Fees and students' unions

I just noticed that my first post has now got 14 comments. On closer inspection most of them seem to be adverts for stuff, which is a shame as I was hoping people were just enjoying my blog! Oh well. If you were reading this in the hope that I'd give some advice on cheap places to buy viagra then your luck is in(!) - just hit a link from a comment on my first entry.

On the subject of buying stuff it can't have escaped any student's notice that education now comes with a direct price tag for students. It was on the subject of student fees that I heard David Willets, the shadow Secretary of State for innovation, Universities and skills, speak at this University last night. He stated ‘I’m not calling for the cap to be lifted and I’m not calling for it to be lowered’, but he did say he thought the review into the impact of fees should start now even if a decision on future funding for higher education won't be taken for a couple of years.

As a Union we are gearing up to ensure the views of students get heard in the debate on fees and the potential marketisation of higher education. Contributing to this debate is part of our team objective on higher education funding. We clearly think we've got an important part to play and so, apparently, does David Willets who said that the hub of many universities is the students' union and that continued independence for students' unions is crucial. That's a point on which myself and Mr Willets are very much in agreement.

If you want to know more about what we're doing regarding higher education funding or have any questions regarding the Union then feel free to drop me a line at any point. The email's pete.johnston@shef.ac.uk, the phone line is 0114 222 8606 or drop into the office above Coffee Revolution.

Cheers,
Pete