Five things you need to know today

A section of the Scottish Parliament had to be closed yesterday after a concrete slab came loose near to Alex Salmond’s office. According to The Scotsman, about 1000 concrete slabs will now have to be checked.

The NSPCC have launched a text helpline for children in Edinburgh and the rest of Scotland aimed at making it easier for them to report cases of abuse. Our article is here.

Axo Gallery has confirmed to The Reporter that it raised over £1000 at the Silent Auction last weekend for Forest Cafe.

The Edinburgh International Film Festival programme has been launched this morning. You can read about it here, and we will have more on the films coming up for you very soon. Our David McGinty was at the press launch for us.

The Guardian has published its 2012 University League Table today, with three out of four of Edinburgh’s Universities rising up the ranks. The University of Edinburgh was the only university in the capital to fall down the table, albeit slightly.

Heriot-Watt University rose from 32nd place to 27th, Edinburgh Napier University rose from 55th to 52nd, Queen Margaret University rose from 63rd to 56th while The University of Edinburgh fell from 15th to 16th place.

The Guardian measures several factors when compiling the table, including student satisfaction levels, teaching and feedback satisfaction, the student to staff ratio and the chances of a career within 6 months of graduating. The main table measures each University as a whole, although it is possible to search for the quality of education in distinct subject areas, such as Law.

Graduate tax favoured by two-thirds of Scots according to new poll

A poll in today’s Scotsman has shown that two-thirds of Scots back a graduate contribution of up to £4,000 to the cost of their university education.

David McLetchie, Scottish Conservative Campaign Manager for the Scottish Parliament election, and former MSP, said:

“This is more evidence, after last year’s Scottish Social Attitudes Survey, that Scots are fair minded and accept that it is fair for graduates to make a contribution towards the cost of their University education. It is clear that, regardless of which party they support, people are in favour of this.

“In a perfect world everything would be free. But in the real world, voters accept that the costs have to be spread.

“Recent figures from the Office of National Statistics showed that, on average, a University graduate will earn £12,000 a year more than those who have not gone to university. Over a working life, that is a pay boost of half a million pounds.

“Despite all the evidence, Labour, Lib Dems and the SNP refuse to find the money needed to bridge the real funding gap. Scottish Conservative proposals for a graduate contribution, paid from future earning, at an affordable rate will mean that Scotland’s universities can retain their excellence, retain their student numbers and we can also boost bursary support for students from poorer backgrounds by £55 million a year.

“By contrast, the deficit deniers in the other parties threaten our Universities’ standing, threaten up to 13,000 student places and are out of tune with public opinion.”

Meanwhile the NUS have been looking at the Tory figures on university education.

They say that analysis of the Scottish Conservatives’ manifesto costings has unearthed a black hole of between £500m and £1.5billion in their university spending plans. It also shows that the Scottish Conservatives are costing on the basis of at least a £20k to £24k contribution (£6k per year) rather than the £16k contribution (£4k per year) they have publicly claimed. Combined with living cost loans of up to £20k per year, a student could leave university with £40k to £44k of debt per degree, higher than any other part of the UK and even higher than an English student at a university charging full £9000 fees.

The NUS say that Scottish Conservatives assume £391m income per year for their graduate contribution, from 2013/14. However they have taken no account of the fact that any charge for people going to university would have to be phased-in (it could only be charged for new entrants). A graduate contribution would therefore not provide any income until 2017/18 (the time it would take for someone starting university in 2013/14 to graduate). This would leave a black hole of over £1.5billion (see note 1). Even upfront tuition fees, something the Scottish Conservatives rule out in their manifesto, wouldn’t provide full income until 2016/17 (again much later than Scottish Conservatives assume) as it could only apply to new entrants. This would leave a £500m black hole.

Furthermore, to provide the £391m income per year the Scottish Conservatives assume, the NUS contest that a graduate contribution would have to be much larger than the Tories have stated. The joint university/Scottish Government Technical Working Group showed that to provide £391m per year a graduate contribution would need to be between £20k and £24k per degree – far higher than the £16k contribution to Scottish Conservatives have publicly claimed.

The Scottish Conservatives have claimed to be the only party being honest with the electorate on university funding. However, NUS Scotland is calling on the Scottish Conservatives to be honest on whether they are proposing a graduate contribution as they have stated – and if so how they would fill the black hole of £1.5billion – or if they are actually proposing a system of upfront tuition fees (with loans to defer) despite their own manifesto claiming the opposite – and if so how they would fill the black hole of £500m. Furthermore they are calling on the Scottish Conservatives to be honest that their figures don’t add up unless they are proposing a graduate contribution of £20k to £24k per degree rather than the £16k level they have claimed.

NUS Scotland is also calling on university principals to withdraw support for these proposals given they will leave a huge black hole in university finances.

Liam Burns, President of NUS Scotland said:

“The Scottish Conservatives have claimed they are the only party being honest with the electorate but their own figures show they are misleading the electorate, students and universities on a breathtaking scale.

“The graduate contribution proposed by the Scottish Conservatives wouldn’t provide full income from fees or loans until at least 2017, four years later than they assume. This leaves a huge black hole in the Scottish Conservatives’ costings.

“Principals shouldn’t be parading themselves as the voice of reason on the issue of education funding, like we’ve seen over the last few weeks, when they clearly haven’t done the maths. University principals are meant to be the experts as to how to protect the sector but in actual fact some are signing up to by far the worst deal from any of the political parties. They should now urgently withdraw their support for these proposals and join those principals that have backed keeping Scotland free of tuition fees.

“Every other party is pledging to meet the funding gap through public spending, if necessary. Iain Gray and Alex Salmond are on record as saying they will fill any resulting gap in funding between Scottish and English universities through public funding.

“I think it would be better if some principals left the politics to the politicians from now on. Nobody wants fees in Scotland, not the public and not the vast majority of the political parties. Let’s move on from the sideshow of fees and actually address the real issues facing students today.”

University lecturers on strike today

Members of the UCU across Scotland are striking today in a row over pay and changes to staff pensions as part of a national day of strike action at universities across the UK.

Staff in 15 universities, across the country, ncluding the University of Edinburgh, will walk out in row over a second consecutive real-terms annual pay cut and lack of an agreement on job security. Further for 9 universities, members are protesting plans for greater pension contributions from staff, reduced pension benefits and an increase in the pension age in the USS pension scheme.

UCU members will be on picket lines across Scotland from 8am with many branches joining together to hold regional rallies in Aberdeen, Glasgow and Stirling.

UCU members’ action in Scotland is part of the first UK-wide strike action in universities for five years. The union has received the support of the National Union of Students, despite the likely disruption to their members’ studies.

UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: ‘Strike action is always a last resort but the attacks on pay and jobs have created real anger and, instead of burying their heads in the sand, the employers need to respond urgently to our concerns. University staff really value their pension rights and those in the USS scheme in Scotland have made their views of the detrimental changes crystal clear.

‘Staff are sick to the back teeth of being told that their pay and pensions need to be cut to pay for an economic crisis created by others.’

Commenting on UCU’s strike action today, Liam Burns, NUS Scotland president, said:

“Today thousands of lecturers across Scotland are standing up for education in Scotland and, up and down the country, students are supporting them in their action. Lecturers could have chosen to go into industry or the private sector to earn more money but instead they are educating the next generation of talented people in Scotland. Pensions make up part of the fabric of being an academic and so employers need to get back round the table to restart negotiations in a way that includes, not excludes, lecturers.

“On Tuesday over 4000 students, lecturers, parents and pupils marched in Edinburgh to launch the election campaign. We hope to put education at the front and centre of the election campaign and at the top of the agenda for the next Scottish Government.

“Staff have supported us in our campaign to stop tuition fees and students are supporting staff today. We have a lot more work to do over the coming time – fighting fees, protecting numbers and improving student support – making sure we protect education as one of the things we can be most proud of in Scotland.

What Should The Scottish Solution Be?

Last year’s snowy student protests may now be fading from memory a little, but the Scottish Youth Parliament is keen for young people aged 15-25 to have their say on what the next step should be for universities in Scotland.

Education is of course a devolved matter, and The Scottish Government have recently published a consultation paper called ‘Building a Smarter Future’ as part of their aim to find a uniquely ‘Scottish Solution’ to funding our universities and colleges.

The government have ruled out upfront tuition fees for students as an option, which the SYP see as “great news for young people, as it puts ability to learn above ability to pay.”

However, providing good quality higher education doesn’t come cheap and some changes will need to be made if the university system is to continue running smoothly.  The SYP are keen that young people’s views are listened to before any final decisions are made, so they have put together a short survey on the subject, which should only take 5 minutes or so to complete.

They then intend to use the results to tell the Scottish Government what you think they should do to fund higher education.

If you are aged 15-25 or know someone who is, don’t miss having your say on the future of Scotland’s universities. To take the survey, just click this link before 9am on Monday 21st February.

Mental Wellbeing Awards

A charity that aims to prevent young people committing suicide has launched an award scheme to promote positive mental health on UK university campuses.

The Papyrus Award for Mental Wealth initiatives offers students and staff £300 to run wellbeing campaigns, particularly during freshers’ week when new students have a high risk of emotional distress.

Ten awards are up for grabs to fund sports events, film festivals, volunteer schemes or any other ideas to encourage university-goers to improve their mental health.

Papyrus is working with non-profit organisation Mental Wealth UK, who will run the scheme. Submissions can be made during August 2010, November 2010 and February 2011, and the 10 awards will be spread out between these three periods.

Amy Llewellyn, Papyrus youth involvement co-ordinator, said: “Papyrus is very pleased to support this excellent initiative by Mental Wealth UK.

“Increased understanding of mental health on campus, especially when students and staff are empowered to make it happen, is fundamental to the prevention of student suicide.”

Eddy Pinkney, director of Mental Wealth UK, said: “As a new national student-led organisation we are delighted to have the support of Papyrus, a UK leader in suicide prevention.

“This award plays a key part in our strategy for building a nationwide network of student-led mental health and wellbeing initiatives.”

The first deadline for applications is September 3, and full terms and entry forms are available at www.mentalwealthuk.com/papyrus.html.

Students and staff from any university in England, Scotland and Wales can apply individually or as a group.

Papyrus is a national charity dedicated to the prevention of young suicide, offering support and practical advice to young people worried about themselves and others concerned about a young person they know. For more information go to www.papyrus-uk.org

Mental Wealth UK is a new non-profit organisation for student mental health and wellbeing, aiming to amplify the student voice and create a nationwide network of student-led groups.

Further details can be found at www.mentalwealthuk.com