STUDENTS protested outside the Cardiff University vice-chancellor’s office on 7 February. They called for the abolition of tuition fees, which are driving students further and further into debt.
The vice-chancellors of the elite ‘Russell Group’ of universities, including the ironically named Dr Grant of Cardiff University, are lobbying the government to raise the £3,000 a year cap on top-up fees to £10,000 a year.
Students gathered outside the university gates and then marched to the vice-chancellor’s office. Unsurprisingly Dr Grant was absent – clearly he was too embarrassed to show his face! It’s pretty clear he is completely out of touch with the lives of ordinary students; he is earning well above the average vice-chancellor’s salary of £154,000 a year, having recently had a 61% pay rise!
This protest showed the potential to organise many more students for the upcoming Day of Action against fees on 22 February. Socialist Students will be building on the success of this protest and we will continue to push NUS Wales to organise a march to the Welsh Assembly, linking up with students from across Wales.
