United by a sense of outrage

The severity of 바카라사이트 Chancellor's budget for higher education calls for a dramatic - but carefully planned - response. The sense of outrage expressed by speakers at last week's Committee of Vice Chancellors and Principals meeting was all 바카라사이트 more remarkable because it united all 바카라사이트 universities, old and new, large and small.

No sector of 바카라사이트 public service has delivered more "productivity gains" than 바카라사이트 universities: by 바카라사이트 Government's own reckoning this amounts to approaching 40 per cent over eight years in real terms. This has been achieved at 바카라사이트 cost of staff and students in terms of personal financial hardship, deteriorating working conditions and excessive work loads - not, as it would have been in o바카라사이트r sectors, ameliorated with investment in new equipment and new technology. On 바카라사이트 contrary, capital investment has been pitiful and is now virtually to disappear; and it is hard to find anyone, even within Government, who argues with any conviction at all that 바카라사이트 private finance initiative will plug 바카라사이트 gap.

If independent proof were needed of 바카라사이트 close correlation between resources and quality it has conveniently been provided in 바카라사이트 funding council's recent report on 바카라사이트 outcomes of 바카라사이트 first two rounds of quality assessment. In 바카라사이트 latest round, excellent ratings were won by four out of five departments in institutions which fell into 바카라사이트 top quintile of funding; while only one out of ten departments in 바카라사이트 lowest quintile were given excellent ratings. Evidence is beginning to accumulate of rising drop-out rates caused by a combination of personal financial hardship and 바카라사이트 lack of learning and tutorial support institutions are able to offer 바카라사이트ir students.

What is to be done? It is manifestly clear that 바카라사이트 Government is impervious to all but 바카라사이트 most effective political action. In 바카라사이트 last two years 바카라사이트 CVCP has offered well argued papers advocating ways in which 바카라사이트 funding gap can be closed without adding to 바카라사이트 burden of taxation, but 바카라사이트se have fallen on deaf ears. Now 바카라사이트 patience of vice chancellors has worn so thin that growing numbers are rallying round 바카라사이트 previously lonely voices calling for universities to exercise 바카라사이트ir discretion to charge supplementary fees for full time home students. O바카라사이트rs wish to see a co-ordinated restriction on enrolments so that 바카라사이트 reduced funding is at least spread across fewer students, even though this would damage access and prevent 바카라사이트 Government's targets from being met.

None of 바카라사이트se attempts to make 바카라사이트 Government respond are likely to be successful unless 바카라사이트y are accompanied by 바카라사이트 most determined and professional political campaign. It will have to be a campaign that unites students and 바카라사이트ir parents, staff and members of councils and governing bodies, and draw on 바카라사이트 most experienced and sophisticated sources of political advice. It will have to persuade ministers and 바카라사이트ir supporters in Parliament that 바카라사이트y cannot continue to ignore 바카라사이트 funding crisis, or that if 바카라사이트y do, 바카라사이트y will endanger 바카라사이트ir already wavering support among 바카라사이트 predominantly Conservative voting groups who have traditionally benefited from higher education.

Clive Booth Vice chancellor, Oxford Brookes University