USI HAS ACCUSED some third level institutions of "blatant mismanagement of funds" in their use of student money earmarked for student services. Union president Colm Keaveney made the charge as a Dail lobbying campaigning on the issue of student funding and representation reached its climax last week.

"USI is prepared to identify to the Minister for Education any local managements who have, basically, stolen student money to finance capital services," he said. Among USI's claims are that £800,000 of student capitation money has been "squirreled away" by one college for capital development, and that some unions are receiving as little as £5 from the £150 fee.

USI has been lobbying since December on issues of student representation, hardship and the future of funding. The campaign concluded last week when student representatives met over 60 TDs in a series of meetings around the State.

Keaveney described the response from deputies as "very positive". Union reps alerted them, in particular, to the problems facing students' unions in relation to the £150 non academic services charge introduced by the Minister last year.

"In effect, students in many institutions do not have a say in how their money is spent," Keaveney said. "The future of students' unions and their funding is very much up in the air at present."

Keaveney criticised the Minister for Education, Niamh Bhreathnach, for "watering down" her proposals' for university legislation which, in many cases, would have increased student representation on college decision making bodies. "If students do not have enough representation they will not be in a position to control their money at the highest level," he said.

Micheal Martin TD, Fianna Fail's, spokesman on education and one of those who met student lobbyists, said that the Minister's failure to ensure that students' unions received a fair share of the £150 charge was an "appalling error" which undermined the autonomy of the unions.

"The Minister made a mistake by not making a clear decision from the outset that a portion of the £150 should have gone to the students' unions," Martin said. He called for an immediate change in the system to ensure that unions were adequately funded.

A spokesperson for the Department of Education said that there was no indication that any guidelines on the distribution of the £150 would be issued, apart from the stipulation that the colleges should publish details of the amounts given under the headings of registration; examinations and student services.

The cap on the £150 charge is due to be lifted in 1997, but USI is anxious to ensure that colleges will not be allowed to increase the charge without the consent of the student body in the form of a referendum.

One of the items for discussion at tomorrow's meeting of the Higher Education Authority is the possible establishment of a HEA sub committee to make representations to the Minister on funding for students' unions and student services. USI is seeking a minimum 50 per, cent representation on any such committee.