£80 million pounds to be spent over the next five years with a significant amount being raised through tuition fees.
Eve Carson
Tuition fees paid by students are helping to fund future building developments on all four campuses, according to the University.
Kingston Campus Planning are hoping to invest a further £80m into the Kingston Estate over the next five years, a proportion of which comes from student tuition fees.
“High-quality facilities are crucial to providing an excellent learning environment and experience for students.
“It is appropriate that university income, including tuition fees is used to pay for building developments on campus,” said a University spokesperson.
Between 2010 and 2011, Kingston University received a total income of £210.1m, of which £95.1m was income from tuition fees.
A massive £50m has already been spent on refurbishing the Kingston campuses, including a new reception lobby, journalism room and student office at Penrhyn Road.
A further £11.4m was spent on Knights Park for a new reception gallery, improved studio space and landscaping and improvements to the front entrance.
Sports and recreational spaces have not been ignored either. Students’ tuition fees have helped to upgrade some of the 55-acre site at Tolworth Court.
A new pavilion has been built with en-suite changing rooms and shower facilities for teams.
Other changes include a first aid room, new reception and a spectator and social area. Kingston University has now unveiled plans for possible future changes.
Students at Penrhyn Road can expect to see some of the most substantial developments such as completely replacing the Town House building.
Knights Park, Kingston Hill and some student halls will also be receiving developments over the five-year period.
These building developments are said to improve the overall quality of the campuses in appearance.
The developments are also going to provide the opportunity to rationalize the estate and reduce carbon emissions.
However, many students at the University have not expressed the same enthusiasm.
Third-year politics and international relations student, Francesca Manning, said: “Staff has been cut; however, they are spending money on refurbishing, presumably to be more competitive and look nicer.
“They are not focusing on things like more time with tutors.
“I think it’s ridiculous.”
Miss Manning was interested to know why money wasn’t being spent on extra staffing.
Other students also agreed and felt that the money was not being invested in the right areas.
Charlie Delafosse, a first-year aero engineering student, said: “If they made tuition fees go straight towards lecturers that would be fine.”