Final resolution

The following paper resolved the strike at the end of February 2000:

Undergraduate Rents And Access

Our values

1. We believe that Cambridge University's long term future must be as an institution of academic excellence capable of attracting the best from all backgrounds.

2. We further believe that Cambridge University will damage access if its rents and charges are significantly greater than those in comparable universities.

The current situation

There are a large number of issues where further work is needed, especially the costs of providing accommodation and the potential effects on access of future rent rises with particular respect to comparability with other institutions.

Proposals

1. There will be no presumption of rent increases above inflation until both costs and the implications for access have been investigated. This will be done so that Council can decide a coherent and long-term rent policy no later than the middle of the Michaelmas term.

2. An Access and Costs committee will be set up by Council to investigate aspects of concern and uncertainty regarding rent policy and its effects on access. The committee will, over an eight-month period commencing immediately, work on the various issues in order to assist the Bursar in the production of a long-term rent policy. At least half the voting members of the committee should be Junior Members (details of membership to be proposed by the Senior Tutor and KCSU and agreed by Council). It is envisaged that the Committee will continue its work for the foreseeable future.

3. Three working groups of the Access and Costs committee will be set up:

• the first will work with the Bursar to assess the actual cost of student accommodation and the scope for efficiency savings within the accommodation provision;
• the second will collect further information on charges at comparable institutions and attempt to assess the potential access implications of any rent increases;
• the third will look at the Kitchen Fixed Charge (previously College Charge), and to consider future options for this levy, including the consequences of its abolition.

4. The Access and Costs committee will present its conclusions to Council no later than the middle of the Michaelmas term 2000, so that the Bursar can present a long-term rent and accommodation policy to Council at that time. This policy will recognise the need for both financial integrity and for access. Until the report is presented, any increases in rent will be by inflation alone.

5. In order to reassure undergraduates choosing rooms about future costs, any potential increase in annual average rents for the academic year 2000/1 (assuming term lengths of 10, 10 and 9 weeks) will not exceed 3.5% of the current annual average rent. Note that these figures are in real terms (i.e. so exclude inflation which is unlikely to exceed 2%). Heating costs will be consolidated into rents and averaged over all rents as was previously agreed.

6. For the next academic year 2000/01, any existing undergraduate can choose in advance (by a date to be agreed) to stay for the extra week in each term. The extra average charge to cover all three weeks will be £45 (i.e. £15 per week).

7. The rents for graduates also need to be set. These will be discussed with graduates and a basis established before the graduate room ballot which takes place in the Easter term.