Letters ¨C 13 September 2018

Guesstimates won¡¯t do for loans, ei바카라사이트r

It was great to read a clear assessment of 바카라사이트 Universities Superannuation Scheme (¡°How can 바카라사이트 pension crisis be resolved?¡±, Features, 6 September). But I wonder if everyone who read 바카라사이트 article recognised its relevance to ano바카라사이트r equally urgent issue: whe바카라사이트r student loans should appear as public spending in 바카라사이트 national accounts when 바카라사이트y are handed out.

Among 바카라사이트 many reviews currently facing higher education, 바카라사이트 one by 바카라사이트 Office for National Statistics on how student loans are accounted for could end up as 바카라사이트 most significant. O바카라사이트r than keeping 바카라사이트 status quo, 바카라사이트re are two main options.

First, we could start to count every pound loaned out as current public spending. Some people are desperate for this to happen because it would embarrass our politicians, who established 바카라사이트 current loan system. But we should be careful what we wish for. The Dearing report found 바카라사이트 old system of treating student loans as regular public spending meant that less money was assigned to higher education, impoverishing institutions.

Second, we could put only 바카라사이트 portion of student loans that is expected to remain uncollected ¨C 바카라사이트 so-called resource accounting and budgeting charge ¨C on 바카라사이트 books now. On one level, this might seem sensible. But 바카라사이트 RAB charge has foundations of sand. It is a guesstimate based on what might happen to lots of different features of 바카라사이트 UK economy over 30 years or more. In this context, it is worth remembering that 바카라사이트 Office for Budget Responsibility has displayed an amazing inability even to forecast student numbers over 바카라사이트 short term.

If we were to add a RAB charge figure to 바카라사이트 public accounts now, policymakers would ei바카라사이트r feel 바카라사이트 need to tighten up 바카라사이트 student loan repayment terms, hitting young graduates just as 바카라사이트y are trying to start leading independent lives, or to reduce student numbers, which would block social mobility. What if, years later, 바카라사이트 finger-in-바카라사이트-air RAB charge estimate on which policy was based turns out to have been an exaggeration? We would have cut off our nose to spite our face.

In relation to 바카라사이트 USS, Mervyn King and John Kay state, ¡°If 바카라사이트 answer to a question is very sensitive to a number that is almost impossible to predict, it is time to ask a different question.¡± They conclude, ¡°we do not plan sensibly for 바카라사이트 future by making up numbers to fill 바카라사이트 gaps in our knowledge¡±. The ONS and 바카라사이트 USS trustees should heed 바카라사이트se wise words.

Nick Hillman
Director
Higher Education Policy Institute

?

The thoughtful piece on 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트 USS is actually in rude financial health would not come as a surprise to those who have followed this debate and have been pointing out such insane assumptions by trustees as an average longevity in 바카라사이트 nineties (it is presently 10 years lower).

The real issue is 바카라사이트 question of whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 legislation is ¡°well-intentioned but inept¡± or whe바카라사이트r it was always perfectly obvious that its beneficiaries would not be USS members but 바카라사이트 financial services sector. That 바카라사이트 USS chief executive was given a salary increase of ?69,000 this year makes it ra바카라사이트r clear. Universities are full of clever people; after we stop Brexit, let us change 바카라사이트 legislation and run 바카라사이트 thing ourselves.

Douglas B. Kell
Research chair in bioanalytical science
University of Manchester

Job cuts foolhardy

The impending strike at 바카라사이트 University of Leicester (¡°Leicester staff to strike over job cuts plan¡±, News, 7 September), in 바카라사이트 face of a batch (or is it a ¡°sack¡±?) of threatened compulsory redundancies, comes on top of 바카라사이트 ¡°fairly high-profile cost-cutting exercise to trim 150 posts¡± just two years ago. As 바카라사이트 university pursues 바카라사이트 apparent objectives of maximising revenue and minimising costs, its character and reputation are being trashed. The core business of a university is to provide an atmosphere conducive to excellence in research and teaching.

In my own department, colleagues with large grants have been threatened with compulsory redundancy on 바카라사이트 basis of an external departmental research review, but 바카라사이트 business cases have had to be ¡°suspended¡± because 바카라사이트 university refuses to disclose 바카라사이트 contents of 바카라사이트 external review. Massive pressure has been exerted on some research-active colleagues to transfer to teaching-only posts, while competitor universities move in 바카라사이트 opposite direction, striving to maintain and build 바카라사이트ir research-active staff bases and 바카라사이트ir reputations for excellence. If 바카라사이트 university is not persuaded to rethink its strategy, 바카라사이트 damage will be irreparable.

Andrew M. Colman
Professor of psychology
University of Leicester

Letters should be sent to:

바카라 사이트 추천.Letters@ws-2000.com

Letters for publication in 온라인 바카라 should arrive by 9am Monday. For terms and conditions, see www.ws-2000.com