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October 2015
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THE MACCABEES: A DECADE AND WE’RE STILL A BIT HIT AND HOPE.............. PAGE 15
STAND UP AND STRIKE Protesters urge students to walk out of lectures over changes to study grants JOHN SHAW
AUSSIE RULES: Wallabies fly-half Kurtley Beale makes his mark on University of Bath turf ahead of their opening clash against Fiji. The Australian back and his team-mates trained at the state-of-the-art facilities as they prepared to launch their assault on the Rugby World Cup
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A CAMPAIGN group is telling Bath students to down pens and strike in protest at the decision to replace maintenance grants with loans. Bath Students Against Fees And Cuts have backed the idea, put forward by the National Union of Students, after the changes were announced by chancellor George Osborne in July. BSAFC member Maisie Sanders said: ‘To win the fight against fees, cuts and the marketisation of further and higher education, we need to have a tactic of escalation. ‘Recently, in the student
movement we have had local marches, national demonstrations and a series of occupations – but in order to win, I think we need to go further and have a student strike.’ It comes after the NUS’ head body, the National Executive Council, voted to support plans to strike if students’ unions across the country voted for it. Callum Hunter, a third-year English literature student at Bath Spa, said: ‘Increasing the university fees has already deterred people from going to university. ‘With the addition of more fees that will eventually have to be repaid, it will continue to prevent students from going
into higher education – so a strike would definitely be something I would participate in.’ Tino Prinzi, a third-year human nutrition student, added: ‘I think it’s pointless that the government are planning on lending money to students who they already know will never pay it back, on the chance that some might. ‘Students are forced to survive on very little, with the assumption from our government that our parents will foot the bill putting a strain on families, too. ‘Without the grants I receive, I know I couldn’t have studied for my degree and would’ve
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