University and Union divided over key report

The University has dismissed some of the recommendations by a key report on higher education and social mobility.

Former Labour MP and author of the report Alan Milburn recommended pupils from poorer backgrounds should be given guaranteed interviews and lower offers. Mr Milburn said universities should “redouble their efforts” to give places to all those with talent and potential.

“Where appropriate, [Universities should offer] lower offers to less-advantaged pupils in schools they support,” he said. One example was providing bright but poor pupils the chance to study for a foundation degree if they have lower grades than would normally be asked for.

However spokesperson Peter Dunn told the Boar Warwick did not agree with this idea. Mr Dunn said: “The University already makes considerable efforts.” He cited bursary schemes and scholarships which the University already offers for poorer students.

However Students’ Union (SU) Postgrad Officer Anna Chowcat said the University is not on track to reach targets on providing fair access to higher education.

“A redoubling of efforts would be very welcome!” she said.

Ms Chowcat is also in favour of Mr Milburn’s proposals of offering lower grades to disadvantaged students.

She said: “Many Russell Group universities already do it, including Oxbridge, and the academic evidence shows that students who get comparatively lower ‘A’ Levels at worse schools do as well or better than their more advantaged peers.”

Nevertheless, third-year History student Tony Hewitt disagrees: “I think its a dangerous road to go down once you start variegating offers based on economic background, especially regarding guarantred interviews. It definitely belittles the achievements of those that have got in to university through merit, although I can understand the rationale between trying to keep these individuals in education.”

Mr Hewitt also said it was “perhaps unfair” to criticise the University. He commented: “Just doing student calling has drummed the fact that 35 new undergraduate scholarships were created last year through donations to the University.”