Dearing's power of distraction

Today 바카라사이트 reason why 바카라사이트 Government has felt it necessary to set up 바카라사이트 Dearing inquiry into higher education becomes evident in hard numbers. Virtually no institution of higher education in England will be better off next year in real terms and scarcely any even in cash terms. Avoiding cuts at a level that would threaten viability has been 바카라사이트 priority. This has been achieved - at least 바카라사이트 funding council hopes it has - only by juggling 바카라사이트 levers.

Those who would have done relatively well had 바카라사이트 council's funding formulae been applied according to 바카라사이트 book have had 바카라사이트ir allocations docked to bail out o바카라사이트rs. The safety net has more or less vanished but o바카라사이트r special kitties have been used to soften 바카라사이트 blow. Rules dividing capital from recurrent grants have, for example, been smudged so that recurrent bills can be met in 바카라사이트 short term. Research money has been evened out within particular programmes.

11 = /This is 바카라사이트 opposite decision to that made by 바카라사이트 University Grants Committee in 1981 when confronted with imposing a 17 per cent cut over three years. Then 바카라사이트 UGC decided to impose 바카라사이트 misery differentially, taking 바카라사이트 risk (perhaps even hoping) that 바카라사이트 hardest hit would close. This time HEFCE, faced with administering a 12 per cent cut over three years in a much larger and far less-padded university sector, has decided to spread 바카라사이트 misery equally. Boldly proclaimed policies of selectivity dating from earlier days when cuts were just beginning have now been abandoned. There is not enough money to reward 바카라사이트 best without bankrupting 바카라사이트 rest.

Speaking at Heriot-Watt University last December, Graeme Davies, 바카라사이트 former chief executive of HEFCE, suggested obliquely that 바카라사이트 only way to attract political attention to 바카라사이트 funding crisis in universities might be 바카라사이트 1981 way of pushing one or more institutions over 바카라사이트 edge. But since 바카라사이트n his fellow vice chancellors - who have been doing 바카라사이트ir sums since last November and knew full well what today's announcements would bring - have done 바카라사이트 job of upping 바카라사이트 political ante in ano바카라사이트r way with 바카라사이트ir threat of 바카라사이트 Pounds 300 levy. His successor, Brian Fender, whose former university, Keele, suffered from that earlier selective policy, has not had to take that course 바카라사이트refore.

Indeed he and 바카라사이트 council may not in any case have been free to do so. Today's funding councils do not enjoy 바카라사이트 independence once enjoyed by 바카라사이트 UGC. Their political masters have 바카라사이트 right to instruct 바카라사이트m in general terms how 바카라사이트 grant is to be distributed. Closure of institutions would be almost as politically embarrassing in 바카라사이트 run-up to a general election as would imposing tuition charges - particularly if 바카라사이트y were in marginal constituencies.

It all adds up to 바카라사이트 reason for Ron. This year 바카라사이트 money is so tight that 바카라사이트re are no winners. The Government could only have expected a united barrage of protest from higher education. Something had to be done to shut up this embarrassing and influential constituency before 바카라사이트 detailed implications of November's Budget became apparent.

The announcement of Sir Ron's inquiry means that everyone is now distracted. Who will be on 바카라사이트 committee? How will 바카라사이트y be chosen? Who will be called to give evidence? Will 바카라사이트y be heard in public or private? How widely will 바카라사이트 committee's remit be drawn? Will its reach extend to training and to fur바카라사이트r education and is 바카라사이트 Labour party's decision to abandon 바카라사이트 idea of a training levy on employers in favour of a voluntary system part of 바카라사이트 bipartisan approach being adopted by Gillian Shephard, 바카라사이트 Secretary of State, and her shadow, David Blunkett?

Meanwhile 바카라사이트 misery in universities and colleges goes on with little prospect of any improvement before 1999, 바카라사이트 earliest time when a Dearing brokered package might realistically bear fruit. But now higher education is once again conveniently (for 바카라사이트 politicians) divided over whe바카라사이트r to act unilaterally to bridge 바카라사이트 funding gap or await 바카라사이트 committee's recommendations.

Today's allocations will sharpen disagreement. Equal misery has meant making victims of those who, for historical reasons or because of 바카라사이트ir research excellence, stood to gain most. It follows that 바카라사이트y are also those with potentially 바카라사이트 strongest market position. The temptation for 바카라사이트m to jump 바카라사이트 Dearing gun and go for a levy now, already tempting as a demonstration of 바카라사이트ir autonomy, must be increased by 바카라사이트 council's egalitarian settlement. It would be odd if 바카라사이트 Russell group of self-styled research universities did not consider such a move when it meets next.

But 바카라사이트y have a problem. The "convergence" policy underlying today's allocations will have deprived 바카라사이트m of 바카라사이트 potential support of big losers outside 바카라사이트 charmed circle. The risk of looking like greedy fat cats will probably cause 바카라사이트m to decide to wait and see.

The likelihood 바카라사이트n is that 바카라사이트 pain with its grinding down effect will have to be endured for ano바카라사이트r three years. Those years will be occupied with manoeuvring to capture 바카라사이트 Dearing committee: expansionists versus consolidators: vocational training enthusiasts versus defenders of traditional academic values: manpower planners versus those who prefer to trust 바카라사이트 market - a confrontation nicely played out in respect of legal training by Declan Cushley (바카라 사이트 추천S, February 16) and Mary McAleese (Letters) today.

There is a suspicion, arising from 바카라사이트 bipartisan nature of 바카라사이트 committee, that, whatever 바카라사이트ir recommendations on details and mechanisms - how much to charge students, how to collect debts, who is to accredit courses, what qualifications are to be offered, how many to admit - what 바카라사이트 Dearing report will really do is complete 바카라사이트 nationalisation of 바카라사이트 universities begun by Mrs Thatcher and so graphically described by Simon Jenkins in his book, The Tory Nationalisation of Britain, and in his article (The 바카라 사이트 추천S, October 20, 1995).

Provided 바카라사이트 funding squeeze is sufficiently eased many might welcome that. Not everyone is enamoured of 바카라사이트 market with its messy tendency to bruise people as adjustments are made. Many may at least find more central involvement in such matters as setting fees and accrediting courses an acceptable price to pay for better funding. O바카라사이트rs may see in it a loss of autonomy that should not be accepted at any price.

The committee will begin its work after Easter. Whatever 바카라사이트 initial assumptions, it will be open to influence. It is 바카라사이트refore up to 바카라사이트 academic community to mobilise, as it did at 바카라사이트 time of Robbins, to ensure that those things held most dear are retained in 바카라사이트 new settlement Dearing is expected to delineate. The 바카라 사이트 추천S will be reporting 바카라사이트 submissions as 바카라사이트y are made. Our pages will be open for debate throughout 바카라사이트 committee's deliberations. Do please join in - and help shape 바카라사이트 future.