A group of York students has won the opportunity to have their very own I-phone application developed after winning The App Challenge final, held at the Ron Cooke Hub on Wednesday, January 18.
YUSU Welfare officer Bob Hughes has warned students to be vigilant after a student loans phishing scam has been revealed.
Her Majesty the Queen will be visiting York on Maundy Thursday, 5th April, as part of the 800th anniversary of York’s Charter for the traditional “Royal Maundy” ceremony.
A flood caused by a heating system “failure” forced the university IT services to shut down many essential systems on Sunday night, causing problems for many students on the eve of their exams and assignment due-dates.
The University of York revealed on 24th June that it plans to set tuition fees at £9,000 a year for new full-time home and EU undergraduate students from October 2012.
The University Council agreed the funding plans but the package remains subject to approval by the Office for Fair Access (OFFA) and a final decision is expected on 12 July.
The university said: “We will introduce a comprehensive package of measures to ensure that able students are not deterred from applying to York.”
In addition to National Scholarships, the university will offer a range of scholarships, waivers and bursaries. Students from lower income families will receive substantial reductions and financial support.
First-year students with scholarships will receive £4,500 in support, while other first-year students from families with an income of less than £25,000 will receive support worth £3,000.
These will be supplemented by non-repayable Government grants for students from low-income backgrounds, as well as Government loans to cover living expenses.
The university’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Brian Cantor, said: “The measures approved today will maintain the University of York as an institution of the highest quality."
"The University of York is committed to four key objectives – excellence, internationalisation, sustainability and inclusivity.”
“We will ensure that York continues to attract and support students from a diverse range of backgrounds and that anyone who has the ability to benefit from a York education can do so regardless of their financial circumstances.”
York’s Chancellor, Greg Dyke, will lead a public fund-raising campaign to encourage York alumni to enhance the iniversity’s scholarships and bursaries.
This fees increase has not, however, come as a surprise to students at the university.
Over the last few months, all the Russell Group universities, except LSE, have announced their fees will increase to £9,000. LSE will rise to just less at £8,500.
York St John has also announced a fee increase, setting its fee maximum from 2012 to £8,500.
Chemistry Student Michael Morgan-Williams said: “I'm very glad that finally the university has had the courage to make an inevitable announcement.”
Second year Matt Cooke added: “I really am not surprised; almost all of the other universities in the 1994 group have chosen to charge £9,000, so it would be more of a surprise if York didn't.”
Prospective students seem also to be undeterred from coming to university by the increase in fees.
Bookings for the University of York's Open Day in July have outstripped the numbers for the last two years and interest remains high in taster days and prospectuses.
The Independent has also published a review, indicating that graduates are likely to earn up to £5,000 more than non-graduates.
Morgan-Williams commented: “The long term gain outweighs the short term costs.”
“I would hope that, in the majority of cases, people could see the advantages and disadvantages of a degree and decide for themselves if the qualification will help their own social and academic development.”
“However, it will, I am sure, influence the judgement of those who will not see far enough to see the benefit of such expenditure,” he added.
Cooke agreed, saying: ““It would make me think more about it, but overall it wouldn't have stopped me from going to university.”
A fees increase would see the university gain around an extra £25 million to spend, as the University and College Union (UCU) has estimated only £6,360 of the £9,000 is required to maintain the university’s current standards.
The University of York plans to invest this money in five main areas: financial support for students, expanding participation and access activities, enhancing the quality of the teaching experience, improving the quality of the student experience and providing academic and other forms of support to aid success and retention.
The university’s recent investments include refurbishment and extension of the Library, development of the Heslington East campus and the £9 million York Sports Village.
Morgan-Williams said he would like to see the money spend on “streamlining the administration” and the “continued progress and development of the world leading research carried out here”.
Cooke suggested the extra money could help the university “do more to remove some of the extra expenses that students incur whilst studying”, such as offering free textbooks, a 24 hour library and bigger grants for YUSU to spend on clubs and societies to reduce the costs incurred by members.
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