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ODEON FANATICAL ABOUT FILM
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ISSUE 242
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TUESDAY 20th APRIL 2010
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www.concrete-online.co.uk
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UEA'S INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER
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FREE
STUDENT VOTE DECISIVE Union poll shows less that one In ten Norwlch-South residents think universities should be given powers to Increase tuition fees. Charles Clarke leads election poll with 39% of the vote with Conservatives on 20% and Lib Dem and Green candidates on 19%.
Nick Church Less than one in ten residents in _ the Norwich-South say universities should be allowed to increase tuition fees above current figures, according to a new lpsos MORI poll conducted for the Union of UEA Students. Despite this, among those certain to vote, 39% said they would vote for Labour MP Charles Clarkewho has declined to state a clear position for or against an increase in tuttion fees until the results of the Browne Inquiry are released . The poll of over 800 residents in the Norwich-South constituency suggests tuition fees and tactical voting could be decisive issues in the election on May 6th. The remaining proportion of votes indicate an even split in anti-Labour votes with the Conservatives' Anthony Little slightly ahead
on 20% followed by the Liberal Democrats and Greens with 19% each. The Liberal Democrats' proportion of the vote is down by 11% despite the seat conventionally being seen as a Labour/Lib Dem margina l. The Green party - who are the leaders of the opposition at the City Council - have seen a significant increase in their proportion of the vote. The outcome is predicted to depend much on the prevalence of tactical voting. Natasha Barnes, UUEAS' Communications Officer, stresses the results from the poll show that tuition fees are not just an issue for students: " many college students and parents of children who will want to go to University agree that a degree should not cost more than £3,225. "A significant number of voters in Norwich South want
to see the current system of upfront fees abolished altogether. For too long the two main parties have retained a cosy silence on whether they'd vote for a rise in fees." Cities with large student populations could prove decisive in marginal seats and the NUS hopes to mobilise this vote against MPs proposing an increase in tuition fees. Norwich has been identified as one of the key battlegrounds in this campaign . Currently only Liberal Democrat candidate Simon Wright and Green candidate Adrian Ramsay have pledged to oppose an increase in tuition fees. Speaking to Concrete, Charles Clarke defended his current position: "The Government should only raise the current fee cap significantly if universities succeed in making the case that a higher level would promote
educational diversity without deterring applicants from poorer backgrounds. I do not currently believe that the case has been made but I will look at the evidence offered by the Browne Report before finally deciding how I vote on any proposal. "I favour increasing the maintenance loan so that it fully covers living costs; removing the parental means test so that all students are fully independent at the age of 18; and extending the system to some non-degree, part-time and postgraduate courses. This should l:ie paid for by establishing a real rate of interest for the tuition and maintenance loans and incentivising early repayment." The poll asked 801 people a series of questions based on who they intend to vote for and
CHARITY GRAND PRIX RAISES £3500 FOR EAST ANGLIAN CHILDREN HOSPICES
VICE CHANCELLOR EARNS MORE THAN PRIME MINISTER David Churchill
UEA is part of a widespread national trend which saw university spending packages for Vice-Chancellors sky rocket in the 2008-09 academic year, as it has emerged that UEA spent £519,000 on its ViceChancellor in that year.
The astronomical sum means the university shelled out the third highest pay package for a Vice-Chancellor of all universities across the country. Disclosure of the figures comes at an embarrassing time for UEA while it is being forced to tighten its belt and shed jobs due to announced government cuts, and it is
expected that tuition fees will rise in order to cover universities' fiscal deficits due to "spiralling costs." Since 2006-07, when the implemented government its controversial top-up fees scheme, student contributions have risen by 150% which has helped fuel a pay increa:;e of 15% for the role of Vice-Chancellor at UEA
over the same time span. The amount of staff earning over £100,000 annually has also risen by 30%. Nicola Dandridge, chief executive of Universities UK, said the pay packets were justified and " reflect what it takes to attract, retain and reward individuals of sufficient calibre, experience and talent."
Figures show that although former UEA ViceChancellor Professor Bill Macmillan received £519,000 for 2008-09, only £224,000 represented his salary per se, while £265,000 of the overall sum was paid by UEA for "recognising his retirement before normal retirement age." The value added "retirement" package
"was not a payment of salary" and is seen as a one-off by the university, which explains why it ranked third in a league of largest pay packages for a ViceChancellor. The remaining £30,000 apportioned was for additional annual pension contributions.