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Endsleigh - The Hub

SSU President's Statement on the Browne Review

Statement from Joshua Forstenzer, President, Sheffield Students’ Union on the announcement of the Browne Review and the impact of the Comprehensive Spending Review.

Over the past two weeks, a death sentence has been issued to the system of British higher education as we know it. And this in two ways: first, Universities are facing unprecedented cuts in funding; and, second, students are going to be forced to pick up the bill through an unlimited increase in fees.

Even in the context of the cuts that were announced at the Comprehensive Spending Review, the cuts to higher education are colossal: 40% overall, including an 80% cut to the teaching grant.  These cuts are not only unjustified by present circumstances, they are fundamentally short-sighted.  Universities are the drivers of economic growth and innovation, and these cuts come at a time when the rest of the world is investing in higher education.

More disappointing still, is this government’s systematic failure to engage in constructive dialogue with those who offered reasonable counter-proposals. What we have seen instead is the ugly return of an antiquated slogan – “there is no alternative.” This is an insult to our collective intelligence.

Let no one be fooled, there are alternatives. Many, in fact.

But we are made to feels as though we are confronted by a fait accompli, an inevitable outcome:  “Government spending will be cut and the only way to raise new funds is to lay an ever increasing burden of debt on students.”

And these cuts leave our university in an untenable position.  To speak metaphorically, the senior management at this university (and every other in the UK) is being held at gunpoint. They are being coerced into accepting higher fees with a financial gun held to their heads. Indeed, the message is coming through loud and clear to: either accept higher fees, or be left with insufficient funds to survive. A choice of no choice at all, if ever there was one! 

It is in this context, and only in this context, that I can understand why our own Vice-Chancellor has been forced to join others in cautiously welcoming the Browne Review of Higher Education Funding.  If Britain is to preserve some of the finest and most respected universities in the world, these universities will obviously need to be appropriately funded.

But let it be clear, my anger relating to this issue is directed at Lord Browne, his panel and the Government.  Their failure to look in depth at any option other than higher fees for students smacks of irresponsibility - it is both intellectually dissatisfying and morally hazardous.  We should be having a real, honest and open debate on the future of higher education funding in this country where universities, students, young people, families, businesses and all those concerned are involved in the task of collective problem solving. We should not be forced to sacrifice future generations and their education because those in power simply refuse to foot the bill.

Your Students’ Union, in coalition with trades unions, hundreds of organisations and thousands of individuals are committed to fighting the changes to how we fund universities in the UK.  The proposed changes are dangerous. They are short-sighted and they threaten the universality and inclusivity that must be the core of any education system.  By beating back these proposals, we can open the space to start a genuine dialogue about the future of university funding.

But to achieve this we need you. We need you to get involved.  We need you to join us on the 10th November in London to march against draconian cuts in higher education.  And we need you to write to your MPs, to talk to your friends and relatives and to do all you can to put irresistible pressure on those in positions of power.

It won’t be easy, but this is a fight we can win. And a fight I believe we must win for our sake, for our younger brothers and sisters, and for the future.

In unity,

Joshua Forstenzer

President

Sheffield Students’ Union

National demo tickets available from the box office priced at £2

Write to your MP by following this link: http://www.shef.ac.uk/union/you-run-us/campaigns/spending-cuts/write-to-your-mp/

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