THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES (UWI) CAVE HILL CAMPUS may be facing financial challenges, but cutting the length of time for all students to complete their studies may not be the best route to take.
For while Nigel Harris, UWI’s vice-chancellor, does not expect help from respective governments across the Caribbean to shore up any financial shortfalls at the three campuses, principal of the Cave Hill Campus, Professor Sir Hilary Beckles, has indicated to Government that all students at Cave Hill cannot be lumped into one category as Government attempted to trim its student budget cost.
In New York, Harris told the DAILY NATION that he did not expect Government would shore up any shortfalls that the Cave Hill Campus would face in view of the current economic problems.
“I don’t expect a large increase from Barbados,” said Harris. “Of course we have to wait until we meet with the Government (in Bridgetown).
“Our biggest challenge at the university is going to be one of finances this year,” Harris said, acknowledging that Caribbean governments continued to suffer from the effects of the global economic crisis.
While at a seminar in Barbados, Sir Hilary explained that he could understand Government’s concern regarding the length of time it was taking students to graduate at the expense of the taxpayers.
“I think that the Government has a good argument to say that we’re not going to continue to fund the trailers anymore,” the principal said.
“But at the same time what the Government has to do is to be sure that those who are trailing are trailing for good reasons, not bad reasons.
“I do not believe we should lump those who are not completing in time into one category and define them as persons who are wasting the taxpayers’ money.”
According to Sir Hilary, “A significant number of (students) have employment and domestic reasons why they cannot complete on time.
“So we need to disaggregate those who have structural reasons for not finishing on time with those – that very small minority, in my judgement – that might not be as motivated to finish as they should be.”
He told reporters “part-time, [below matriculation level] students” who are Government workers could be finding trouble in getting the time from their employer to complete their final year.
It could be a case, too, where “the Civil Service rules might not be as flexible as the university would wish to enable these students to complete in good time”, he acknowledged.
When he presented the national Budget last November, Minister of Finance Christopher Sinckler said that over the past few years it had been found that an unacceptable number of students had been entering the UWI without fully matriculating.
As a result, several of them had been taking longer to complete their course of study, with a number spending up to two additional years within the campus, he reported.
More response to Government’s proposals is expected this Thursday from students at the Cave Hill Campus.
Campus sources have informed the DAILY NATION that the students will be meeting at the Guild to make their views known about the changes mentioned in the Budget. (TB/TY/CG)
