Student service fee welcomed

A PLAN to introduce a university student services fee has been welcomed by Ballarat's universities. Under the Federal Government plan announced this week, the fee would cover campus services such as childcare and sporting facilities. The levy would be capped at $250, with each institution able to set its own amount.The plan comes after a federal inquiry into the impact on university campus services of voluntary student unionism. Australian Catholic University Ballarat campus rector Associate Professor Anne Hunt said the plan was welcome and that the current situation was "not tenable"."This will allow (us) to provide the kind of university experience supported by students, services and activities that should be available to students during their university years," she said. University of Ballarat Vice-Chancellor David Battersby said the proposal was a genuine response from the government to address a very difficult situation."It certainly will help dramatically with respect to funding of amenities for students. But we've yet to to see what the regulations are around it, and how it will be applied," he said. University of Ballarat Student Association president Brian Taylor said: "It's better than what we are getting now."But he said with the new fee unlikely to come into effect until the second half of next year, interim arrangements would still need to be made. Ballarat MHR Catherine King said the fee would go a long way towards improving facilities for students studying in Ballarat.