UWI St. Augustine Campus seeking increase in tuition fees

University of the West Indies students in Trinidad and Tobago may soon be faced with higher tuition fees.

Pro Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the St. Augustine campus Professor Brian Copeland today confirmed that the tertiary institution is seeking increases.

Speaking on a radio talk show, Professor Copeland, who is due to demit office in July, revealed a final decision will most likely be taken when the University Council meets on April 29th.

Copeland gave no indication as to the level of fee increase being sought, but defended the move telling listeners that there were students, who were not yet born when the fees were last adjusted in 2001.

He says fee increases are one of the strategies the campus has for making its finances much more robust, noting the university had been faced with financial deficits.

The Pro Vice-Chancellor says across other campuses, students pay 20% of the economic costs of the university. However, at St. Augustine, it’s around 13 or 13%.

Copeland says while the fee increase has not yet been officially confirmed, the first official meeting will take place on Thursday with two other rounds of discussions culminating in the University Council meeting at month end.

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