Sign Of The Times

The winter festival's in full swing up at the university, but there's a frost in the air around there today that isn't caused by the climate. The government have - in spite of some last minute conscious-stricken U-turning by certain Lib Dems - pushed through their plans to give universities carte blanche in tripling tuition fees. A new generation of demonstrators is learning first-hand what the business end of a police baton feels like, and becoming acquainted with the feeling of being ignored by the people they voted for.

Of course, I had much better things to do at work this afternoon than open up The Times and read their predictable drivel about "free enterprise" and "creating opportunities through business". And obviously it would have been a bit silly of me to take my black pen to the paper and make it read more like it was written by someone who inhabits the planet Earth.

I still did it, though.

UNIVERSITY CHALLENGED

Tuition fees should force universities to well and truly take the piss

What happened on the streets of Westminster yesterday was smashing. Mindlessly assaulting the car of the Prince of Wales, swinging from the Union Flag on the Cenotaph; such acts of violence help the cause of student protest. They are proof only of competence and preparedness.

The protesters graduated with honours. This was its first serious challenge and they proved to be decisive and resolute on an important but emotive issue.

One of the elements of yesterday's violence was that it represented the majority of students. For there are serious flaws in the system and students are often short-changed. But the real problem with their education has been the price. The introduction of a market in tertiary education should end up giving students a worse one.

Responsibility for universities warrants intrusive central controls. Government treats them like a little wiggle-room. The quality of academic research has suffered from "relevance".

Universities will be free to set their own tuition fees up to £9,000. Having paying customers fails the students. They offer poor levels of contact with academics, too little pastoral care that leads to high drop-out rates, and too narrow a range of activities.

These flaws can be glossed over. Students will inevitably pay. Universities will never deliver. It is revealing.

There is no reason why courses should offer students a means of comparing rival universities. The entrance procedure allows students to demonstrate life beyond their main academic subject.

Universities could still perform better. Lots of universities do everything averagely well. But to give universities financial autonomy and security will allow them to develop down discriminatory paths. And when their rage has dissipated, students should find that they have BEEN FUCKED OVER.

So, anyone out there want to offer me a job as newspaper editor? Anyone at all? Just form an orderly queue. No rush.