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Bursaries' 1978 ~ 1979

In the past year NZUSA has not been idle on the Bursaries question and student finances in general. Below is a brief chronology of the steps that NZUSA has token to ensure that students are not too badly off financially.

	1978
April	NZUSA and NZTISA have a national day of action on bursaries (the April 26 demonstrations).
June	Beginning of the Review of Financial Assistance for Post Compulsory Study. NZUSA is well represented on the Steering Committee and the three working parties that were set up to examine immediate, medium term and long term changes to the STB, as well as considering alternative forms of funding to the STB.
July	Finance Minister Muldoon announced in the Budget a $2.50 per week increase in the level of the STB for 1979. But simultaneous changes in the tax structure remove the $155 personal rebate which most students heavily depend upon, and raise the tax rate for low income earners to 14½ cents in the dollar. The result of these changes is that most students are no better off than they were before.
	NZUSA and NZTISA write immedtely to Education Minister Les Gandar recommending an alteration in the tax scale so that students will receive the benefits of the increases.
August	Mr Gandar announces a further $1.50 increase in the STB for 1979 to compensate for the tax changes. This increase is of no benefit to the 40% of full-time students who don't receive the STB yet still fell the impact of the tax changes.
	NZUSA and the Education Department set up a postal survey of students to gain some data on the finances of students.
September	NZUSA expresses concern about the delay in announcing the continuation of the Student Community Service Programme, which is seen as vital with predictions of high unemployment during the holiday period.
	On 26 September Labour Minister Peter Gordon announces the reintroduction of the SCSP.
November	Despite administrative problems, the SCSP is introduced on November 1.
December	The total of students unemployed and on SCSP quickly climbs to record levels. At the worst period over 5,500 full-time tertiary students were either unemployed or working under SCSP. This equals 15½% of the full-time university and technical institute student population.

	1979
January	NZUSA continues to express concern at the high level of unemployment as it effects students. Reiterates the need for SCSP to be made a permanent part of government policy while overall unemployment continues at the present chronically high levels.
February	NZUSA delegation meets new Minister of Education Merv Wellington, who rejects the NZUSA proposal for the abolition of the abatement for all students twenty or over. Nor does he consider the idea of awarding Ph.D students fees bursaries.
	NZUSA National Executive calls for the permanent implementation of SCSP for the summer vacation.
	Wellington daily "The Evening Post" publishes details of a confidential Education proposal stating that, taking into acount increases in the cost of living and tax changes, the STB should be increased by $9 per week.
March	NZUSA delegation meets new Labour Minister Jim Bolger who gives an assurance that the SCSP or some similiar scheme will be introduced in the 1979-1980 vacation if unemployment is still prevalent.
	NZUSA National Executive meets Mr Wellington, who expresses opposition to abolishing the abatement and indexing the STB to the consumer price index, as most other benefits are.
	NZUSA National Executive resolves to call a national day of action on April 11 demanding an immediate weekly increase of $9 in the bursary level.