NUS –

NUS Scotland reacts to spending review

September 22, 2011 By Joseph Blythe Leave a Comment

NUS Scotland President Robin Parker "very worried" about cuts.

By Joseph Blythe

NUS Scotland have welcomed Scottish Government plans to increase funding for universities by around £75million. However they have said that they are “concerned” at proposed cuts to college funding, and warned that the government should ensure the number of places available doesn’t fall. The plans, announced yesterday by Finance Secretary John Swinney, are part of the government’s spending review, outlining the budget for the next three years.

There had been fears that austerity measures would lead to cuts in education, but Swinney was able to deliver on his party’s campaign promises of increased financial support and no tuition fees for Scottish students. He pledged a minimum income of £7000 for the poorest students, and the protection of the EMA for young students and pupils.

NUS Scotland President Robin Parker said “Taken together these proposals are a major step in right direction towards making access to education in Scotland fairer. This progress is very welcome news and testament to the hard work and campaigning by thousands of students across Scotland in the run-up to the last election.”

But he was less enthusiastic at the cuts facing the budget for colleges, saying “Colleges serve some of the most deprived communities in Scotland, offering an educational lifeline and local access to education to some of the most excluded in our society. They must make sure that no matter what, the number of places at college is at least protected and that quality is maintained.”

Filed Under: All Politics, Education Tagged With: budget, colleges, education cuts, John Swinney, Joseph Blythe, NUS, NUS Scotland, Robin Parker, Scottish Parliament, SNP, Spending review, tuition fees, Universities

More than 20,000 unite against government’s education cuts

November 10, 2010 By jkassner Leave a Comment

By Jenny Kassiner

24,034 students from all over the UK are registered to unite in London today to march together against the government’s proposed plans for higher education. The government proposed a rise of tuition fees up to £9,000.

More then 1000 of these students have taken busses down from Scotland to protest against the consequences the rise of tuition in England will have on Scotland.

Protests in London

[Read more...]

Filed Under: Education, Life and Society Tagged With: demonstration 2010, education cuts, EIS, higher education, NUS

Tuition fees to be tripled

November 3, 2010 By jkassner Leave a Comment

By Jenny Kassner

The government is to face opposition and disapproval of students as it announces its plans for the future of higher education today.

At the House of Commons, universities minister David Willets, announced that Tuition fees in England will be kept at £9,000. The lowest threshold is £6,000. Universities charging more than £6,000 will have to prove that they are doing all they can to attract students from poorer backgrounds as well.

Universities charging the highest possible fee will have to show to the Office of Fair Access that the university is progressing positively. If they fail to do so, they will have to pay back the extra funds they gain through the increase in tuition fees. This money will then be put toward to schemes that are successfully providing an increased access to higher education.

“The Government have completely failed to explain what students would receive in return for higher fees other than higher debts. Students and their families will simply not be fooled by rebranding of plans to triple tuition fees to foot the bill for funding cuts. They will also be justifiably believe that requirements on access, employability, quality or the student experience would be just as toothless as they are now”, Aaron Porter said in the official NUS statement on the government’s announcement.

The Lib-Dems have attracted a lot of disapproval from its student voters, after their u-turn in their higher education policies. Despite his election promises to vote against any raise in tuition fees, Nick Clegg is now backing the increase in fees. Aaron Porter, the NUS president, told BBC News that 15 Lib-Dem MPs have confirmed to rebel against the raise. “If Liberal Democrats were to keep the pledges they made to voters then proposals to railroad a tripling of tuition fees through Parliament would be dead in the water.”

The increase in tuition fees in England will also have severe consequences for Scottish students, as NUS Scotland declared. “The impacts in Scotland will be huge. Increased fees will force Scottish students studying in England into crippling levels of debt and will fuel calls for English students studying in Scotland to pay much higher fees. Worse still, the staggering 80% reduction in funding for universities will be passed on to the Scottish Parliament’s own budget”, said Liam Burns, president of NUS Scotland, “millions of students across Scotland are now relying on the Liberal Democrats to save them from these proposals.”

NUS declared that they are ready to protest against the government’s plans and to campaign against those Liberal Democrats that vote for an increase in tuition fees.

A detailed government plan will be released before Christmas this year. The proposed changes in university funding and tuition fees are planned to become active in the academic year 2012-2013.

Filed Under: All Politics Tagged With: higher education, Lord Browne's review, Nick Clegg, NUS, tutition fees

Students and staff organise against government’s cuts in higher education

November 3, 2010 By jkassner Leave a Comment

By Jenny Kassner

We will march is the slogan of an unprecedented demonstration against the rise of fees in higher education that is due to take place in London on the 11 November 2010.

Students, academic staff and the general public will be marching through central London to demonstrate against cuts in education and a raise in tuition fees of universities.

The Lord Browne report, that was released in October proposed to lift the cap off tuition fees. At the same time, the government’s comprehensive spending review revealed that there would be severe cuts in education funding. This had caused wide spread disapproval amongst the British student body and academic staff.

“We must fight so that the government continues to fund education to current levels, and student support to higher levels”, stated Liam Burns, president of NUS president at the senate of the Napier Students’ Association last night. He had been invited by the association to come to speak at their first senate of the year to raise awareness of the severe consequences the Brown review is most likely to have on Scotland.

Across the country, universities’ student associations are organising free coaches for their students to have a chance to attend the demonstration in London on 11 November. Online portals allow students to share and offer available seats on coaches.

The demonstration is organized by NUS and UCU (University and College Union). But with 7 million students and only about 125000 of academic staff a concern may be raised that the student voice will be much louder at the demonstration and staff issues might be silenced. However, the UCU press office has stated that student and staff were working together to preserve a fair system of higher education. “There is no battle between the two.”

The coalition will announce its response to the Lord Browne review today. They are expected to announce to put the cap of tuition fees in England on £9,000.

Filed Under: All Politics Tagged With: demonstration, Education, London, Lord Brown review, NSA, NUS, UCU

NUS Scotland president Liam Burns condems English tution fee plans

October 15, 2010 By edinburghnapiernews Leave a Comment

By Michael Heggie and Christopher Harress

NUS Scotland’s president Liam Burn has argued that Scottish students will suffer from Westminster tuition fee plans.

Listen here:

Filed Under: All Politics, Economy and Business, Life and Society Tagged With: Christopher Harress, Liam Burns, Liberal Democrats, Michael Heggie, Money, NUS

Major cash injection to benefit Scottish students

November 11, 2009 By rosscdoyle Leave a Comment

courtesy of Read My Day

By Ross Doyle

The Scottish parliament have announced they will invest £30 million into helping student support.

They will also introduce various other changes to the current student loans system that will see a rise in financial backing to help struggling students through the current financial climate.

SNP cabinet secretary for education Fiona Hyslop announced the plans on front of parliament which will be in place in time for the next academic year beginning in September 2010.

The new plans will potentially help up to 75,000 students, which is two thirds of all students across Scotland, and will help with the current annual rise of student intake of around 5.5%

There will be an increase in the maximum loan rising to £5,852 for the academic year which will apply to every student who qualified for the income assessed loan regardless of age.

There will also be up to £1,000 grant available for independent students.

NUS Scotland have been working closely with the SNP to help improve student support, with the NUS president Liam Burns claiming, “this is great news for students” helping to “get more money into student pockets.”

The amount has been questioned though by some members of parliament for not being sufficient enough to make a significant impact and that more has to be done to help with the problem. The Scottish Liberal Democrats stated, “hardship is the most important problem students face now.”

The possible re-introduction of the graduate endowment fee was also discussed although this was quickly ruled out.

Filed Under: All Politics, News in Brief Tagged With: Education, Liam Burns, Liberal Democrats, NUS, saas, Scotland, SLC, SNP. Fiona Hyslop, students, university

Lothian LGBT Helpline Launch

November 5, 2009 By Anna Leave a Comment

by Anna Fenton

After 35 years of running a helpline for gay and lesbian people in Edinburgh and the Lothians, Lothian Gay & Lesbian Switchboard (LGLS) took its last calls at the end of October. Taking over the running of the helpline from November 4^th is the LGBT Centre for Health and Wellbeing.

The helpline has the LGLS number (0131 556 4049) and will be available every Wednesday, 12.30-7pm. It offers support and information on a range of important issues including sexuality, relationships, sexual health and coming out. The service is available to anyone who is lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender and those questioning their sexuality or gender identity. It is also there to help families, friends, supporters and any other agencies acting on behalf of another person.

Stiofán McFadden, NUS Scotland LGBT Officer and University of Edinburgh LGBT President said: “The helpline is important, as it offers information and the LGBT societies do not have a very big presence on the web. It also offers support and advice for people who are confused about their sexuality, and as it is anonymous, people don’t feel as worried about it as they would coming to a meeting.”

LGBT Centre for Health and Wellbeing’s Manager, Maruska Greenwood said: “Switchboard volunteers have done a tremendous job providing this phone service for so long. Switchboard has over the years helped tens of thousands of callers and it is an honour for the LGBT Centre to take on their mantle. We already run a comprehensive programme of groups, events, courses and activities for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. Thanks to the funding NHS Lothian have made available we will now be able to also provide a dedicated telephone service that offers information and support to all LGBT people who need it.”

The LGBT Centre for Health and Wellbeing opened in 2003 as a unique initiative to address health inequalities by promoting the health of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people living in, working in and travelling to Edinburgh. There are a number of other helplines in Edinburgh , including Nightline, Depression Alliance Scotland and Samaritans, but the LGBT Helpline is the only one specifically for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people.

Filed Under: All Politics, Life and Society Tagged With: CEntre for Health and Wellbeing, helpline, LGBT, LGLS, NUS