1. Media Release
22 June 2015
Worldclass research studentslivingbelowthe povertyline;UWACuts Hurt
Despite pridingitselfas beingWA’sonlyresearch-intensiveuniversity,UWA hasmade devastating
cuts to postgraduate researchstudentfunding.
Researchstudentsare nowexpectedtolive onlessthan the minimumwage,while UWA’sVice
Chancellorrakesinclose to$1 millionperannum.
Withthisbeingthe secondcut to postgraduate fundinginasmanyyears,studentshave rallied
togethertourge UWA to revoke itsdecisionthroughthe UWA CutsHurt campaign.
Throughcrowd funding,the campaignhasraisedenoughmoneytoprovide postgraduate students
withfree souponWednesday24th
of June from12pm to 2pm at the Oak Lawn.
The makeshiftsoupkitchen aimsprovideasupportbase forpostgraduate studentswhomaybe
strugglingtocome to termswiththeirloomingdebt.
Postgraduate researchstudent PeterDerbyshire’stoldthe campaignsFacebookgroupthathis
‘SafetyNetTop-UpScholarship’only broughtinanadditional $60per week, butmade a massive
difference.
”Whenyou are staring intoa cupboardat your lastpacketof powderedsoupandpayday istwo days
away,or callingyourparentsto transfer$20 justto afforda traintickethome youwouldgive
anythingforthat $60,” he wrote.
Despite the campaignsefforts, UWA hasmade itclearthat theirprioritieslie withincreasingthe
numberof incomingstudentsratherthanmaintainingadequate fundingfortheirexistingstudents.
Withpostgraduate degrees nowaveraging4yearsinlength andscholarshipsrunningoutatthe
three yearmark; UWA Cuts Hurt hopesthatUWA will listentotheircallsforhelpinorderto make
the completionof suchdegreesareality.
Ends______________________________________________________________________________
For further information:
Ellie Blackmore
0411 541 787
or
uwacutshurt@gmail.com