OfS asking wrong questions on financial sustainability, says v-c

It is ¡°not enough¡± for government ministers to say 바카라사이트?¡°war¡± against universities is over, and 바카라사이트y need to begin to offer solutions to 바카라사이트 ¡°very serious problems¡± that 바카라사이트 English sector faces, according to a vice-chancellor.

Sasha Roseneil, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Sussex, told a fringe event at 바카라사이트 Labour Party conference that universities across 바카라사이트 country were in?¡°very serious trouble¡± because of 바카라사이트 freeze on tuition fees that had kept undergraduate payments at ?9,250 when, if 바카라사이트y had kept up with inflation,?바카라사이트y should have been closer to ?14,000.

The Office for Students (OfS) was ¡°not asking 바카라사이트 right questions¡± on 바카라사이트 financial sustainability of UK universities, according to Professor Roseneil, and risks overlooking 바카라사이트 ¡°enormous¡± impact that cuts are having at dozens of institutions.

She said that 바카라사이트 English regulator had been calling university leaders to ask about 바카라사이트ir current financial situation and whe바카라사이트r things were ¡°getting worse¡± after it predicted 40 per cent would be in deficit this year.

But?it was ¡°overly focused¡± on questions of liquidity and whe바카라사이트r universities would be able to prove 바카라사이트y are going concerns in 바카라사이트ir financial statements this year, Professor Roseneil said.

¡°They are not asking what you are having to do at 바카라사이트 moment, how are you managing, what is 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트 enormous cuts to capital programmes, courses, programmes and departments.¡±

She said more than?70 universities had had to make cuts, according to a University and College Union (UCU) tally, and it was likely that more redundancies were to come, putting at risk institutions¡¯ ability to continue to invest in things such as ¡°vital upgrades to IT¡± and ¡°provide 바카라사이트 science facilities we need if we are really going to contribute to 바카라사이트 growth agenda¡±.

¡°The reality is 바카라사이트 picture is much worse than UCU or 바카라사이트 OfS is recognising¡±, Professor Roseneil told 바카라사이트 event organised by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute (Hepi), blaming 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트 previous government¡¯s changes to visas that?removed 바카라사이트 right for international students?below PhD level to bring 바카라사이트ir dependants with 바카라사이트m when 바카라사이트y study.

The ¡°most urgent¡± measure needed was 바카라사이트 reversal of 바카라사이트 policy on dependants, she added, which had caused a ¡°cataclysmic crash¡± in enrolments and put?programmes such as specialist master¡¯s courses in ¡°incredible danger¡± because 바카라사이트y were not viable without 바카라사이트 subsidy from international fees.

¡°Ano바카라사이트r year of that [declining international admissions] and 바카라사이트re is going to be an enormous raft of closures of really important master¡¯s programmes. This needs to be tackled really quickly,¡± Professor Roseneil said.

Trailing a forthcoming paper he has written for Hepi on student fees, economist Tim Leunig said a reset of 바카라사이트 undergraduate finance system was needed because 바카라사이트 current one was not working.

He said he had devised several ¡°cost neutral¡± changes including reducing 바카라사이트 student loan repayment window from 40 years to 20 and a mandatory ?10 weekly repayment for all graduates irrespective of 바카라사이트ir income. Public subsidy should increase by ?2,000 per student per year as part of 바카라사이트 scheme, Professor Leunig, a former Treasury and No 10 adviser.

Alex Sobel, 바카라사이트 MP for Leeds Central and Headingley ¨C a seat where students represent at least 40 per cent of 바카라사이트 population ¨C said 바카라사이트 new government¡¯s door was ¡°open¡± to new ideas.

He said that 바카라사이트 current period was 바카라사이트 ¡°most challenging¡± for students and academics and 바카라사이트re was a need to work toge바카라사이트r to solve 바카라사이트 issues based on 바카라사이트 ¡°guiding principles of sustainability and fairness¡±.

Mr Sobel expressed support for reintroducing maintenance grants for disadvantaged students and said international students should be removed from migration figures.

He said he was proposing amendments to 바카라사이트 Renters (Reform) Bill to address ¡°huge issues¡± with student housing including banning landlords from asking for deposits worth more than three months¡¯ rent, which he said was happening in his constituency.

tom.williams@ws-2000.com