Student Protest/Riots

Louisdf

The_One_Who wrote: »

You obviously have no idea what the money helps to pay for, or how much higher education costs. Also, as far as I am aware the figure for fees is £6,000. The £9,000 refers to 'exceptional circumstances', not the general figure.

Higher education is all about individual learning, and using the resources provided to educate yourself, to develop your own opinions on things. It is not about spoon-feeding.

As for the riots, it completely ruined their 'cause'. Violence and criminal damages aren't the way to get your point of view heard.

Whilst I agree with you that independent learning is an important part of higher education £9000 or even £6000 is simply too much. The UK is becoming one of the most expensive places in the Western world to obtain a degree. This will put talented people off from going to University, because of their finances, or send them to most other European countries where fees are affordable or free as their Governments realise the benefits of having an educated workforce. Not everyone is living in leafy West London/the Home Counties, earning £100,000 a year and able to pay these extortionate fees with interest. Most people who graduate, and who go into normal office jobs, will struggle to repay the cost of tuition fees. Meanwhile the party's still in full swing for the fat cat politicians who are claiming everything from their door mat to the £2 bus fare in their expenses, and screwing this country over at the same time!

popadom

Storck wrote: »

I oppose a lot of things but I wouldn't go round and smash someones offices up set fire to things in their front garden and attack the police.

If the teaching is substandard then go to a Uni with decent teaching, just like I wouldn't go to a substandard shop. Research where you are going first and you should find out if the teaching is any good.

*rant*
Personally, i do kind of agree...some students need punishment. THere was a peaceful protest ,then (and the student unions admit this) the people who came in and smshed things didnt understand the new changes.
I think students should be offered one of two:
the current way(eg get grants, loans)
or
you pay when you leave via a tax...so students can pick and choose
I think this would be better as people could choose

i think anyone caght on camera smashing(no tow ways about it,regardless of what you want voilence is NOT the way)
should be fined or kicked out, Only the people who actually damaged the glass. People forget...the tax payer will proberly pay for the damage..

If the teaching is bad, complain to someone...state this to the uni.

I didnt get the chance to go to uni, my mates are...why should i pay.. its not fair.

What annoyed me is on bbc 1 the new programme did and they interviewed a uni rep..she said it was "justified" to smash..it is not.

Louisdf

DCFC79 wrote: »

surely the money is used to pay for the upkeep of the uni, wages for the staff plus over costs

Well please enlighten me on who decides to pay the Vice-chancellors of UK Universities £150,000+ (and thats only what we know about.) Certainly not the public. They should have their pay cut before the already extortionate fees are double/tripled.

Taiko

Just a note, there is a bit within the regulations that allows the SLC/Local Authorities to terminate the support for any student who, through their conduct, shows they are not fit to receive it. Be interested to see if any of my 10,000 were caught up in it.

A lot of students didn't actually know what they were protesting though. Was it fee increases, or the conservatives? I'm going to go with the latter, given the majority of pro-Labour comments made by students at the protest, and from comments on messageboards.

If this is the case, maybe they should research who commissioned The Browne Review into HE funding. They'd find it's Labour, who actually wanted to put the fees up theirself. In truth, the choice for the coalition was to either leave fees as they are and cut places, or raise fees and keep the same levels, but this would maybe make some students think again about what they wanted to do in life.

dmg24

Louisdf wrote: »

Whilst I agree with you that independent learning is an important part of higher education £9000 or even £6000 is simply too much. The UK is becoming one of the most expensive places in the Western world to obtain a degree. This will put talented people off from going to University, because of their finances, or send them to most other European countries where fees are affordable or free as their Governments realise the benefits of having an educated workforce. Not everyone is living in leafy West London/the Home Counties, earning £100,000 a year and able to pay these extortionate fees with interest. Most people who graduate, and who go into normal office jobs, will struggle to repay the cost of tuition fees. Meanwhile the party's still in full swing for the fat cat politicians who are claiming everything from their door mat to the £2 bus fare in their expenses, and screwing this country over at the same time!

Perhaps some people are not suited to university?

jonnyd281

Sorry I have zero sympathy for the students now, especially after one of the union officials was on Newsnight last night stating that she went into the building and thought it was perfectly acceptable to smash windows and trespass.

I hope that the union suspends her and the universities expel anyone charged and found guilty as a result of this. peaceful demonstration is one thing rioting is NOT acceptable under any circumstances.

Incidently I always thought that universities were research institutions that did the teaching to fund the research, with lectures meant to re-enforce self study, you do after all read a subject and are not taught it.

Louisdf

rgay1992 wrote: »

*rant*
Personally, i do kind of agree...some students need punishment. THere was a peaceful protest ,then (and the student unions admit this) the people who came in and smshed things didnt understand the new changes.
I think students should be offered one of two:
the current way(eg get grants, loans)
or
you pay when you leave via a tax...so students can pick and choose
I think this would be better as people could choose

i think anyone caght on camera smashing(no tow ways about it,regardless of what you want voilence is NOT the way)
should be fined or kicked out, Only the people who actually damaged the glass. People forget...the tax payer will proberly pay for the damage..

If the teaching is bad, complain to someone...state this to the uni.

I didnt get the chance to go to uni, my mates are...why should i pay.. its not fair.

What annoyed me is on bbc 1 the new programme did and they interviewed a uni rep..she said it was "justified" to smash..it is not.

What a ridiculous idea! I haven’t been into a UK hospital for about 5 years, so according to you because I haven’t benefited from a National Health Service during that time then I shouldn’t have to pay for a health service through taxation? It is not possible to pick and choose what you want to pay for. The last time I checked it’s the year 2010 not 1810. Every economically developed country needs to have a higher education system with a large number of graduates to prosper. There’s a reason that places with a low number of graduates and a poor Higher Education system remain undeveloped and lagging behind other nations in terms of wealth. Higher education, in the long term always generates more wealth for everyone in a country, as people who receive it pay back the cost through higher taxes and their education helps the nation as a whole (i.e. doctors in hospitals.)

Louisdf

jonnyd281 wrote: »

Sorry I have zero sympathy for the students now, especially after one of the union officials was on Newsnight last night stating that she went into the building and thought it was perfectly acceptable to smash windows and trespass.

I hope that the union suspends her and the universities expel anyone charged and found guilty as a result of this. peaceful demonstration is one thing rioting is NOT acceptable under any circumstances.

Incidently I always thought that universities were research institutions that did the teaching to fund the research, with lectures meant to re-enforce self study, you do after all read a subject and are not taught it.

Well if you have to teach yourself, then why should you have to pay £6000 to a University?

dmg24

jonnyd281 wrote: »

Sorry I have zero sympathy for the students now, especially after one of the union officials was on Newsnight last night stating that she went into the building and thought it was perfectly acceptable to smash windows and trespass.

I hope that the union suspends her and the universities expel anyone charged and found guilty as a result of this. peaceful demonstration is one thing rioting is NOT acceptable under any circumstances.

Incidently I always thought that universities were research institutions that did the teaching to fund the research, with lectures meant to re-enforce self study, you do after all read a subject and are not taught it.

She was an absolute weirdo ('Windows cost nothing!'), they wiped the floor with her!

dmg24

Louisdf wrote: »

Well if you have to teach yourself, then why should you have to pay £6000 to a University?

You do have a choice as to whether to attend university or not.