Greg James
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Radio 1 DJ and UEA alumnus, Greg James, chats to Concrete ahead of his Freshers’ Bash performance.
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Tuesday 12th October 2010 • Issue 245 • UEA’s Independent Student Newspaper
INTEREST GROWS IN STUDENT FEES Pressure mounts on the coalition government to reach an acceptable compromise on higher education funding. Rob Schatten Davina Kesby
News Correspondents
The coalition government is moving to finalise a deal that will restructure the way graduates repay their student loans. A new ‘variable interest rate’ could be introduced whereby those who secure higher-paid postgraduate employment will be required to pay back loans at a higher interest rate. In practice, this could see loan repayments mirroring the national interest rate (currently at 0.5%), rather than following the base rate as they do presently. The base rate currently stands at 1.5%. In 2008, the national interest rate reached as high as 5%. Discussions are also focussing on the question of whether or not to remove the cap on tuition fees, a move which could see payments rise to more than double the current figure, capped at £3,290 per annum. The Browne Report into the financing of higher education, due to be published on Tuesday, is expected to advocate an increase in tuition fees up to around £7,000 per year. The report will also recommend a rise in the threshold for starting repayments, which is currently set at an annual salary of £15,000. The search for a new method
of recouping loans has frustrated Conservative and Liberal Democrat politicians for months, with the two sides seemingly diametrically opposed over the issue of restructuring student fees. The Lib Dems campaigned against any rise in fees, with Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, saying during the general election campaign that any increase in student debt would be “a disaster”. It seems that such a move is now inevitable. Former Lib Dem Universities spokesman, Stephen Williams, said his party was not necessarily abandoning their pledges from the spring, but that he was concerned by the idea of a market-rate repayment structure. He also expressed concerns at the possibility of different universities being able to charge different fees. “I’m really worried and I know a lot of my colleagues are worried that we may end up with a regime that makes people take choices they’re not necessarily academically suited for,” he told the BBC. Although a raise in fees had been widely expected in the higher education community, the deal has stalled over finding a suitably forward-thinking policy to placate disgruntled Lib Dems. This apparent compromise, however, will not be greeted with jubilation by students from poorer backgrounds who may
Greg Mann
now be forced out of studying for a degree. Rachel Handforth, Academic Officer for the Union of UEA Students, said: “The Union believes that variable interest rates are a poor attempt to disguise the rise in fees that will almost certainly be recommended by the Browne Review. In the end, it will make very little difference to the final amount that students will have to pay back. The most worrying thing for students is the potential removal of the cap on tuition fees”. Aaron Porter, president of NUS, told Concrete: “There is nothing fair about hiking fees and doubling student debt, whilst also increasing interest payments for those who have to borrow the most in order to fund their way through university. It would be an insult to the intelligence of those who voted for the Liberal Democrats to attempt to rebrand the regressive and deeply unpopular top-up fee system”. He went on to say: “Liberal Democrat MPs have long opposed tuition fees and at the general election each of them signed a pledge to vote against higher fees in Parliament. It would be a complete betrayal of the electorate to abandon this flagship promise”. Turn to page 3 for Concrete’s coverage of the NUS battle against the Browne report.
Students face higher tuition fees and a larger amount of debt
NEWS: NUS vs. the Browne Report
NEWS: Freshers left alarmed
NEWS: Sportspark brand Norwich streets
FEATURES: Do you back the coalition?
SPORT: Meet UEA’s Boat Club.
As the Browne Report is released, the NUS have been leading the fight against higher fees. Page 3
Freshers are being disrupted by older students setting off fire alarms in halls. Page 4
The Sportspark have used innovative marketing techniques to spread their new logo around the city. Page 6
Students give their views on the coalition and what it has achieved so far.
Concrete Sport catch up with one of UEA’s most popular and successful sports clubs, the UEA Boat Club.
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