SU gears up for fees response

Warwick University Students’ Union is preparing a response to the University’s decision to review their tuition fees for the start of the 2012/13 academic year with serious criticism reserved for the transparency of the process.

Education Officer Sean Ruston expressed his anger at how “inaccessible” information about executive decisions was to students and assured that the aims of the lobbying exercise which will look to students for ideas on funding distribution, would be “greater representation” of ordinary students’ views in the decision making process and a much improved “student experience” when the tuition fees increase will provide the University with additional funds.

Students may have to accept much-inflated tuition fees for UK undergraduates as opposed to a possibility of a funding shortfall. The University of Warwick is in a rush to pass proposals prior to presenting their plans to OFFA (Office For Fair Access) by the beginning of term three. Bearing in mind that Government teaching grants will be slashed by 80 percent, Mr Ruston explained that the alteration of University funding would represent a “massive change” to how the University operates. He hinted to the tone of the response by saying that, “If the University wants students to pay a premium for reputation; then students will call the shots” over the delegation of funds.

The SU Working Group (consisting of Sabbatical and part-time officers) sat for the first time this term on Friday to discuss its position on how much money the University should devote to teaching and facilities and to access grants.

One of the first policies the SU is advocating is ‘accommodation discounts’ for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, as some University-provided accommodation costs more than the standard maintenance loan. They also say the ratio of state to private school pupils needs to be rectified further. In tandem with this paper, the SU will issue surveys to ask students what priorities they have for the additional funds, followed by a referendum motion of proposed improvements to the student experience to the student body in Week 9.

One of Ruston’s biggest complaints was that Sabbs were put under pressure to get the word out. “[University executives] said that they were going to put stuff on the insite – we’ve pushed them on it – but they don’t do it in helpful ways. You have to really dig to find out what’s going on.”

Matthew, a third-year science student, said: “It’s the University’s duty to inform anyone … I think personal tutors are the only way [to do this]”. Roman, a first year Finance and Accounting student said: “People are not aware of the decision making … It’s not fair.”

Megan, a third-year studying French and Italian, could already cite some improvements. “The University is not designed for students … more for businesses coming in. I would want more contact hours… The nights out are so expensive too.”

The University’s Steering Committee sat last Monday to discuss the proposals for the Wednesday Senate meeting. SU President Daniel Stevens sits on the Steering Committee and there are also three student representatives at the Senate. The SU is pushing for more. The Council, which will approve the measures once they have been drafted, has not convened since 20 November 2010 and no meeting has been officially scheduled.

The proposals on fees will have to go through all these bodies, plus the academic faculty heads, prior to approaching OFFA. All details are available via the University’s insite, in the ‘Governance’ section, and, although generally critical, Mr Ruston added that the University was “pretty transparent” when it came to publishing procedure.