A decision by the University Belize Board of Trustees could result
in the faculty, staff and students going on a strike. The dispute involves the
decision to freeze increments for faculty and staff for the next three years
and significantly increase student’s tuition and fees. 7News understands
that an emergency meeting is scheduled for tomorrow to discuss what can be done
to avert a standoff with all those groups and reach an amicable solution. And
so tonight there is understandable concern about the future of UB’s faculty,
staff and students. Today we spoke with 7News UB’s Public Relations Officer
Silvaana Udz about the tense situation.
Jacqueline Godwin,
“Why did the board decide to put a freeze on increment?”
Silvaana Udz, PR – University of Belize
“Panning for growth, an increment freeze is one option for freeing
up as it were monies that could be put into for example developing cost centers
that themselves can generate money and so on. However the understanding from
the faculty and staff and the feeling as they expressed is that there is not
a dire need perhaps to do that at this time or at least not for three years
mandated. Faculty and staff are aware of course that we have for example the
largest intake ever approaching almost 4,000 students, or little under 3,800.
The budget has not grown in accordance with the demands of the student
needs and infrastructural growth and that is just a reflection of the entire
global situation; higher education must accommodate the feeder institution needs
at the secondary level and all that. So that is understandable however faculty
and staff at the meeting have expressed that other options and ways to increase
revenue streams should be explored before freezing increments for three years
and that is the position as we speak.
The faculty and staff are socially responsible and strike action certainly
would never be the first option of a responsible faculty and staff.”
Jacqueline Godwin,
“It is not only faculty and staff I understand that are upset about decisions
being made but rumours have it that tuition fees may increase tremendously and
students are already nervous about what they have been hearing and they themselves
are planning on going on a strike.”
Silvaana Udz,
“The UB Board of Trustees has undertaken sound fiscal management policies
since it took over and is really trying to do its very best to look at all options
to increase revenue streams, reduce costs. The raising of tuition may be one
such option under discussion. Nothing has been finalized or even proffered officially
along that line. As you know in higher education worldwide, tuition increase
does occur from time to time. In the eight years, nine years now of UB existence,
the tuition has never been raised. That may very well be one of the many considerations
the board is throwing about as we speak. But certainly nothing has been decided.
As you know, back in 2005 students protested when the then board tried
to do the tuition raise as another way of raising revenues. At that time the
government stepped in and subsidized even more. We all know that the demand
for the state’s purse is very very heavy. There is healthcare, there are
all these other services and we always have to remember that the feeder institutions
have many needs as well, those that feed into UB. So nothing has been decided.”
Reports to 7News are that student’s tuition and fees could be
raised by as much as three hundred to four hundred percent. Udz says she cannot
comment on any reported figures at this time as the Office of Public Information
has not been given any indication that is so.
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