Today’s fees vote is a huge disappointment to all of those students and members of the general public that have been campaigning against this rise in tuition fees. Complacency is not an option. Promises have been made by the government and the Russell Group about the benefits of higher fees and it’s imperative that students and student unions hold the government and their institutions to account on this subject in the forthcoming period.
The increased student contribution will have many consequences, one of which will be the higher expectations of students. Universities should never just be seen as ‘service providers’ and students do not, for the most part, wish to be seen simply as consumers, however the further marketisation of higher education will consolidate this approach. I hope that you will not neglect your new responsibilities in this area, and would emphasise the need for further investment in your institution’s student union, increased transparency on university spending, and guarantees of investment into front line services.
I urge all institutions of the Russell Group to constructively engage with their student unions in decisions around how the extra income raised from fees should be spent. Questions surrounding the quality of education, delivery, access, employability and information advice & guidance are more relevant than ever before, and the burden of answering them should be shared equally between government, institutions and students. The student voice must hold more weight than ever before and institutions should take proactive steps in ensuring that their students are heard
