Sars keeps Waikato university enrolments down

Fewer students are enrolling at Waikato University, hitting its budget.

The university's domestic student enrolments are down, and fear of Sars means it can no longer make up the numbers with international fee-paying students.

In the university's revised budget, chief operating officer Andrew Simpson said that although it had faced a worse domestic enrolment position in 2001, losing more than $5 million of revenue, it had then been able to rely on international students to make up numbers.

"Both the language institute and foundation studies are projecting a large decline in second-semester enrolments - principally due to uncertainty caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome - but steps are under way to manage the costs and minimise any financial losses." Mr Simpson said the seriousness of the situation meant a report would be presented to the finance committee every month. All departments were being asked to report on their financial positions in July.

The university has 9502 domestic students, 4 per cent down on May last year.

Vice-chancellor Bryan Gould said the lack of school-leavers enrolling at the university was another concern.

- NZPA