Monday, December 06, 2010
The crux of the fees business
The proposed changes in the support for students paying fees look a lot better than the sytem they will replace. If the fees levels had been frozen the new system could be hailed as a triumph. It is not unreasonable for Vince and others to point this out. The immediate gerations of students may well be better of than under the plans proposed by (for example) the NUS.
But the underlying fee levels are being raised. And more important, the principle of future hikes seems to be conceded.
For me the crux of the fees rows is the clear intention of certain 'elite' universities to push for very much higher fees in the future. Tens of thouands more. if the taxayer is commited to meeting the extra cost for 'poorer'students' this is in effect putting a shotgun to the taxpayers crotch.
This is the point we need to hammer, and which is most relevant to the commitments we made at the last election. What lines can and should we draw against the elite tendency?
But the underlying fee levels are being raised. And more important, the principle of future hikes seems to be conceded.
For me the crux of the fees rows is the clear intention of certain 'elite' universities to push for very much higher fees in the future. Tens of thouands more. if the taxayer is commited to meeting the extra cost for 'poorer'students' this is in effect putting a shotgun to the taxpayers crotch.
This is the point we need to hammer, and which is most relevant to the commitments we made at the last election. What lines can and should we draw against the elite tendency?
Labels: student fees
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