The questions universities don't want asked at open days

The 10 questions* cover how much teaching is done by staff on zero-hours contracts, how much more the vice-chancellor or principal earns compared to the lowest paid staff, if students working at the university will get paid a living wage and how much the university would really like to charge students in fees.

The campaign**, by UCU aims to expose the number of staff that are forced to work on insecure temporary contracts, the poor pay many staff and students working at universities are subjected to and the universities who see students as little more than cash cows.

UCU said students should be able to access information that would help them make an informed choice about where to study. The union said that students are bombarded with much more information about university now, but too much of it is little more than marketing from universities try to attract students.

One question asks if the university wants to see student fees increased above the current £9,000 maximum. Another considers the future of student loans and asks if the university would be happy to see students' loan repayments increased or their debt sold off to a private company.

As well as probing the number of staff on temporary contracts, students are encouraged to ask what the student to staff ratio is at the institution and what plans the university has to deal with proposed cuts to disabled students' funding. UCU members will hand open day students a leaflet with the questions on.

UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: 'Students have a right to know what universities would really like to charge them in fees and whether or not they can expect a fair wage if they end up working in the campus shop during their time there.

'Students should find out whether or not their lecturers are on decent contracts or being held back by zero-hours deals. Students are bombarded by information these days, but so much of it is just advertising bumf it is difficult to see the wood for the trees.

'We are encouraging students to ask the questions that universities would rather they didn't. We need far greater transparency in the higher education sector and prospective students should exercise their critical capacities even before they join a university.'

* The full set of questions:

1. How much of my teaching will be given by staff employed on zero-hours and temporary contracts?
2. What is the student:staff ratio at the university?
3. Does the university pay the living wage to all staff it employs, including staff on casual contracts?
4. If I take a job working at the university while I am a student will I be paid the living wage?
5. Are the open day guides who show me around paid the living wage?
6. What is the ratio of the vice-chancellor's salary to the pay of the lowest paid member of staff?
7. What will the university do if proposed cuts to Disabled Students' Allowance are implemented in 2015?
8. Does the university want to see tuition fees rise above their current maximum of £9,000 a year?
9. Does the university believe that student loans should be sold to a private company?
10. What would this university do if the terms of their students' loans changed for the worse after they had started their course?

** Universities challenged: How open is your university?