Earlier today, LSESU announced the launch of a new fund aimed to alleviate graduation costs for students.
The fund, founded in association with the School itself, will be piloted at this year’s ceremonies.
The announcement also revealed that the cost of graduation gown hire has been hiked up yet again to “the region of £50” – an increase on last year’s £45.
LSESU are offering to cover the cost for any student undergoing “expressed, evidenced hardship”, although the exact terms and conditions are unclear. Application forms for entitlement will be released in March 2019.
The move appears to come in response to outrage over the costs entailed in last year’s ceremonies, during which one student described the School as a “faceless business”.
During the uproar, a petition was launched by students in protest at the high costs, one of many similar demonstrations across the country. Last summer, a 1000-strong petition caused the University of Glasgow to ditch its £50 graduation fee.
The issue has often been linked with poor student satisfaction rates at the LSE, something Director Minouche Shafik has made a focus of her leadership.
Catherine MacLean – Chair of LSESU Labour Society – praised the establishment of the fund, and expressed hope that it could effectively benefit working class students at the university.
However, she believes that this alone is not enough to transform LSE’s elitist environment, warning that working class students “often feel isolated and struggle to manage living in London”.
