Shellard backs bid to save student opportunity fund

The whole of 바카라사이트 ?3 million student opportunity allocation to institutions, attached to 바카라사이트 poorest students, is said to be under threat in talks over cuts to 바카라사이트 Department for Business Innovation and Skills budget.

Dominic Shellard, 바카라사이트 De Montfort University vice-chancellor, has been using his Twitter account to argue 바카라사이트 case for 바카라사이트 funding. He also ¡°led a lunchtime student protest¡± on campus, according to 바카라사이트 university.

The future of 바카라사이트 funding will be made clear in 바카라사이트 2014-15 grant letter from BIS to 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England, which will be sent once 바카라사이트 budget talks are concluded.

On Wednesday, 바카라사이트 Treasury was reportedly indicating that 바카라사이트 science and research budget was safe, according to one source with knowledge of 바카라사이트 talks.

If that is 바카라사이트 case, it is likely to spell bad news for student opportunity funding. Cuts are being required of BIS as it grapples with a ?1.4 billion overspend, caused by 바카라사이트 stronger than expected bounceback in student numbers, along with a failure to control student numbers at private providers.

At De Montfort, 바카라사이트 student opportunity allocation brings ?4.7 million year.

Professor Shellard said: ¡°DMU has a great tradition of widening participation, social inclusion and fair access so any proposed cuts that would diminish our provision of outreach activity, disability support, counselling and careers would be of great concern to us.¡±

On Twitter, Professor Shellard described how a job swap day with 바카라사이트 students¡¯ union president had coincided with 바카라사이트 news that 바카라사이트 funding was under threat.

¡°As acting DSU President today leading a demo against cuts to Student Opportunity Fund,¡± he Tweeted on 16 January.

¡°Can¡¯t believe my jobswap has coincided with a student demo in an excellent cause. To defend 바카라사이트 Student Opportunities Fund,¡± he added.

He also said on 바카라사이트 site: ¡°If it¡¯s true that 바카라사이트 Treasury is pushing to abolish 바카라사이트 Student Opportunity Fund in its entirety from 2014, that would be terribly damaging.¡±

And he added: ¡°It¡¯s tremendous that David Willetts [바카라사이트 universities and science minister] is fighting against what would prove to be a hugely regressive step.¡±

The National Union of Students has also mounted a campaign on social media using 바카라사이트 hashtag to urge against cutting 바카라사이트 funding

john.morgan@tsleducation.com