Students want fee back for two semesters – News

“The University of Vienna has been closed for over three weeks now and there are still no regulations for waiving tuition fees,” criticizes the ÖH. “Many students have been hit hard by the corona crisis. Countless people across Austria have lost their jobs and there are still no short-time working arrangements for the insignificant,” said Jasmin Chalendi (VSSTÖ) from the ÖH Vienna Presidency team.

The longer the rectorate and education minister Heinz Faßmann postponed the decision on tuition fees, the more students would slip into an acute emergency. The solution is clear for the ÖH: The tuition fees would have to be “waived for this and next semester and replaced by the state by the universities”. But decisions are also expected in other areas.

Hardship funds for students too?

It needed “as soon as possible clear legal regulations” about the duration of the distance learning and the many deadlines for students. “For students in financial need, a state-funded hardship fund is also required,” said Zissi Fritsche (GRAS) from the chair team. “We are currently trying to prevent the worst with our social fund, but we are aware that the funds of the ÖH will by far not be sufficient,” said Babsi Ordinaireteur, press spokeswoman for the KSV-LiLi.

“In addition, it is not the task of the ÖH to secure the livelihood of the students in times of crisis, but that of the state. However, large companies seem more important than the population!” Therefore, the ÖH Uni Wien calls “in the sense of a solidarity not only across universities, but general solidarity that the federal government that an unbureaucratic emergency fund is made available for all formerly marginalized employees”.

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