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Salient. Official Newspaper of Victoria University of Wellington Students Association. Vol 40 No. 14. June 13 1977

OSAC willing to accept National's dictates

OSAC willing to accept National's dictates.

Dear Sir,

In your May 30 issue Lisa Sacksen calls for the independence of the universities to be defended because the Governement has imposed a limit on the number of private overseas students allowed entry from any one country when the Universities Amendment Act 1970 enables the Council Council of each university "to determine each year the maximum number who may be admitted in me following year as students to the university." May I be allowed through the courtesy of your columns to point out to Ms. Sacksen that the right of a university to fix maximum numbers for its overseas intake gives the university precisely that right; it does not confer on it the authority to say what number of students will be allowed to enter enter the country. That is, and must surely remain, a matter of Government policy for two reasons, both of which would seem to be obvious. First, no other body could be allowed by a Government to claim rights over and above that Government where the entry of persons from overseas is concerned, and second, only the Government can determine the level of expenditure it is prepared to sustain for the university education of a students from overseas especially when it costs on average about $2,000 a year to for each one. To do so would tant tantamount to handing over a blank cheque.

Yours sincerely,

P.G. Morris

Secretary, Overseas Students Admissions Committee.

(While the opinions expressed by Mr Morris are hardly surprising, it is somewhat dishonest to bandy around the figure of $2,000 as being the cost for each overseas student, when in fact the costs for educating students are the same regardless of the national origin. Unless Mr Morris or his boss Mr Gandar can come up with the marginal extra costs that are Incurred in educating overseas students then we suggest that he cease using these tactics which are little short of pandering to prejudice. — Ed.)