Students tell MPs: ‘come clean on fees’
Students from Portsmouth descended on London last Wednesday, the 11th, to get the government to ‘come clean on fees’. The recently announced review of the fees has angered many students as it brings the possibility of further increasing the already high sum that students have to pay.
Wes Streeting, President of the NUS has argued that the government is attempting to avoid any backlash from student voters as the review is not due to finish until after the next general election. He went on to say: “If MPs do not speak out against higher fees by signing this pledge, they will be named and shamed, and students in their constituency will be urged not to vote for them.”
More than 60 MPs signed the pledge outside the protest against the fees.
Mike Hancock MP, the MP responsible for Portsmouth South, has voiced his support for students that are protesting against a system that he admitted has: “failed students.” He is also an advocate of returning to a system that would provide students with maintenance grants. This would alleviate the pressure for students that have to work whilst studying so that they can afford to live. He considers the city’s student population very important for the local area and is more than welcome to help any students that are having difficulty; he is currently battling to get two deposits back for University of Portsmouth students.
When asked about his opinion on the justification for higher tuition fees for international students; he said that universities use these students as: “bums on seats.” Students that are not from the UK are charged significantly more than their UK resident peers. For example, international students taking a BA (Hons) Hospitality Management course next year will be charged £10,500 for their first year, decreasing to £9200 for the second and third year.
The university’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor John Craven, released a statement confirming that: “The University is not lobbying for a fees increase, but has to recognise that it is one potential way of offsetting public spending cuts, which we deplore.” Despite the fact that the university increased tuition fees for this academic year. This statement clearly indicates a backtrack on the Vice-Chancellor’s position of just eight months ago when he stated: “There’s a good reason for suggesting a relatively modest rise to about £5,000.” (See www.tinyurl.com/d3zvra for full details) The Vice-Chancellor’s latest statement on the issue goes on to say that: “Any additional funding that we receive will be used to improve the student experience, and we will involve students in those discussions.” That said, last year saw a lack of student consultation in the redevelopment of the CO2 and Lux nightclubs.
