Wednesday, March 14, 2012.11:00am until 1:30pm.. Meet 11am in University Square for rally

12-1.30pm Panel discussion:
How can we respond to the HE White Paper?
International Lounge
 

facebook event: http://www.facebook.com/events/342130039163115/

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

What is it all about?

Everyone knows that last year the government voted to increase tuition fees to £9,000 per year. However, this does not mean any more money will be spent on education; at the same time the government cut the central teaching funding by 80%, and in Arts and Humanities, by 100%. The new fees are simply making up for the cut. Anyone who thinks that this is the end of the story is wrong. The government is not just making Higher Education far more expensive for students, it is drastically altering the way it works:

Had you heard...

That to avoid lending out these new huge new tuition fees, the government is placing significant pressure on institutions to reduce the fees they are charging. This might sound like something positive for students. However now that central government funding has been slashed, this will mean much less spending on education.

For the same reason, they are encouraging universities to cut their bursary programmes, and put the money into ‘fee waivers’ – which means no money that actually helps you fund yourself whilst you are studying. Moreover, it only represents a fractional reduction in the colossal debt you graduate with.

Did you have any idea...

That the new system of recruitment quotas is going to make it much more difficult for students who don’t fit the standard ‘straight out of sixth form with A-levels’ mould to get onto degree programmes at ‘top’ institutions. Many of our students come to university from access courses, vocational qualifications and foundation programmes, and do just as well as those from more ‘traditional’ university-going backgrounds. The changes to university recruitment pose a massive threat to that kind of route into HE.

The Guild, along with Liverpool Hope Student Union are taking part in the day of action to try and kick-start the discussion as to how the student movement can respond to these changes.