Battel rages as Merton rent war begins
MERTON IS THE latest college to be hit by the university-wide move to increase the cost of battels. Next year, rents at the college are being hiked by a massive nine percent - over twice the rate of increase recommended by the Van Noorden Index. This is the second stage of a three year plan to raise living costs for Merton students by more than 30%.
On Wednesday the College Finance Committee are meeting in secret to consider a proposal put forward by the JCR President Emma Evans and Treasurer Alex Edmans. They wish "the total £10 increase proposed for the next two years be spread over three years."
The Bursar of Merton College, Clifford Webb was unavailable for comment. However, Alex Edmans explained that previously, the bursar had argued that the Higher Education and Funding Committee for England (HEFCE) report on Oxford had ordered that battels should be equalised across Colleges. Merton's rates of battels are currently £8 a day, plus food and electricity and are lower than average.
Nevertheless, according to Edmans, the bursar admitted to him that ultimately "colleges are free to do what they like." Merton has no financial need to increase battels, but allegedly, pressure comes from the university.
Edmans believes that this claim "may be a mask", given that the university had agreed to shoulder half the cost of future funding cuts. It does not justify the currently planned rise as Merton already subsidises poorer colleges such as Pembroke through a university tax, levied on its assets.
Moreover, the extra money raised through battels increases "doesn't go to other colleges - it fills up Merton's coffers", said Edmans. Acts such as the 50% slash in Merton's book grant this year have not led any other colleges to benefit.
Alex Edmans accepts that "an equalisation has to happen, but should be implemented more gradually, especially as students have been hit by tuition fees and the abolition of maintenance grants."
The Bursar has not yet responded to a motion passed in a Merton JCR meeting condemning the increases. Edmans and Evans stated that if negotiations failed "we would have to consider further action." Additionally, in her manifesto, JCR Treasurer-Elect, Ros Hook, threatened a rent-strike on any increases above the four percent which the Van Noorden Report said colleges should adopt.
However, Hook also pointed out the success of New College JCR, who succeeded in cutting their battels increase by five percent by more diplomatic methods. She explained that "they didn't use the traditional techniques that annoyed the SCR."
8th Jun 2000