There will be price increases for students next year. This was decided at a board meeting of Studentenwerk Dresden at the end of October. From January 1, 2018, rents in student residences will increase by an average of EUR 6.50 due to rising maintenance costs. University catering will also have to raise prices at the beginning of next year. Meal prices in the canteens will rise by an average of 1.5 percent and the surcharge for staff will also increase by 5 cents. Cafeteria prices will increase by 4 percent.
In addition, the student union fee as part of the semester fee will increase by EUR 5.40 from summer semester 2018 - to EUR 82.90. The largest part of this increase will be for university catering, the smaller part for the psychosocial counseling center and social counseling.
The reasons for the necessary price and fee increases, especially in the area of university catering, are the reduced income from semester fees due to lower student numbers, increased management costs (including personnel and use of goods) and, above all, increased infrastructure maintenance costs. In addition to the actual production costs for the food, the Studentenwerke also bear the costs for the provision, maintenance and repair of the catering infrastructure.
These costs, which are incurred by the Studentenwerke in addition to the costs for their statutory duties, should be refinanced by the Free State of Saxony. Although there was a significant increase in state subsidies in 2015, these are no longer sufficient. The student members, who are equally represented on the Studentenwerk Dresden Administrative Board, are particularly critical of this development. Matthias Lüth, student at TU Dresden and also Chairman of the Administrative Board of Studentenwerk Dresden, commented: "It is untenable that students are once again being asked to pay to compensate for the state's lack of infrastructure maintenance measures. It is the state's responsibility not only to build its own properties, but also to finance their maintenance."
Contact
Martin Richter
Managing Director Studentenwerk Dresden
Phone: 0351 4697-815
E-mail: martin.richter(at)studentenwerk-dresden.de
Dr. Heike Müller
Press Officer Studentenwerk Dresden
Phone: 0351 4697-529