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[Kevin Wood]

The idea introduced by the last govt. and not cancelled by this one that at least 50% of school leavers should go to uni is ludicrous imo. It devalues and demeans what a degree from a British university used to mean. Cut it down to the top 10% of school leavers and drop the degrees on silly subjects

Couldn't agree more. Universities (until they renamed every other institute of further education a "university") exist primarily to carry out research. Quite how you can carry out research into some subjects on offer baffles me. They should stick to science and engineering, the pure humanities and arts, Mathematics, Computing, Law, etc.(not necessarily an exhaustive list, before I get flamed). Subjects where there is something to be gained for the country in return for the government funding that would then naturally be spread less thinly and, probably, more liberally given.

Even when I was at university there were students on a full government grant, with all tuition fees paid, studying for non-degrees that involved a handful of lectures a week. The rest of their time, and the majority of their grant, was pi$$ed against the wall in the gents of the student's union bar. Can they really complain that the country has tired of funding this pointless activity?

It's just a shame that the minority of talented great minds who are no doubt the future of this country will have to pay so heavily just for them to have a 3 year drinking binge.

I have no doubt that it is instigated by agitators and anarchists, although no doubt some of the students ( being young and therefore attracted by excitement and rebellion) join in.

Yep. It was exactly the same then I was at university, just "poll tax" daubed on the banners instead. Coaches would turn up and anyone who fancied a scrap (and whose non-degree gave them enough spare time) jumped on. Not all were students, by any means. They are a group easily infiltrated by hooligans who are out purely to cause trouble, and there's safety in numbers.

Kevin

[Kevin Wood]

i was impressed with the sit in thats being going on for about 3 weeks in a uni in london...until i discovered that they're going to lectures, shopping, going home when they feel like it and only coming back to sleep there. now wheres the commitment in that? no follow through kids these days, no idea how to protest 

The doors of the University of Essex where I studied still have the marks where they were welded shut in a "proper" protest in the '70's.

Kevin

[Kevin Wood]

Agreed.  I for one am for the increase in fees, they make sense and it is still cheaper than going to Uni in the States.  Personally I think that mickey-mouse degrees should be scrapped completely but I know that is unrealistic.  This system is actually quite intelligent because it will make people realise that they will have to get a proper job afterwards in order to pay for the education they have just had, thus hopefully shy away from pansy degrees which offer less of a future to the graduate and little benefit to the country.

.. except that, if you never get a decent job, you'll never be required to pay the money back. Worst of both worlds, IMHO. Those who succeed will pay, those who can't be @rsed won't.

Kevin

[Debs.]

Agreed.  I for one am for the increase in fees, they make sense and it is still cheaper than going to Uni in the States.  Personally I think that mickey-mouse degrees should be scrapped completely but I know that is unrealistic.  This system is actually quite intelligent because it will make people realise that they will have to get a proper job afterwards in order to pay for the education they have just had, thus hopefully shy away from pansy degrees which offer less of a future to the graduate and little benefit to the country.

.. except that, if you never get a decent job, you'll never be required to pay the money back. Worst of both worlds, IMHO. Those who succeed will pay, those who can't be @rsed won't.

Kevin

I attended University of California (Davis) in the early 80`s.
My seven years of graduate, post-graduate and terminal studies, cost me in excess of $92,000 in fees (in addition, I was fortunate enough to recv. a $25,000 bursary).....To pay those fees and live, I worked in paid P/T employment during courses and during vacations and repaid the outstanding balance in the first 4 years of full time employment.
The wonderful privilege that attending upon a University education is worth every penny......the "everything for nothing" generation now think it`s their 'right'.

[Gaffers]

Agreed.  I for one am for the increase in fees, they make sense and it is still cheaper than going to Uni in the States.  Personally I think that mickey-mouse degrees should be scrapped completely but I know that is unrealistic.  This system is actually quite intelligent because it will make people realise that they will have to get a proper job afterwards in order to pay for the education they have just had, thus hopefully shy away from pansy degrees which offer less of a future to the graduate and little benefit to the country.

.. except that, if you never get a decent job, you'll never be required to pay the money back. Worst of both worlds, IMHO. Those who succeed will pay, those who can't be @rsed won't.

Kevin

I attended University of California (Davis) in the early 80`s.
My seven years of graduate, post-graduate and terminal studies, cost me in excess of $92,000 in fees (in addition, I was fortunate enough to recv. a $25,000 bursary).....To pay those fees and live, I worked in paid P/T employment during courses and during vacations and repaid the outstanding balance in the first 4 years of full time employment.
The wonderful privilege that attending upon a University education is worth every penny......the "everything for nothing" generation now think it`s their 'right'.

I am not sure of the exact demographics but I think it is safe to say that a graduate at some point in their life will earn over that threshold, if you think about it that salary is approximately £11 per hour (based on 40 hours a week and 4 weeks unpaid holiday a year)

[Dishevelled Den]

The wonderful privilege that attending upon a University education is worth every penny......the "everything for nothing" generation now think it`s their 'right'.

I quite agree Deb.

[Varche]

Havent voted as none of the categories really fit how I feel on the subject.
I disagree with the hike in fees, but probably for different reasons to the protestors.
I think its ourageous that students in England will have to pay up to £9000, while students in other parts of the UK dont pay a penny. Everyone in the UK should pay the same amount whatever that amount is.
The rich wont really care about having to pay the fees. The poor wont have to pay them at all. It is the people in the middle who are going to be hit yet again. People who have worked hard, maybe earn £35,000 per year, have been sensible and saved a few quid, done nothing wrong, but are getting shafted by this govt. the same as they got shafted by the last one.
I think there are far too many people at university these days and far too many "mickey mouse course2 for them to study.
The idea introduced by the last govt. and not cancelled by this one that at least 50% of school leavers should go to uni is ludicrous imo. It devalues and demeans what a degree from a British university used to mean. Cut it down to the top 10% of school leavers and drop the degrees on silly subjects and then abolish fees altogether imo. We would then (as a country) really be investing in our own future.
If the graduates move to work abroad within say 10 years of graduating, make them pay back the cost of their uni education.
There is no excuse for the violence. I have no doubt that it is instigated by agitators and anarchists, although no doubt some of the students ( being young and therefore attracted by excitement and rebellion) join in.

I agree wholeheartedly with all you said here. About a week ago I said how ridiculous it was that students in Wales and scotland will pay less. They are either in the UK or not. My comment then about getting the unemployed to rebuild Hadrians Wall  and a new one on the Welsh border and then "cutting them free" still stands.

There wasn't a suitable option for me on the vote either so I have voted support the students. Once again the crappy UK media has chosen to concentrate on the actions of a minority and not the majority. You would think watching TV that the streets are unsafe at nightime for packs of marauding students intent on damaging property or worse.

I wonder if the Royals security will get "court marshalled" for putting them in danger? Don't suppose so for a minute.


Turncoat Lib Dems. Absolute power corrupts.

Whatever the arguments are and whover did the dirty deed, they have lost most of what sympathy they might have had tonight after attacking Charlies car.

[Richie London]

the students riots have lost there right to make any demonstrations. any future demos should result in them breaking the law and they should be expelled from any university or college they attend, permanatly. if they still wish to demonstrate they should be charged and punished according to the law. overseas students should be expelled.

[millwall]

the students riots have lost there right to make any demonstrations. any future demos should result in them breaking the law and they should be expelled from any university or college they attend, permanatly. if they still wish to demonstrate they should be charged and punished according to the law. overseas students should be expelled.

totally agree

[Lizzie_Zoom]

Couldn't give a flying break for the Royals, threaten them all you like.

University is a farse nowadays... degree's in rubbish which hlds no real value in society.  Even 'proper' degree's are a waste of time as there are no jobs for graduates anyway.  The market is flooded.

Get back to the times where a University Degree actually meant something.

Signed, Ross, 28 (Yes, 28) 4 A Levels, 13 GCSE's and 2 Advanced GNVQ's. NO rather DEGREE AS I WORK FOR A LIVING.

Sorry BM but you have obviously no idea about how hard uni students work on the serious academic, or medical subjects taught at Canterbury Christ Church and many other universities

You are also ignoring the fact that university prepares the young, and mature, students for further years of study in the medical, teaching, engineering, legal, and technical fields, to name but a few!
Without that process GB.com would be deficient in the skills required to run a first world, high performing, country that can lead the rest in the field GB does currently.  I, and you, will also depend on todays young to produce the country's GDP to help us as OAP's to survive 8-) 8-)

Yes Lizzie, it prepares them academically but unfortunately there's one major thing that always gets forgotten and that very few of them have these days............COMMON SENSE!

Bob, most never did and never will all the time they are young.  They think in black and white terms when problem solving, and usualy do not consider the grey areas of life.  But they ARE young, as we were once, with the same kind of ideas of life in general.  Maturity and experience rights these issues, and many usually become well rounded people.  The others become politicians...................!!  Did I say that!!

[albitz]

I have seen 4 groups of student leaders interviewed today, and 3 out of the 4 refused to condemn anything that happened.
The line seems to be that the police came equipped to attack the students and the students resisted when they were attacked. They are apparently too dim to realise that it was all happening live on TV so people could see exactly who was doing the attacking.
Having watched quite a lot more footage today, I have to say that this was more than just a small minority of agitators stirring others up. There were large numbers of demonstrators attacking the police ( and their horses) as well as damaging property (mostly public) and urinating on Churchills statue (and the cenotaph I belive ). And then of course there was the ridiculous episode with the royals.
People who are this stupid, shouldnt be allowed within a mile of a university, if they dont realise that their actions will (and have) destroy any sympathy the general public had for their cause.
Identify them where possible. Ban them from every campus in the country, and sequestrate the assets of the organisers.
I have now voted - make them pay for the damage.

[Debs.]

I have seen 4 groups of student leaders interviewded today, and 3 out of the 4 rufesed to condemn anything that happened.
The line seems to be that the police came equipped to attack the students and the students resisted when they were attacked. They are apparently to dim to realise that it was all happening live on TV so people could see exactly who was doing the attacking.
Having watched quite a lot more footage today, I have to say that this was more than just a small minority of agitators stirring others up. There were large numbers of demonstrators attacking the police ( and their horses) as well as damaging property (mostly public) and urinating on Churchills statue (and the cenotaph I belive ). And then of course there was the ridiculous episode with the royals.
People who are this stupid, shouldnt be allowed within a mile of a university, if they dont realise that their actions will (and have) destroy any sympathy the general public had for their cause.
Identify them where possible. Ban them from every campus in the country, and sequestrate the assets of the organisers.
I have now voted - make them pay for the damage.

Indeed so, Albs.

It transpires that the cretin that climbed up and tore the Union Flag on the Cenotaph, was the son of Pink Floyd`s Dave Gilmour.....the 'lad' is said to be horrified at his own stupidity: I wonder if that would`ve been the case if he hadn`t been photographed and identified? :-?

[geoffr70]

Students who profess to be intelligent educated people, behaving like this! They should try putting something into society instead of wanting more and more for nothing.

A news reporter was interviewing 3 students, and it was blatantly obvious they didn't have any grasp of current affairs or what they're actually protesting about. Had they bothered to understand, or did they just go on a protest for the fun of it?

Some other students were also chanting  'Give us our money back' or something similar! What money? What are they talking about?

As for that Aaron Porter (president of NUS). I bet all he's ever done is gone to uni, had a bloody good 3/4 years drinking, partying having a laugh, scraped through, perhaps gone on to do a masters because he likes the 'student lifestyle' then got in his current position. What the hell does he know? He's just a silly boy who hasn't grown up. Where is all the money coming from? Students have to take a hit like the rest of us.

Not to mention that degrees aren't worth the paper they're written on now, never mind the mickey mouse degrees! You couldn't make this up!!

[Dishevelled Den]

It's a part of the deterioration in general standards within this country.

Encouraged by gutless politicians, indulgent parents and  laissez faire 'enlightened' individuals all too prepared to spout their opinions without having the slightest intention (or ability) of being any constructive use whatever  to the nation.

[Dishevelled Den]

One work of art was a jam jar full of maggots.

It got knocked over at some point and the maggots escaped, we had bluebottles coming out of every nook and crany for weeks.


 

A superb and very practical example of kinetic art AA. 8-)