100 signatures reached
To: MP Flick Drummond
Quality doesn't grow on fees
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To vote in favour of the House of Lords' proposed amendments to the HE Bill to ensure that fees do not continue to increase based on the Teaching Excellence Framework scores of a University.
Why is this important?
In light of recent events surrounding the HE Bill (outlined below) we, the students of the University of Portsmouth, strongly urge you to listen and act upon our collective opinion. The student body is in full support of the amendments made by the House of Lords as we fundamentally disagree with the link between tuition fees and the Teaching Excellence Framework.
As the MP for Portsmouth South, the largest student constituency in the city, we strongly urge you to listen to and act upon our request to oppose further increases in University tuition fees at every available opportunity.
Since its introduction, the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) has been controversial at every discussion point. The TEF looks to grade HE institutions Bronze, Silver, or Gold. Currently, those institutions deemed excellent by the framework will be allowed to raise their tuition fees in line with inflation. Gold and Silver grades can raise fees at 100% of inflation, and Bronze at 50% of inflation. The consistent rise in tuition fees itself is a barrier to education, and the ranking system fallible to inaccuracies.
The House of Lords has made the following proposed amendments to the Bill:
To cut the link between the Teaching Excellence Framework and inflationary rises in tuition fees
To also cut the link between international student recruitment and the institution's performance in a new Teaching Excellence Framework.
We don’t believe it is right to put a premium on excellent education; it should be excellent for everyone. We believe the link between tuition fees, or any potential link between international student recruitment, and teaching excellence should remain removed. We thoroughly agree with the amendments suggested by the House of Lords to ensure that students are not priced out of their education, and all potential students have the ability to access high quality education, regardless of their background.
For the benefit of the University of Portsmouth student body, and specifically your student constituents, we urge you to support and vote in favour of the amendments as recommended by the House of Lords at all available opportunities; specifically removing the link between quality and the TEF and tuition fees.
We look forward to hearing that you have voted in favour of the amendments.
Sincerely,
Oludolapo Bolaji, Vice-President Education & Democracy
James Belmonte, Union President
As the MP for Portsmouth South, the largest student constituency in the city, we strongly urge you to listen to and act upon our request to oppose further increases in University tuition fees at every available opportunity.
Since its introduction, the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) has been controversial at every discussion point. The TEF looks to grade HE institutions Bronze, Silver, or Gold. Currently, those institutions deemed excellent by the framework will be allowed to raise their tuition fees in line with inflation. Gold and Silver grades can raise fees at 100% of inflation, and Bronze at 50% of inflation. The consistent rise in tuition fees itself is a barrier to education, and the ranking system fallible to inaccuracies.
The House of Lords has made the following proposed amendments to the Bill:
To cut the link between the Teaching Excellence Framework and inflationary rises in tuition fees
To also cut the link between international student recruitment and the institution's performance in a new Teaching Excellence Framework.
We don’t believe it is right to put a premium on excellent education; it should be excellent for everyone. We believe the link between tuition fees, or any potential link between international student recruitment, and teaching excellence should remain removed. We thoroughly agree with the amendments suggested by the House of Lords to ensure that students are not priced out of their education, and all potential students have the ability to access high quality education, regardless of their background.
For the benefit of the University of Portsmouth student body, and specifically your student constituents, we urge you to support and vote in favour of the amendments as recommended by the House of Lords at all available opportunities; specifically removing the link between quality and the TEF and tuition fees.
We look forward to hearing that you have voted in favour of the amendments.
Sincerely,
Oludolapo Bolaji, Vice-President Education & Democracy
James Belmonte, Union President
