Will, Emma (SEN)
From:	Shad O'Beirne [zaphrodb@hotmail.com]
Sent:	Monday, 26 March 2001 10:31 PM
To:	eet.sen@aph.gov.au
The Secretary
Senate Empolyment, Workplace Relations, Small Business and Education
References Committee
S1.61 Paliament House
Canberra ACT 2600

Dear Honorable Committee Members,

I would like to make a submission to the Higher Education Inquiry on the 
capacity of public universities to meet Australia's higher education needs.

I am a student enrolled at Curtin University of Technology studying Bachelor 
of Science (Nursing) since 1997.

I am really struggling to make ends meet financially while I study fulltime. 
As a result I have to work casually to make ends meet.
This is compounded by the GST on my educational items such as texts, paper, 
pens, and photocopying etc but also on my living expenses.

Unfair and illegal fees many of the departments charge over and above HECS 
are forcing students further below the poverty line. Sometimes you are not 
warned of these charges or "additional requirements" more than a fortnight 
or so before you are expected to pay them even when the unit teaching 
semester has already commenced. Faculties often enforce these fees by 
excluding students from laboratory practicals, tests, examinations and by 
withholding examination results. The annual changing of editions of my 
textbooks that are supposed to be good for my whole degree is a scam.

I often have problems accessing the resources i need through the library.
There is a vast shortage of resources for student need.

Access to childcare is important to me. Financial difficulties and lack of 
availability & capacities of centres close to campus services just add to 
the family stresses suffered by studying parents.

The conditions that exist for students like me need urgent, effective
action. These are all serious issues which have direct impact on my health 
and academic achievement. I urge you to recommend increases in funding for 
students generally, but especially to those from disadvantaged 
socio-economic situations.

Yours faithfully,

Shad O'Beirne
4 Noonan Court Willetton W.A. 6155
9331 5942
zaphrodb@hotmail.com

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