As an officer in the University of Manchester Students’ Union, I was shocked at the recent announcement by two-thirds of vice-chancellors, speaking anonymously, calling for an increase in the cap on tuition fees to at least £4000 per year, with some calling for it to be £20,000.
I strongly believe that this would be a very regressive move for Parliament to take, and will put off many people from applying to university. Students already graduate with thousands of pounds of debt, and the National Union of Students have estimated that if fees were to rise to £5,000 per year, students would graduate with upwards of £30,000 of debt, a magnitude of debt which is really only on a par with a mortgage on a house!
I am also disappointed that the vice-chancellors are speaking anonymously on this issue, and are not coming out publicly to ask for funds. I support their argument that higher education is underfunded, with class sizes out of control, underpaid staff and a lack of learning resources, but the solution cannot be to pass on the cost to the students.
I would like a debate on funding for higher education, but its terms of reference cannot just be ‘how much more should students pay’, and it cannot be conducted anonymously.
I urge you to oppose any plans by vice-chancellors to increase the cap on tuition fees or pass on costs to students, and I call on you to push for increased funding, from general taxation, for higher education, which must be a priority for this country in times of economic recession.
Yours sincerely,
Chris Jenkinson”
Please write to your MP about this issue as well. Feel free to use some or all of my letter for inspiration or the financial facts within.
The recent announcement that two-thirds of vice-chancellors across the country are lobbying for an increase in the cap on tuition fees is shocking and regressive. What’s worse is that the vice-chancellors are doing it anonymously. It isn’t just a small increase - it’s at least £4000 a year, with many arguing for £20,000 a year and one in ten demanding the ability to set any level. I don’t understand how more debt for students is going to be good for this country, especially in times of recession - students could be graduating with over £30,000 of debt.
It’s ridiculous that vice-chancellors are hiding behind anonymity and making these kind of statements. I want a debate on higher education funding - I don’t believe that higher education is funded well enough - but I want it to be open and transparent. I want to discuss why universities don’t receive enough resources to pay their staff a decent salary, or why class sizes are out of control, and why there aren’t enough books in the library. I don’t want it to be restricted to ‘how high should the cap be’, or done in the shadows.
I haven’t put as much time into my campaign as I’d like as I’ve been busy helping the current chair of Liberal Youth Manchester, Kate Little, run for a sabbatical position in our Students’ Union.
As a sabbatical officer myself, I know I’ve developed a huge amount as a liberal, as a campaigner and as a person, and if I’m elected I’ll be a loud champion of encouraging our members to stand for election in your Unions.
I’ve also brought liberalism into my Students’ Union and the University (through introducing online voting so more students are engaged, making decision-making more transparent, and supporting widening participation so access to higher education is based on merit, not one’s social background).
I know the reputation student politics has, and some of it is deserved. But student politics also teaches valuable skills like preparing for meetings, holding others to account, public speaking, lobbying and campaigning. I want membership development to be more than just increasing the number of members on the books.
Elaine Bagshaw, who I’m backing for Chair of Liberal Youth, visited Manchester yesterday and spent most of the day with Kate campaigning. I’m proud to support her - she has done a fantastic job as Chair since she took office and I know she will do even more if re-elected.
I’m voting for Elaine as I know she has a plan. A plan which means more branches, more campaigning, more communication, more socials, more teamwork, more policies, more activists, more members, more elected young people, and a Liberal Youth of which we can all be proud.
I’m running for Postgraduate and Mature Students Officer in the University of Manchester Students’ Union elections. Here’s the video I recorded for the campaign:
