UCD Students' Union has pitched tents at the main gate of the campus today.
It's part of a protest over plans to increase the cost of on-campus accommodation by 12 per cent over the next three years.
Joanna Siewierska is President of the south Dublin university's Students' Union;
‘The campus rents in UCD have increased by 76% over the last decade. As the UCD Students’ Union, we will not agree to the status quo on this issue. These rent increases are locking young people out of access to higher education and must be reversed immediately."
UCD students have pitched tents at the University’s main entrance in their ongoing fight against rent hikes pic.twitter.com/4D7ssMTy3w
— Stephanie Rohan (@StephGrogan3) February 27, 2020
The Students’ Union says it remains in absolute disagreement with the Management of the University that ongoing rent increases are justified.
It says the decision will have a major impact on the four thousand students who will be living on campus next year.
They have issued a number of demands
- A reversal of the 12% increase to campus rents.
- The establishment of a rental support scheme to support student renters.
- A commitment from management to engage much earlier with student representatives in conducting rent reviews and budget allocations for student support, and to treat student representatives with respect, as equal stakeholders in those decisions, and not tokens.
The university says the increase is needed to maintain existing housing and to help fund new accommodation that's planned.
