Studierendenwerk Rostock-Wismar reduces range of services
02.04.2024
Recently, the Rostock-Wismar Student Union received the news that, contrary to expectations, firmly planned - and urgently needed - state subsidies for 2024 have been canceled at short notice. This mainly concerns coronavirus aid, both for 2024 and retroactively for 2023. We therefore have to make do with fewer financial resources than expected and also make up the financial shortfall from our own resources. This development presents us with serious challenges. Further subsidies required in the longer term are also at risk of being discontinued from 2026.
We want to continue to fulfill our legal mandate to ensure that students are provided with meals that meet their needs - in all service areas (dining halls, halls of residence and social services) at all locations. This includes, in particular, an affordable food supply for students at every campus. A further gradual increase in meal prices for students of up to 1 euro per portion is therefore currently not an option - this is how much would be needed to cover the deficit caused by the subsidy cut in 2025. It was therefore necessary to find short-term solutions and implement them as quickly as possible. These are now manifesting themselves in the form of initial benefit cuts. We did not take the decision lightly:
1) Mensa E1nstein will not open with a vegan-vegetarian menu as planned, but will now remain permanently closed.
2) Mensa Süd will no longer be open on Saturdays from April 1, 2024
3) The discount of 10 cents granted when paying with the Mensa Card will also be discontinued from April 1, 2024
4) An existing position in the area of social counseling will be abolished as of July 1, 2024
5) Financial and socio-cultural support services in the area of social services will be cut until further notice.
We regret this development, especially in light of the fact that during the challenging pandemic and crisis years, it was possible to support the Rostock-Wismar Student Union and thus the students by providing additional financial resources. We are very grateful to the state government for this. Under the current circumstances, however, we have no other option but to restrict our range of services.
We hope that the ongoing consequences of the pandemic and the energy crisis will also be taken into account in the provision of support services by the state in the long term. It is therefore now important to work together with the Ministry of Finance and Science, universities and students in a timely manner to find solutions as to how we can continue to maintain and finance the provision of services to students in line with their needs.
