Last week the Students’ Union Education Officer (Lita Wallis) put a very compelling argument forward in the Union Pages about what the Browne Report would mean for us, as students at Sussex, and for Higher Education as a whole. It is shocking to imagine that we are on the brink of becoming a society that values financial background more than academic drive and ability.
In order to continue in the same way we always have – valuing students’ viewpoints, and believing that academic success can come from anywhere, not just young people who happen to have parents with six figure salaries, we must speak out. How scary that if I was only a few years younger, I may not have been able to come to Sussex and enjoy university life as much as I have, and actually, become a better person for it.
On Wednesday 10th November the Union will be taking a fleet of coaches to London, to let our voices be heard on this matter; to let the government know that education is not a commodity. Education should not be a free market system, to be exploited for maximum profit. Lord Browne’s Review on Higher Education funding has crossed the line.
Before you start worrying about how much it’ll cost, don’t worry. The Union have arranged coaches to leave from both campus and Brighton. A return trip on the coach only costs £5, including return. Sorted. And before you start worrying that you’ll miss your lectures, don’t worry. We’ve organised with the university management that no absences will be officially noted for everyone going to the demonstration though it remains the individual’s responsibility to stay up to date with work. Sorted. If you have a submission deadline on November 10th you should be aware that the University will reset the deadline by 24 hours to 4 pm Thursday 11th November.
We will march. We will speak out. We will secure accessible education for generations to come. I hope that as many students as possible march with us, showing solidarity. See you there!
Tickets for the demonstration are now available from the Box Office and online at www.sussexstudent.
com/demo
Also, check the back pages of this week’s Badger for your free Union-made posters.