THE University of Limerick faced a backlash this week when students were informed that they were being fined €200 for non-payment of an €18 levy to help finance the construction of a new student centre on the Castletroy campus.
Students took to social media to complain that they were not adequately informed of the deadline for payment of the levy which left them liable for such a punitive fine.
Others complained that the levy should not apply to them as construction of the centre would not be completed until after they graduated and they would not be able to avail of its services.
However, in a statement released today, the University accepted that students had not been adequately informed of the payment deadline and the €200 fines would be reversed if the levy was paid by April 20.
The statement, which was posted on the UL website, said, “University of Limerick regrets causing concern to some of it’s students who this week have received notification of a €200 late payment of fees fine.
“The fine has arisen due to the non-payment of fees and in some cases the amounts unpaid are very small e.g. the non-payment of the new UL Student levy of €18 per semester.
“UL accepts students were not sufficiently informed of a clear deadline for payment of the levy and has agreed with the President of the University of Limerick Students Union (ULSU) to move the deadline for payment of the levy and outstanding academic fees by a month to Friday, April 20.
“UL and ULSU wish to reassure students that as long as all outstanding fees are paid by April 20, the fine will be removed from their individual accounts.
“In April 2016, UL students voted 78.75 per cent in favour of the introduction of a staggered levy towards the build of a new student centre and sports facilities”, the statement concluded.
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