Director of Student Support and Development, Dr Claire Bohan has defended the increase in the charge to see the on-campus doctor, saying the financial position of the health centre became unsustainable.
Bohan told The College View: “The financial position of the health service had become unsustainable…the University needed to introduce some increases in charges so that the current level of service to students can be maintained.
Bohan said the 100% increase in the fee was due to “an increase in student numbers and an increased demand for services” and said that “the charges that have been introduced are proportionate and in line with charges in place in some of the other Irish Universities”.
The fees in other Universities for attending on-campus doctors as of this academic year are as follows:
- NUI Maynooth, no fee for doctor on campus, approx. 9,000+ registered students
- NUI Galway, no fee for doctor on campus, approx. 17,000+ registered students.
- Trinity College, no fee for doctor on campus, approx. 20,000+ registered students.
- UCC, no fee for doctor on campus, approx. 20,000+ registered students.
- UCD, €25 fee for doctor on campus, approx. 25,000 + registered students.
Roughly 12,000 registered students attend DCU, with 2,454 students registering as first year undergraduates this year.
Bohan stated “Over the last five years, government funding to DCU has been reduced by almost 20%”.
“The Health Centre currently costs €200,000 per annum to run”, she continued, but failed to elaborate on where the €20 fee students are charged to see the doctor goes and recommended we contact the Finance Department.
Theresa Newman
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