Russia: Bloggers React To Threatened University Stipends · Global Voices
After an aid to Russian President <PERSON> said [RUS] on January 19 that Russia should do away with stipends for university students, bloggers, parents, and university rectors began furiously posting appeals for the government not to cut back on university funding.
The aid, <PERSON>, who is often described as “<PERSON>’s right hand” is now claiming that his words were taken out of context.
That's what <PERSON> said in an interview with Russian news site Gazeta.ru:
Если мы все считаем, что всего нужно добиваться своим трудом, что работать должно стать модным, нужно отменить стандартные стипендии у студентов, потому что это неправильный сигнал, что ты за сам факт своей учебы получаешь компенсации […]
If we think that everything should be conquered with one’s own hard work, that working [for a living] should be popular, we need to get rid of the standard stipend given to university students, because it is an inaccurate signal, that being compensated for the fact that you are studying […]
His comments spurred a debate: should Russian universities pay stipends? Can students actually live on a monthly allowance? What is the status of “paid” students versus those who receive scholarships? Who should be paid and how much?
Currently, Russia's most expensive universities are in Moscow. The most expensive schools, according to Russian information agency RIA Novosti [RUS], one year ago were Moscow State University’s department of Economics and Management, which cost from $6,700 to $10,000 a year, and Moscow State Institute for International Relations, which was around $10,000 a year. 880
Of course, many universities are much more affordable, around $1,000 to $3,360 a year. The average monthly income in Moscow is around $1,440.
Blogger <PERSON>, who describes herself as a “libertarian,” takes a <PERSON> argument that by canceling the stipends the government would in effect be reneging on its “social contract” with Russian citizens.
С одной стороны, государство не должно заниматься перераспределением благ, потому что это, как ни крути, сводится к воровству. С другой – если оно собирает налоги и берет на себя какие-то социальные обязательства, имеет смысл требовать с него исполнения этих обязательств как своей части социального контракта. 704