http___www.universitytimes.ie_2015_11_iocann-mic-leinn-tailli-difriula-ach-is-ceart-caitheamh-leo-sa-sli-ceanna__1.xml
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In Trinity, a typical non-EU arts student will pay €16,925 in tuition fees every year, while medicine and dentistry students may pay up to €30,000. These students are not eligible to have their tuition costs paid for by the Higher Education Authority (HEA), and the level of non-EU fees are set solely at the discretion of each Irish university. To a large extent, these disparities between EU and non-EU students seem “fair”, in the sense that non-EU students and their families have contributed nothing toward the taxation that funds Irish higher education. The practical details of this arrangement, though, leave clear a number of reasons why non-EU students so often feel neglected and valued only for their money. Because non-EU students do not fall under the remit of the HEA, they are left exposed to financial volatility in ways we would consider unthinkable for Irish students. They have no access to fee exemptions, even in cases of medical emergencies or mental health struggles. Meanwhile, this year’s approved three per cent fee increase follows a three per cent increase last year and a five per cent increase the year prior. In absolute terms, a medicine student’s fees have already risen by more over the course of two years than the entirety of the Student Contribution charge. These increases come entirely at the whim of College’s Finance Committee, which features exactly one student representative – the president of Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union. And despite the efforts of any individual officer, it’s difficult to escape the sense that non-EU students are at least an afterthought for TCDSU. Two years ago, then-TCDSU President Tom Lenihan responded to fee increases by saying: “the risk level that this would deter potential international students is low.” This was the response offered by the one person on the Finance Committee tasked with representing all students. That is the fundamental problem, though. At this university, we too often fail to consciously think about the way these incidents appear from the opposite perspective. There is an implicit assumption that non-EU students should simply be grateful to be getting a better deal than their home country can offer – which is often not even the case – and by that logic any marginal fee increase is justified. But if this university and its students’ union truly value diversity for its own sake, they must reevaluate the legitimacy of that narrative. Once a fair disparity in fees is accounted for, all Trinity students deserve to be treated with the same dignity and respect.
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I gColáiste na Tríonóide, íocfaidh gnáth-mhac léinn ealaíona neamh-EU táillí de €16,925 in aghaidh na bliana, le mic léinn leigheas agus fiaclóireachta ag íoc suas le €30,000. Níl na mic léinn seo incháilithe go n-íocfaidh an t-Údarás Ardoideachais (HEA) as a gcostaisí teagaisc, agus tá luach na dtáillí neamh-EU leagtha síos ag na coláistí éagsúla, ag braith ar a rogha féin. Don chuid is mó, tá cuma chothrom ar an difríocht seo idir mhic léinn EU agus neamh-EU, sa slí is nach bhfuil mic léinn neamh-EU ná a gclanna tar éis rud ar bith a íoc isteach sa chiste cánach a úsáidtear le híoc as ardoideachas na tíre. Déanann sonraí sainiúla an tsocraithe seo soiléir, áfach, na cúiseanna go mothaíonn mic léinn neamh-EU go minic fágtha ar lár, agus nach bhfuil maitheas leo ach amháin leis an airgead breise a íocann siad. Toisc nach dtiteann mic léinn neamh-EU faoi chúram an HEA, fágtar iad leo féin i gcoinne fadhbanna airgeadais i slite atá deacair a thuiscint do mhic léinn Éireannacha. Níl fáilt ar bith acu do dhíolúine tháillí, fiú i gcásanna ina bhfuil éigeandál sláinte nó deachrachtaí le tinneas intinne i geist. Lena linn sin, tagann an t-ardú molta sna táillí go gairid i ndiaidh ardú trí faoin gcéad an bhliain seo caite agus ardú cúig faoin gcéad sa bhliain roimhe sin. I dtéarmaí iomlánacha, tá na táillí a íocann mac léinn leighis cheana féin tar éis ardu níos mó thar dhá bhliana ná luach iomlán táille sintiúis na mac léinn. Tagann na harduithe seo de thoradh ar thoil Choiste Airgeadais an Choláiste, nach bhfuil ach ionadaí amháin ar son na mac léinn aige – uachtarán ar Aontas na Mac Léinn, Coláiste na Tríonóide. In ainneoin iarrachtaí an oifigigh aonaránaigh seo, tá sé deacair a shéanadh nach bhfuil sna mic léinn neamh-EU ach mar smaoineamh dearmadta do TCDSU. Dhá bhliana ó shin, d’fhreagair an t-uachtarán ar Aontas na Mac Leinn ag an am, Tom Lenihan, ar ardú sna táillí leis an ráiteas: “ tá an leibhéal riosca go gcuirfeadh sé seo drogall ar mhic léinn idirnáisiúnta íseal”. B’é seo an fhreagra a bhí ag an t-aon ball ar an gCoiste Airgeadais atá i gceannas ar ionadú a dhéanamh ar gach mac léinn. Is í sin an fhadhb bhunúsach. San ollscoil seo, teipeann ar dhaoine go minic smaoineamh go soléir ar an slí go bhfeicfear ar na heachtraí seo ó mhalairt de sheasamh. Glactar leis an tuairim gur cheart go mbeadh na mic léinn neamh-EU buíoch as socrú níos fearr a fháil anseo, ná mar a bheadh acu ina tír féin – rud nach bhfuil i gcónaí fíor – agus tríd an loighic sin, bheadh údarás ag baint le hardú ar bith sna táillí. Ach más fíor go bhfuil an ilchineálacht tábhachtach don ollscoil agus dá Aontas, is gá athmheasúnú a dhéanamh ar an tuairim sin. I ndiaidh go mbeidh cúis cheart tugtha don éagsúlacht sna táillí, is ceart an dínit agus an meas céanna a thabhairt do gach mac léinn. Incháilithe – eligible Athmheasúnú – reevaluate Ilchineálacht – diversity Díolúine – Exemption Táille sintiúis na mac léinn – student contribution charge Údarás – authority