By Joe Rukin
Well the funding review has been leaked, and unless there are major differences between the leak and the white paper the recomendations seem to be more or less what we've been saying all along- top-up fees via graduate tax, with a token gesture of 'grants' which will be smaller and more inaccesible than they were at their aboliton in 1998. In a blatant bit of 'I told you so', here's a summary of our reporting so far
1st October 2001
At the meeting last Friday, Labour controlled NUS also voted to 'actively endorse graduate tax'- so expect the Government to announce plans for Grad Tax soon!
24th October 2001
The government on the 4th of October 2001, announced that as of August 2003 it would be replacing loans with a graduate tax and bringing "grants" back, due to it discovering during the election debt and tuition fees were New Labour's most unpopular policy.
20th November 2001
It is essential that students make themselves heard. In 1997 Labour controlled NUS managed to help the Government seemlessly introduce fees and scrap grants. Now behind closed doors they have already agreed to Graduate Tax against the wishes of students, with debate being centred on what the details of the finance package will be. Although the union may use fine words in public, they simply cannot be trusted when they are sent to negotiate with party colleagues, supposedly on behlaf of students.
14 April 2002
The PM wants the restoration of the maintenance grant for poor students and a new graduate tax.
22nd April 2002
One thing that was passed was for NUS to fight 'Graduate Tax', though a spoiling amendment agreed to means-tested only grants, a fall back from asking for return to previous levels. However, as Mandy Telford will become the next NUS President, campaigning against Grad Tax may be less likely.
1st May 2002
A big pointer to the fact that the government will push ahead with graduate tax opposed to commercial rate loans is to stop students Declaring themselves bankrupt and getting out of paying loans back.
2nd August 2002
The 'funding the future' campaign will campaign against grad tax, in be favour of EMAS, against no commercial loans, and in favour of the limited return of the grant.
1st October 2002
"For those of you who thought the campaign was about fighting fees, think again. "NUS agrees with the government that those who benefit from HE should contribute towards the cost.". Both NUS and the government are thinking the same way, to move fee payment to after graduation, as happens in Scotland. The arguments are that students find it hard to pay up front, it's a barrier to entry, and that the system would be better if it were administered by the tax office, not the universities. [Despite NUS policy] There is no mention in the document [NUS Funding the Future campaign] of any opposition to graduate tax by the way, leaving the preffered option of both NUS labour leadership and the government -fees paid through graduate tax- there for all to see."
3rd November 2002
"If any top-up fee is to be levied, and my bet is on simply changing the levels for current fees- (say the £4400, of which full fee paying students pay 25% is wrong and should be higher, or maybe move the 25% to 30% eg Australia, or charge 25% of the cost of your course instead of the average cost of tuition) which would not technically be a 'top-up' fee, graduate tax is sure to accompany it, as even if the full touted top-up fee of £10,500 came in, there is no way the government could get away with charging more money upfront. "
18th November 2002
"The only question now is whether the government believe they can get away with implementing a graduate tax, because lets face it, it's the only way they can make a hike in tuition fees sound slightly better than it is."
28th November 2002
"And as for the alternative, well as predicted, now that we've all been scared witless of top-up fees, out comes that 'compromise', graduate tax. ...why on earth have a system of upfront payment were only about a third pay full fees because of parental income, when you can charge students after graduation, and they can all pay?
3rd December 2002
"Thousands of students will attend the NUS national demonstration on December 4th, but how many of them will know just what their union is asking for in their name? While opposition to top-up fees is clear and there for all to see, the position of the national union on Graduate tax has clearly been a different matter. Whilst the union is now shifting it's campaign so as not to ignore policy, will it be too late?"
"Again, when given the opportunity in her [Mandy Telford, NUS President & Labour Student] column in the Guardian, the talk was of top-up fees. In response to the criticism that the issue of graduate tax is being ignored, Labour NUS sources have said that top-up fees, which would be politically suicidal for the Government are the bigger threat, despite the new Secretary of State for Education & Skills, Charles Clarke, stating graduate tax as his preferred option."
17th December 2002
"NUS saw his [Charles Clarke] words as ruling out top-up fees, but three days later the Independent reckoned "Defiant Blair will press ahead with top-up fees". They said that when Blair said that "the plan published next month will not mean that parents will have to pay thousands of pounds up front in fees." he didn't mean no top-up fees, he meant top-up fees AND Graduate Tax- i.e. not upfront fees, but a hell of a lot more money would be delivered for the treasury even with a modest increase in fees as no-one would be exempt, everyone would pay.
Charles Clarke made things clearer;
"We have shifted quite significantly, towards the amount that the individual pays being raised after their university course rather than being paid up-front, and I think that shift has taken place. Now, whether you do that through a deferred loans system to a graduate tax or other things is a matter we are still discussing. But I think we have shifted towards a post-university payment rather than a pre-university payment."
Funding Special
Top-Up fees via Grad Tax, what a surprise!
Not to say we told you so!
Another 'Huge Victory'- NUS
Participation watchdog to come
Why not GATS?
No Postgrads- coming soon to a uni near you
Mature Students want balanced funding
Straw Strikes Back
NUS National Demo against something....
Step up the offensive
Has NUS acknowledged Graduate Tax?
