A recently graduate said that means-testing families makes assumptions that they are supportive of their children but there are many differences and everyone should be treated as an adult at 18. It was pointed out that in New Zealand, university lecturers used to sign contracts saying they were willing to teach their classes at any time between 9 a.m. and 10 p.m., they do no longer hours but some classes are taught in the evening. This is the kind of extra flexibility we may have to build in. Another member of the audience added that in the case of divorced parents it s only the income of the parent the student is living with which is assessed. This is an anomaly punishing parents who have stayed together.
Adoption also affects assessment.
A member of the audience said that the Committee should take on board the impact of student fees on the next generation of academics, with the current levels of debt few will go on to PhD stage. A lecturer questioned whether there had been any comparison with other systems of funding in other European countries. A member of the audience raised concerns regarding the low attendance at the meeting and questioned the publicity of the hearings. It was explained that adverts were placed in the national and local papers and that information available in public libraries, GPs surgeries as well as universities and colleges. The student said that the costs that students have to face are not met by the resources available to them and that their figures show that once vital costs are met, the student is left with 9 a month, even after a loan.