Hungry students slam college for ‘obligatory charge’

Undergraduates at Exeter College took to the streets on Wednesday, protesting a forced college fee that leaves students living in college over 800 pounds out of pocket per year.

At 3pm, members of the JCR marched down Brasenose Lane onto Radcliffe Square to voice their concerns about the compulsory college fee, costing students living in college-owned accomodation an extra £280 on top of the £580 they already pay.

The charge is obligatory and students get no food for it – they must still buy all of their meals at normal prices.

We did the maths, and for £860 you can:

• Go interrailing 7 TIMES.
• Buy ONE iPhone 5S.
• Get 4300 Freddos.
• Eat 0 times at Exeter

The protesters chanted for about an hour before dispersing.  There was a small, possibly accidental, police presence.

Exeter has the highest catering charge in Oxford, beating its rivals by a staggering margin of £116 per term.  The cost of a standard breakfast, lunch and dinner is just over £13 per day.  The College’s hall fee has been rising by 9.7% a year since 2009, when a binding agreement was put in place between the College and the JCR.

The beleaguered college, the fourth oldest in the University, claimed it could no longer subsidise substantial losses made at hall due to financial problems.

Students have been queuing up on the Exeter Hallternatives Facebook page to offer messages of support as well as proposing to wine and dine angry Exonians in their own colleges.  Anya Emmons, a student at Univ, commented: “Would be happy to host at Univ on Wednesday and Thursday this week. Good luck with the endeavour,” whilst Carolina Bax referred to the facts that ‘Hilda’s accept payment in cash…and have a fab roast.’

Exeter Jcr President Richard Collett-White says the cost of hall undermines their access efforts, ‘We pay an £840 Catering Charge annually and yet more for each meal, making us the most expensive undergraduate college. This undermines our Access efforts and affordability. Years of ‘negotiations’ have yielded precious little, leading to widespread demand for a boycott. Rising living costs affect all students.’

In 2011 Exeter college had a financial endowment of £49.1 million, rising to £67 million if restricted funds are included, and notable alumni include J.R.R. Tolkien.  The University’ total endowment is a whopping £3.22 BILLION.