Two-thirds of graduates oppose increase in cost of university
22 September 2010
Nearly two-thirds (63%) of graduates say they would not have been able to study at university if tuition fees had been £6,000-a-year and a similar amount (62%) reject the idea of a graduate tax levied after graduation, according to a poll released today.
UCU said the poll, carried out by Totaljobs.com, was further evidence that increasing the burden on students and their families to meet university costs was unfair and the wrong approach.
UCU warned that the public would see through any attempts to rebrand or increase student debt and said the government and Lord Browne had to look again at making business pay its fair share for the plentiful supply of graduates it receives every year.
UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: 'Today's survey is further proof that hiking up the cost of a degree could price thousands of people out of university. The general public is not stupid. They don't care if the new system is called a loan, a fee or a tax, so long as it is fair and does not increase the cost of a university education. That is how any changes will be judged.
'Making students pay more is the least desirable of the options on the table, yet it seems to be the one politicians are most interested in. Lord Browne must look seriously at the idea of taxing big business for the substantial benefits it gains from a plentiful supply of graduates and using that money to expand, rather than reduce, opportunity to study. The debate has to move away from how to screw more money out of students and their families.'
UCU warned that the public would see through any attempts to rebrand or increase student debt and said the government and Lord Browne had to look again at making business pay its fair share for the plentiful supply of graduates it receives every year.
UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: 'Today's survey is further proof that hiking up the cost of a degree could price thousands of people out of university. The general public is not stupid. They don't care if the new system is called a loan, a fee or a tax, so long as it is fair and does not increase the cost of a university education. That is how any changes will be judged.
'Making students pay more is the least desirable of the options on the table, yet it seems to be the one politicians are most interested in. Lord Browne must look seriously at the idea of taxing big business for the substantial benefits it gains from a plentiful supply of graduates and using that money to expand, rather than reduce, opportunity to study. The debate has to move away from how to screw more money out of students and their families.'
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