University of Kent Resorts to Extreme Budget Cuts Under Financial Pressure

Students of Kent University prepare to get your hands dirty and get in you’re protesting positions.

This morning, the University of Kent announced in their Financial Management Report that they plan to cut more costs and ask that students co-operate with their money saving strategies. These strategies involve new rules for students that will start being enforced as of next week as well as students being part of a mandatory volunteer service.

The university has assured us that the report was put together by the finance staff, who have rigorously gone through the university’s costs and carefully selected areas that can be cut down such as minor maintenance and electricity.

With the recent news of electricity companies planning on increasing prices the university have had to take drastic measures by creating new rules for students that will help cut these costs down. The most drastic being that students must clock two hours a day on the new exercise bikes and treadmills that will generate electricity. These will be allocated in the gym and in the plaza. As part of the scheme the university will be offering food vouchers for those who complete extra hours on the green exercise equipment. If all 2,000 students took part the university would apparently save over £69,000. So, not only will our university be more eco-friendly but we’ll also be the fittest.

Another rule that is causing quite a stir is the new bathroom policy. Next week the university will be fitting bleach sachet and antibacterial wipe dispensers to save on cleaning costs. When students use the toilets and sinks on campus they will be expected to use the antibacterial wipes and bleach to clean the toilets before they leave. The university will also be fitting plungers in each cubicle, if a student blocks the toilet they will be expected to clear up after themselves. Apparently people will be encouraged to take photos of students who have failed to obey the rules and will be posted on a new Facebook page to be created called ‘Spotted: UoK’s Dirty Sods’.

The mandatory volunteer service will have students doing anything from mowing the grass to changing light bulbs. It also includes us having to paint and tile some of the more rundown bathrooms on campus. Apparently this service will save the university over £60,000 but what will it cost us? The scheme supposedly will work on a weekly rota, however not all students will have to put in the same hours as others. People on courses that have less than 20 contact hours a week such as English will be expected to work a whole day. The report does not state the exact numbers but it seems that certain departments will not only be working towards a degree but a career in the janitorial profession as well.

The report only touches on these schemes lightly – only putting forward the basic ideas. We won’t know the exact details until next week when the university will be releasing a more detailed and thorough announcement that will be emailed to all Kent students as well as on the website.

You can see the full financial report here: http://goo.gl/RAoXbK