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10 NOVEMBER 2014, WEEK 8
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Still no hope for East Slope Page X
University are yet to receive any construction bids for the redevelopment of East Slope
The preferred bidder is due to be announced in December
The tender process for potential bidders has been open since October 2013 Jack Williams News Editor No construction bids have been submitted to the University of Sussex to take on the University’s long standing plan to redevelop the East Slope accommodation, despite the tender process lasting for over a year. The Badger discovered that the University currently have no contractors lined up to redevelop East Slope following a freedom of information request by the newspaper asking for a copy of each construction bid sheet tendered to the University. When contacted, the University confirmed that no bids have been received and that the tendering process will still remain open. The University have been advertising their project entitled ‘Development of student accommodation at East Slope and expansion of the Uni-
versity campus’ to prospective construction companies on the Tenders Direct website since October 2013. At a meeting of the University Council in September, it was reported that a preferred bidder for the redevelopment of East Slope would be identified by the University management in December of this year, meaning that the project faces being delayed if they still have no bids forthcoming within a month. A University Spokesperson reiterated that are still keeping the tender process open but that they could not disclose any “commercially sensitive” details during the process. The University of Sussex announced last year that it plans to demolish East Slope, the campus’ oldest accommodation, in 2016 as part of its ‘masterplan’. The construction of the rebuilt East Slope accomodation is forecast to be completed in 2018.
Sophie Jones
University of Sussex
Shortfall in international fees at Sussex Vicky Farley Comment Editor
International student fees have been revealed to have made up £4.8million less in the University’s 2013-14 budget than was originally forecasted, a shortfall possibly linked to the recent price rise announced in international student fees. The figure was revealed in a report made to the Finance and Investments Committee last year but only just released into the public domain. The document stated that while international student tuitions fees were expected to reach £43.6million in the 2013-14 academic year, they eventually
came to a smaller £38.8million. The sum of £4.8million corresponds to roughly 800 full time students, as quoted in the report. Despite underestimating the figure, the University also released a report of this year’s estimated budget, predicting international student fees to reach £42.6million in the present academic year, only marginally less than last year’s unfulfilled prediction. The news comes shortly after international students of the University called management into account for plans to raise tuition fees for non-EU students by £750 from the previous sum of around £13,000. In a letter addressed to the academic
community, the students stated: ‘We as international students already pay a huge amount of fees to study at Sussex. An increase of £750 for a year is a 5% jump in fees and well over inflation. It is a sum of money that most of us can’t afford to spend.” If the University does indeed go through with the £750 price rise, a quota of only 6311 international students would be needed to reach £42.6million, roughly 150 less than it took to reach £38.8million last year. Speaking to The Badger, International Relations postgraduate student Beatrice Chateauvert-Gagnon said she believed that the fee hike was indeed connected to the shortfall in international stu-
dents attending, and that in her view Sussex needed to improve in its treatment of international students. Ms. Chateauvert-Gagnon also admitted she would be reluctant to recommend the university to her colleagues in Canada, saying: “Here at Sussex, the lack of communication such as the absence of notification towards that hike is perceived by many of us like a lack of consideration and respect, like we don’t even deserve an email before we are asked to contribute even more financially to an institution that gives us very little recognition in return.” The University website states that “All fees are liable to review and change without notice and to increase each year
over the duration of your course” on the subject of overseas student fees. A University spokesperson commented: ““We have no evidence that tuition fees are the reason for the shortfall against budget - our fees remain extremely competitive compared to other quality higher education institutions. “Challenges to any increase in the number of international students at Sussex include the UK government’s policy on visas, but we have more international students than ever and are expecting the numbers to grow.” Despite the loss in student tuition fees, the University made £13.7million in surplus, £1.7million more than was approved by the Council in June 2013.