KCLSU – Raúl Zepeda Gil

No fee charges without representation! Let’s rescue public education in the UK!

COVID-19 has shown the failures of a privately run higher education system: declining salaries for teaching assistants, high fees when students families are struggling with unemployment and debt, abusive housing rents in student accommodations, international students straining to provide for themselves and their families, and delays for every postgraduate PhD student in their research.

The business model of UK Universities is hindering students, families, and communities. It is time to change the model. If high fees are the financial model, students have to decide how their money is spent.

As an NUS Conference Delegate, I propose:

Demand freezing fee rates, accommodation rent, and redirect funding directly to students struggling financially.
Total solidarity with General Teaching Assistants with low salaries. Most of them are PhD Students struggling to pay fees and living expenses.
Student representation in all financial decisions within University with elected officials.
End predatory fee charges for international students.
Demand the UK Government a complete reform of the financial model of UK University, rescue for universities having financial problems, and redirecting funding for students living under the living wage.