NUS welcomes HE minister who backtracked on fees
Student and university organisations have welcomed the appointment of Bill Rammell to the universities brief following yesterday's reshuffle, with both the NUS and Universities UK hoping to meet with him quickly.
"As a former Students' Union president with in-depth knowledge of universities, SUs and the National Union, we welcome Bill to his role in DfES," said NUS President Kat Fletcher.
"It is a shame that like many other former student leaders, Bill has always voted with the government on the introduction of fees and the cutting of grants. We do however look forward to exploring his views on variable fees ahead of the decision to remove the cap given that in 2000 he said differential top-up fees would 'be a significant step too far' and 'enormously damaging.'"
That was a reference to a House of Commons debate in July 2000 in which he cited examples abroad of how variable tuition fees had proved damaging for getting students into university. Three and a half years later, after getting a job at the Foreign Office, he voted for the Higher Education Bill introducing such fees.
Tuition fees aside, Ms Fletcher expressed NUS hopes that Mr Rammell "still values the important role that SUs play in student life" and that they could develop a strong working relationship.
Universities UK meanwhile called on him act to counteract "widespread confusion" about the new fees regime. "An immediate priority for the Minister must be to ensure that potential students, and their parents and advisers, understand the financial support arrangements that accompany the introduction of deferred fees in 2006," said Chief Executive Diana Warwick.
"It is clear that there is still confusion about deferred fees, which must not be allowed to confuse or deter, potential students."
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