– Jack Dobson-Smith campaigned against the rise in tuition fees opines about Lincoln deciding to charge £9,000.
Well there we have it. The University of Lincoln joins the bandwagon of other English universities setting their eyes on the £9,000 prize. Many of us are more than a little surprised, and people I’ve spoken to since the announcement are pretty angry about it.
Let’s get the facts out of the way so there’s no confusion. This university can afford to provide the same education it’s managed to offer over the years, for £7,500. This is something vice-chancellor Mary Stuart has said on numerous occasions. In terms of the cost of service, there is no significant reason for charging £9,000.
Jack Dobson-Smith led various campaigns against the hike in tuition fees in 2010. Photo: Carly Norton.
So what is this? Well the university spin will be that it needs to remain competitive, and with several other universities following suit. Realistically, it’s yet another nail in the coffin for higher education in this country.
It’s a flat-out mistake for the University of Lincoln to charge £9,000. Potential students will chose to pay the £9k to a university higher up the league tables, or pay less for one that not far from Lincoln’s dizzying heights.
But it’s not the kids that can afford the fee increases that we should be worried about. This cuts out the choice of going to a decent university for a more affordable price for our college students, our bright young friends in schools. Which if, like me they come from a poor area, they’ve probably dealt with a sub-standard education system all their life.
University was, for me, a way to break out of that lull, where school teachers taught you how to pass an exam rather than provide an educational experience. University’s a place for the free exchange of ideas, but how can we exchange ideas when you haven’t got enough people who can afford to participate?
Think of those kids now, who will chose not to be saddled with huge debts of at least £27,000 after three years. Those kids that are going to miss out on the experiences of a lifetime. Miss out on meeting amazing and intelligent minds, and making new friends. Miss out on deadline weeks that challenge your capabilities physically, emotionally, mentally and intellectually and the excitement of living independently, even if it’s just for three years.
Sure it’s a choice. It’s a choice that the university has effectively made for thousands of students: get saddled with debt or don’t get an education.
My advice? Get out of England, go international. France, Germany, the Netherlands, all now a hell of a lot cheaper, and several that are in the world leagues that Lincoln won’t foreseeably reach while under this fees system. Don’t waste your money on a “second-rate” education.
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Well, I went for an interview for another university not Lincoln for an management post, and it was a minimum of so many hours per week… On application I said I would work as few or as many hours as required to do the job efficiently. At interview they asked the same question. I said it was pointless them paying me for a full week’s work, which they were willing, if the job can be done in less hours. One of the panel replied ” O h well we can always find you something to do” I didn’t get the job….. So if the management is willing to employ people on this basis and waste money, no wonder the fees have to go up! Also university staff get very generous sickpay, holidays and pensions…. Food for though – I am on the student’s side!!!!!
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Christine Ball · University of Lincoln
As a student that currently commutes 50 miles and back every day, to Lincoln as it is the nearest University to me, it costs me on average £130 per week to attend. Petrol prices are so high, as are parking charges which on average is £6 per day! If you add the total costs of attending 4-5 days a week, it would actually be cheaper if I lived in Lincoln! Time spent travelling is also is an issue especially over the winter months, regarding bad weather and unable to get to Lincoln. Stating that with the new £9000 fees that students will stay closer to home is ludicrous as there are a lot of students who live in rural areas and are in a similar position to myself. As a mature student I have no option as I have responsibilities at home with my daughter and her schooling. For the younger students it is more financially viable to live on campus and therefore LV’s statement is quite a reckless, scaremongering scenario in my opinion. From experience living on or near campus is less time consuming and financially beneficial as opposed to commuting. I find the new costs absolutely devastating and it is a sad day for students today and for future students.I know for a fact, that if this had come in to effect 2 years ago then there is no way I would have been able to attend University and be in the position I am today. I feel so sorry not only for the younger students but the effect it will have on the more mature students who like myself have only just started their career after bringing up a family.I feel that the university will lose an awful lot of mature students which LV statement fails to acknowledge.
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I will be attending the university at the end of this year, the rise in fees will not affect me, but nevertheless it is a shame to see the fees rise this much. I now expect to see a backlash of students against the university for this rise, but in reality, we cannot blame them. At the end of the day, universities today are a business,and althoght the directors of Lincoln would have liked to have charged less than £9000py for fees, it’s just not possible, due to the cuts in teacher funding. They would have to chargeed at least £7500py in order to break even, but even then, I believe teaching would suffer. So hopefully the extra £1500 should be spent on maintaining teaching standards and facilities.
I am certainly not for a rise in fees in any university, but I believe Lincoln in this case had no choice but to charge the full fee. With over 2/3rds of universities now charging the full rate, I don’t necessarily think prospective students will go to a uni higher up the league table, I think it will be just as likely as it was with the previous fees. Besides, Lincoln is leaping up the tables at an amazing rate. I chose it over unis such as York,UEA and Nottingham.
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I am actually leaving this country for my masters as I don’t find the standards for the money charged to be acceptable. Studying in Europe is not as hard as it seems, often you will find prices only a fraction of those you would find here and more importantly with courses taught completely in English! I my self will be starting in Austria next semester where I will be paying roughly 1% of the fees asked here. The down side is the accommodation costs are not free as well, but are no more expensive than you would expect to pay here. So don’t be shy and look abroad!
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