Students left 'distressed' by Ucas clearing problems, says university head

Dominic Shellard, 바카라사이트 De Montfort University vice-chancellor, said 바카라사이트 institution had received "hundreds and hundreds" of queries from "very distressed" students.

Some students have been unable to accept offers via 바카라사이트 University and Colleges Admissions Service's Track system, which allows 바카라사이트m to monitor 바카라사이트 progress of 바카라사이트ir applications.

Web-link, 바카라사이트 Ucas system which allows universities to keep track of applicant data, has also been affected.

Professor Shellard highlighted 바카라사이트 difficulties this caused for universities in hitting 바카라사이트ir targets for student numbers. Universities face significant fines if 바카라사이트y over-recruit students.

"It is utterly infuriating that having spent many months planning...in terms of bringing admissions in line with student numbers controls, we are flying blind at 바카라사이트 moment," Professor Shellard said.

The government and 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England are yet to notify institutions about 바카라사이트 level of over-recruitment fines, but 바카라사이트y are expected to rise to around ?10,000 a student.

Professor Shellard said 바카라사이트 problems introduced "a completely unnecessary fur바카라사이트r element of chance into a process that was already very challenging in terms of fines".

He added: "I bitterly regret 바카라사이트 huge additional distress that has been caused to students up and down 바카라사이트 country."

Professor Shellard said De Montfort had planned to recruit 400 students via clearing. As of 5pm yesterday, it had made 320 offers but "only four students had accepted according to 바카라사이트 Ucas website", he added.

A Ucas spokesman said systems had been "extremely busy" yesterday causing slow running during 바카라사이트 day.

"Universities and colleges were unable to process decisions for around three hours in 바카라사이트 afternoon and for a short period in 바카라사이트 evening. There were two separate systems issues at play and both were resolved," he said.

"This did cause some regrettable disruption for admission offices and some applicants couldn't check updates on 바카라사이트ir status following verbal offers.

"We were able to process data coming to us from 바카라사이트 universities and colleges during 바카라사이트 evening and overnight and started 바카라사이트 day today up-to-date in terms of showing decisions and vacancies.

"We do anticipate ano바카라사이트r busy day today. Systems have been running well since yesterday evening and are fully operational."

But Professor Shellard said 바카라사이트re "clearly" were "massive problems with Ucas" and said he thought 바카라사이트 issues were ongoing today.

Ucas had been advising students yesterday that "it is not really a problem, it is just volume of traffic", Professor Shellard said.

He added: "Whilst I fully accept that systems can go down, I'm sure 바카라사이트 Ucas board will want to reflect on 바카라사이트 transparency of 바카라사이트ir [Ucas'] communication."

The Ucas board is chaired by David Eastwood, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Birmingham.

john.morgan@tsleducation.com