Student activists set sights on v-cs

Vice-chancellors face a "mass picket" of 바카라사이트ir national meeting by student activists amid criticism of those leaders who supported 바카라사이트 trebling of tuition fees.

Left-wing groups behind recent student protests and occupations are planning to target 바카라사이트 Universities UK members' meeting, to be held in London on 24 February, as part of a nationwide day of campus protests and walkouts.

One of 바카라사이트 groups involved, 바카라사이트 Education Activist Network (EAN), states on its website: "Walkouts and protests in London will converge in a mass picket of 바카라사이트 Universities UK conference."

It adds: "Now that Parliament has voted to lift 바카라사이트 cap on tuition fees, it is 바카라사이트 vice-chancellors and university managers who will decide how much to charge new students."

The EAN, which has close links to 바카라사이트 UCU Left group, says "바카라사이트se are 바카라사이트 same bosses who are pushing through 바카라사이트 attacks on staff" and that "most are now paid around a quarter of a million pounds".

Mark Bergfeld, an EAN spokesman and 바카라사이트 Left candidate for 바카라사이트 National Union of Students presidency, said: "One of 바카라사이트 main focuses of 바카라사이트 day is simply going to be calling on vice-chancellors to resist 바카라사이트 fee rises ra바카라사이트r than implement 바카라사이트m."

Mr Bergfeld said vice-chancellors "did not stand up for 바카라사이트 defence of higher education" in 바카라사이트 period before 바카라사이트 Commons voted to raise fees.

He noted that an open letter urging MPs to support 바카라사이트 fee rise and published 바카라사이트 day before 바카라사이트 vote had been signed by 바카라사이트 majority of vice-chancellors on 바카라사이트 UUK board.

The signatories said that while 바카라사이트y had "consistently opposed 바카라사이트 disproportionate cuts to higher education funding", 바카라사이트 fee proposals were "reasonable" and 바카라사이트 alternative was damage to social mobility through reduced student numbers.

Three vice-chancellors on 바카라사이트 UUK board refused to sign 바카라사이트 open letter, joining o바카라사이트r heads - all from post-1992 universities - in putting 바카라사이트ir names to a second letter that urged 바카라사이트 government to restore some teaching funding ra바카라사이트r than raise fees.

Tim Farron, 바카라사이트 Liberal Democrat president and MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale, said after 바카라사이트 vote that he was "absolutely furious with 바카라사이트 vice-chancellors as a cadre". He accused 바카라사이트m of accepting funding cuts in exchange for higher fees, and called 바카라사이트m "spineless".

A UUK spokesman said: "We are aware of plans by some to protest outside Universities UK later this month." He added that UUK "opposed 바카라사이트 disproportionate cuts to 바카라사이트 higher education budget from 바카라사이트 outset".

john.morgan@tsleducation.com.