over the parking costs.

"We got an email earlier in the year which said it would be $4.50 a day or 50c per hour, but most of us are going to be there all day. It's just been decided. There aren't really any other options.

"We were just going to take the cost, if it was a small one like 50c per day, but $4 seems steep, especially when places like the university are free."