The University bosses’ organisation Universities UK has called on the government to increase tuition fees. It says each student now costs between £12,000 and £13,000 to educate.
Since the introduction of tuition fees, and their trebling by the Tory-Lib Dem coalition in 2010, government funding for universities has been repeatedly slashed. The fees-based model forces unis to compete with each other to attract evermore students (and their fees), packing out overflowing lecture theatres, libraries and halls of residence.
One in five universities is in deficit and 70 universities are already planning course closures and cuts.
Starmer
Socialist Party members have been helping to build Socialist Students groups on university campuses up and down the country this autumn. Students are getting organised to fight back against any attacks from Starmer’s Labour government – including a potential fees rise – and to defend university courses and staff from cuts.
Super-rich
The six-figure-salary university bosses will argue that a fees rise is needed to stop the cuts. But there is billions in the banks of the super-rich. The FTSE 100 biggest corporations have been paying around £85 billion annually in dividends to their shareholders. The University and College Union’s (UCU) call for a £17 billion education levy on big business is just a fraction of what could be raised by taking wealth off the super-rich (see page 6). It would be enough to scrap tuition fees and reintroduce student living grants.
But Keir Starmer’s Labour government is doing everything it can to show it is acting in the interests of big business and not workers and students. Fully publicly funded free education won’t be won without a fight.
Socialist Students is taking this message to freshers, and getting a great response among students. Read about that below.
Plymouth – no money left
One student told us that after they have paid their rent, they have no money left to live on. Students are increasingly finding university life to be stressful, rather than the fulfilling life experience it should be, due to the crushing financial pressures.
Many students sought us out, declaring themselves to be lifelong socialists. But there was also interest from people who did not know what we stand for, who wanted to know more about socialism. They liked our programme of nationalisation, free education, liveable wages, and decent housing for all.
Another student was interested in joining us as her mother had been a Communication Workers’ Union (CWU) rep. She had left her job as a postal worker, as it became an unpleasant work environment. Seeing her mother treated so badly by the employer – Royal Mail – has opened her eyes to the injustices of the privatised workplace.
We had two very successful days collecting over 20 names of students who are interested in attending Socialist Students meetings. We have high hopes for a good turnout for our first meeting, as so many of this new intake are fired with the desire to see real, genuine change in our society. They want socialism.
Alex Sampson, Plymouth Socialist Party
Worcester – unaffordable
It was fascinating to talk to students about what attracted them to our campaign stall. One reason being the ever-increasing unaffordability of university, and discussing socialism too.
Worcester Socialist Party is frequently out campaigning. Many are eager to learn about our cause and discuss about the Socialist Party’s stances.
In particular, people want to talk about housing, the many crises afflicting the NHS – privatisation, staffing, and waiting lists – the continuing cost-of-living crisis, and the ongoing slaughter in Gaza.
This time we were in front of the university. 25 people signed up to Socialist Students, making it our most successful campaign stall yet.
We launched Worcester Socialist Students at our first meeting on 23 September.
Theo Hercules, Worcester Socialist Students
Birmingham City – from the ground up
We met over 30 people interested in Socialist Students over three days at freshers. Our new contacts have mainly been first-years.
Many of those approaching our stall resonated with the ideas we were putting forward – all were opposed to the capitalist system.
Their interests and reasoning varied too. Some are interested in trade union activity, some had already read Karl Marx.
And as more symptoms of capitalism spring up, these students will mobilise. And we can build Socialist Students from the ground up.
Tom Porter-Brown, Birmingham City Socialist Students
Sheffield Hallam – nursing students and state of NHS
We talked to a lot of students undertaking nursing and other health degrees at one of the campus buildings. There was a lot of anger about the state of the NHS, and the Labour leadership’s first weeks in office.
We ran three campaign stalls. 21 people signed up to Socialist Students, 46 bought a Socialist paper, and we raised over £80 for the Socialist Party fighting fund too.
We gave out hundreds of leaflets. And there are new supporters who are willing to help us build Socialist Students within Hallam University.
Our petition opposing the slaughter in Gaza was popular, as was our petition to build a movement to smash racism. And we’ll be out campaigning at the University of Sheffield for the whole week too, so watch this space.
John Bunn, Sheffield South East Socialist Party
Queen Mary, London – ignored by uni bosses
Students are eager to find an alternative to the broken system of capitalism. People have mobilised in waves through the anti-war movement and to oppose the far-right riots.
Last term, students at Queen Mary were ignored when they demanded and protested for divestment of funds to companies complicit in the Israeli state terror on Gaza. Instead, they were taken to court by their own university!
With a financial crisis shaking universities, the need for a political student voice is stronger than ever. The concerns of students were felt across the board during freshers week.
We discussed our ideas with hundreds of students. They had concerns about the housing crisis, the possibility of an increase in tuition fees, and the staggering cost of living.
The continued war on Gaza was an especially important topic, which we will discuss in one of our first meetings. Many students and staff agreed with our demands, as we plan to campaign on an anti-war, anti-austerity programme, and raise the strength and representation of the student voice on campus.
We had 150 sign-ups, and held two very successful meetings, where we planned activity for the next week. Join Socialist Students as we fight for every issue facing students, for free education, under our democratic control, and for the end to oppression for all on campus and beyond.
Mihaela Ivanova, Queen Mary Socialist Students
Manchester – education becoming expensive luxury
Students shared common anger at the anticipated rise in tuition fees from Keir Starmer’s government. They don’t feel there is a party in Parliament which meets their demands.
We have been out on the streets at the universities, followed by a vibrant public meeting with over 20 attendees. We discussed the crisis in education.
Another concern is the university’s ties to big business in Israel amidst its government’s onslaught on Gaza, a continuation of the sentiment which exploded around last term’s encampments.
Along with the cost-of-living crisis, we will continue to politicise these issues, and make the case for a new mass workers’ party to challenge them.
The message from students was clear. Free education should be a right for all, and can only be accomplished by taking control of universities out of the hands of big business and fat-cat bosses.
We will continue to build the fight to bring education into the democratic control of workers, students, and communities. But if this is not met, and education continues to become an expensive luxury, the foundations are there for a huge student backlash and mass campaigns.
It’s time students had a say in our future. We’re making this case at both Manchester universities, and Salford too. Socialist Students are putting ourselves on the map ahead of further attacks.
Robbie Davidson, Manchester Socialist Students
King’s College London – Gaza slaughter and fee hikes
Our campaign stall had information on future meetings we have planned, and information on what Socialist Students is. This allowed for us to talk about a range of different issues that Socialist Student members have been campaigning on.
This allowed us to see what the pressing issues are among King’s College London (KCL) students. Many are worried about what is happening in Gaza, the possible hike in tuition fees and international rates – more than half of undergraduates at KCL are international students.
Students were willing to find out more about Socialist Students, with many asking what socialism is. This allowed us to explain how Socialist Students is a place to learn and discuss – you don’t have to be an expert in Marxism to come to our meetings! Many students were receptive to that.
Saada Mohamed, Enfield and Lea Valley Socialist Party
Socialist Students says:
- No to further fee increases – get organised on campus to fight for free education! Cancel student debt, replace student loans with living grants tied to the rate of inflation. Make the super-rich pay!
- No cuts and no closures! Build democratic student organisations to link up with the campus trade unions and wider working class to fight for the funding our universities need
- Kick big business off campus! End marketisation of our education. Open up university finances to democratic oversight and control including by elected students’ representatives and the campus trade unions, with the power to terminate all contracts and research tied to war and occupation and profiteering and exploitation while guaranteeing jobs and funding.
- Students need a political voice. Build a new mass workers’ party that will stand up for students and workers, and that fights for socialist policies
- Fight for socialist change – for democratic public ownership of the banks, monopolies and major industry to provide us with a future
Join the student fightback: join Socialist Students
Visit socialiststudents.org.uk/join or text your name and school, college or uni to 07749379010
