An 8% ”overall range” of price hikes was confirmed by the University of the Witwatersrand council, the institution said on Saturday.
This followed three days of protests at the university over increases in the upfront fees payment students are expected to make in 2008, and against students having to pay for their own accommodation.
Students were demanding a 0% increase for next year.
”The council took full account of the strong feelings that the students held regarding elements of the fee proposals before council.
”In doing so the council confirmed an overall range of fee increases which average at approximately 8%,” said university registrar Derek Swemmer.
A meeting between students and representatives and the Wits council was held on Friday.
”Special notice was taken of the concerns regarding the Bachelor of Education degree and despite the compelling logic of the need to increase these fees by a much greater amount, the council nevertheless agreed to a nine 9% increase for the B.Ed degree in 2008.”
An 18% fee hike was proposed previously for this degree.
”Lastly … the council revised the upfront payment for 2008 and fixed it at R5 000. The council also endorsed the earlier agreement that had been reached between the student leadership and management.”
Council also passed a resolution ”deploring, condemning and regretting the behaviour of those students who had committed acts of intimidation of staff and students”, Swemmer said.
It urged student leadership to ensure that protesting students returned to classes for their academic programmes and to ”desist from their current behaviour”.
Protesting students stormed into lecture theatres, disrupting classes and chasing lecturers earlier in the week. Police used rubber bullets to disperse a crowd of students throwing bricks and stones at motorists at the university on Wednesday.
Two students, the Student Representative Council president and deputy president, were arrested during the incident. — Sapa