Care for Students and Publishing Activity
Doc. Ing. Ivan Vágner, CSc., vice-rector
ACCOMMODATION
On 31 December 1996 the total number of beds in the halls of residence of Masaryk University were 3,578. Compared with the year 1995 the number of beds increased by 411 because a building of a former hotel in Brno - Komárov was purchased and most of its rooms were offered for accommodation.
University students were housed in 11 University buildings and in halls of residence of Brno Technical University (200 beds) and in the buildings of the Czech Congregation of Dominicans (20 beds). Therefore, towards the end of the year 1996 residential accommodation was provided to 3,798 students. This accounts for ca. 30% of all full-time students for bachelor's and master's degrees.
The demand for residential accommodation was satisfied in almost 72 % of cases and compared with the previous year there was a decrease in demand of more than 11 percent. However, it is important to state that these positive results must be interpreted with respect to continuous overload of 499 beds and the fact that the number of applicants for residential accommodation surprisingly decreased (by 502 applications).
For the school year 1996/97 the system of bail which was used to cover damage in recreation rooms was abolished. The costs of damage reached 146 000 CZK in 1996. Residential accommodation fees increased by 15% from 1 January 1996 and the rent ranged from 90 to 625 CZK per bed. The average rent was 377 CZK at the end of the year 1996.
Besides repairs, halls of residence were newly furnished and the standard of furnishings in rooms and recreation rooms improved. A special situation was in the hall of residence in Komárov where a lower standard of accommodation was provided and the rent was adequately reduced.
Repairs and adaptations were made in Cikháj with the aim of providing high-quality training and recreation services. In this context it is necessary to appreciate the financial support provided by the Trade Union.
Table 1 The development of accommodation of MU students
Year |
MU |
BTU |
CCD |
Total |
Index |
1993/1994 |
3286 (97,3%) |
90 (2,7%) |
3 376 |
100 |
|
1994/1995 |
3 141 (90%) |
300 (8,6%) |
20+26 MA (1,4%) |
3 487 |
103,3 |
1995/1996 |
3 167 (90,8%) |
300 (8,6%) |
20 (0,6%) |
3487 |
103,3 |
31. 12. 1996 |
3 578 (94,2%) |
200 (5,3%) |
20 (0,5%) |
3 798 |
112,5 |
CCD - Czech Congregation of Dominicans
MA - Military Academy
Table 2 The
structure of accommodation for MU students
Year |
first year students |
second- to final-year students |
foreign post- graduate students and fellowship students |
foreign students |
1993/1994 |
35% |
53% |
4% |
8% |
1994/1995 |
30% |
56% |
4% |
10% |
1995/1996 |
32% |
63% |
1% |
4% |
31.12.1996 |
31% |
61% |
2% |
6% |
Table 3
Development of meeting demands for accommodation
Year |
Accommodation |
Applications |
Total placed |
1994/1995 |
3 487 |
5 040 |
69,2% |
1995/1996 |
3 487 |
5 784 |
60,3% |
31.12.1996 |
3 798 |
5 282 |
71,9% |
CATERING SERVICES
The catering services provided by ÚSKM MU were extended and improved. in the year 1996. The number of servings increased by almost 123 000 (9.3%) compared with the year 1995.
In 1996 two opinion polls were conducted to find out what the customers thought about the services provided. After the analysis an initiative was taken to solve the problems. One of the demands was to broaden the menu by offering two meat dishes and one meatless dish and to offer vegetables and cheese with wholemeal bread in two canteens daily and in the canteen in Moravské nám. once a week (vegetable salads are also sold here.
The prices of luncheon vouchers for students and employees and bonus books remained the
same in 1996.
Table 4 Number
and proportion of servings in University canteen
Students' canteen |
1992 |
1993 |
1994 |
1995 |
1996 |
Mor.nám. |
268 049 (26%) |
592 015 (48%) |
676 523 (52%) |
695 035 (48%) |
|
Veveří |
412 741 (46%) |
348 743 (33%) |
248 711 (20%) |
295 523 (22%) |
368 342 (26%) |
Vinařská |
475 107 (54%) |
425 289 (41%) |
400 892 (32%) |
344 501 (26%) |
376 154 (26%) |
Total |
887 845 (100%) |
1 042 081 (100%) |
1 241 618 (100%) |
1 316 547 (100%) |
1 439 531 (100%) |
Index |
100 |
117,4 |
139,8 |
148,3 |
162,1 |
Subsidy |
Income |
Total |
|
student's canteens |
15 319 |
18 570 |
33 889 |
halls of residence |
31 265 |
12 057 |
43 322 |
depreciation |
4 800 |
|
4 800 |
Komárov |
2 843 |
|
2 843 |
others |
|
1 765 |
1 765 |
total |
54 227 |
32 392 |
86 619 |
Table 6 Economic results of ÚSKM (thousands of CZK)
ROK |
Subsidy of Ministry of Education |
Earnings |
Costs |
Economic result (MA + BA) |
Economic result(MA) |
1993 |
42 191 |
37 193 |
74 116 |
5 268 |
1 175 |
1994 |
37 030 |
48 704 |
84 878 |
856 |
856 |
1995 |
44 626 |
47 374 |
91 620 |
380 |
380 |
1996 |
54 227 |
53 216 |
107 004 |
439 |
439 |
BA - business activity
Table 7 Number of ÚSKM workers
Year |
Halls of residence |
Student's canteens |
Total |
1992 |
144,4 |
75,6 |
220,0 |
1993 |
143,3 |
87,7 |
231,0 |
1994 |
146,3 |
88,8 |
235,1 |
1995 |
139,2 |
78,5 |
217,7 |
1996 |
145,1 |
83,2 |
228,3 |
Note: The increase in the number of workers in 1996 was associated with
the opening of the Komárov hall of residence on 1 July 1996 (7.8 workers).
PUBLISHING ACTIVITY
In 1996 the all-university publishing department received financial support to the amount of 1 million CZK from the University's budget. This fund was used to support the publishing of two periodicals, six non-periodical publications and three publications on the basis of contracts on accumulation of activities and funds.
With respect to relevant legal changes concerning the copyright and publishing activity a revision of the existing publishing contracts was made under the patronage of an expert in the copyright law and afterwards a set of six new publishing contracts and a draft of contract on publishing collaboration between MU and its faculties were worked out.
In accordance with the publishing schedules of faculties, the publishing house of Masaryk University published 252 titles of non-periodical publications out of which 64 % were student texts (162) and 36 % were research publications (90). The publishing house produced 69 % of titles (175).31 % of titles (77) were published on the external basis.
The year 1996 was satisfactory for the publishing house despite the inclusion of depreciation of costs which happened for the first time that year.
The incomes of the publishing house were ca. 89.9 % from the main activity and 10.1 % from business activity.
With respect to the fact that the publishing house is economically an independent department, it must incorporate changes of costs into prices for the internal customer. Also in this year the publishing house satisfied the requirement of Masaryk University to put prices of main activity that should not exceed 90% of competitive prices.
Table 8 Economy of MU in 1996 (thousands of CZK)
Costs |
Profit |
Economic result |
|
Main activity | 4 695 |
5 476 |
781 |
Business activity | 467 |
616 |
149 |
Total | 5 162 |
6 092 |
930 |
Table 9 Number and structure of publications
1992 |
1993 |
1994 |
1995 |
1996 |
|||||||||||
Faculty |
Student texts |
Research publ. |
Total |
Student texts |
Research publ. |
Total |
Student texts |
Research publ. |
Total |
Student texts |
Research publ. |
Total |
Student texts |
Research publ. |
Total |
FM |
21 |
- |
21 |
24 |
1 |
25 |
16 |
1 |
17 |
24 |
2 |
26 |
20 |
3 |
23 |
FA |
19 |
33 |
52 |
44 |
19 |
63 |
22 |
26 |
48 |
22 |
20 |
42 |
24 |
31 |
55 |
FS |
16 |
4 |
20 |
9 |
4 |
13 |
22 |
16 |
38 |
24 |
14 |
38 |
24 |
19 |
43 |
FL |
38 |
23 |
61 |
101 |
25 |
126 |
50 |
21 |
71 |
37 |
22 |
59 |
25 |
12 |
37 |
FE |
39 |
7 |
46 |
45 |
7 |
52 |
46 |
7 |
53 |
28 |
9 |
37 |
42 |
10 |
52 |
FEA |
8 |
- |
8 |
16 |
- |
16 |
7 |
4 |
11 |
20 |
4 |
24 |
23 |
8 |
31 |
FI |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
2 |
- |
2 |
1 |
- |
1 |
2 |
- |
2 |
CCE |
- |
- |
- |
- |
2 |
2 |
- |
5 |
5 |
- |
3 |
3 |
- |
2 |
2 |
MUR |
- |
7 |
7 |
- |
9 |
9 |
- |
7 |
7 |
3 |
11 |
14 |
2 |
5 |
7 |
Total |
141 |
74 |
215 |
239 |
67 |
306 |
165 |
87 |
252 |
159 |
85 |
244 |
162 |
90 |
252 |
COUNSELLING SERVICES
In 1996 the Counselling Centre of Masaryk University (PCMU) continued to develop a system of counselling services for students and graduates and carried out polls of graduates with the aim of creating information with the feedback to satisfy the needs of the management of MU and faculties.
In 1996 PCMU took part in the TEMPUS international grant called "Development of counselling services at Czech universities.".
In the last year PCMU organised the Second Fair of Graduates, published and distributed "A catalogue of employers" and conducted the third sociological enquiry "Completion of studies at Masaryk University, a retrospective and a perspective" and a sociological enquiry "The position of graduates in practice" and provided vocational and psychological counselling to individuals.
PCMU provided counselling services to 388 clients. The services included information about options of study at Masaryk University, assessment of an individual's profile, the profile of a future graduate on the labour market, information about vacancies, consultancy in labour law and preparation for an interview or an examination.
Psychological counselling was provided in 139 sessions and the most
discussed problems were partner relationships, sexual problems and problems of social
competence. Group sessions for 89 students discussed problems of personal goals, and the
purpose of study, self-recognition and dealing with people, personality. growth and
development.
Structure of PCMU clients related to faculties in 1996
Note: The total number of students does not correspond to
the number of contacts because of reasons of anonymity.
Development of demands for PCMU services
Note: The interest in individuals is expressed by the number of contacts and in groups by the numbers of participants