FR IDAY, 7 TH JUNE, 2019 – Keep the Cat Free – ISSUE 1724 Felix The Student Newspaper of Imperial College London COMMENT No sympathy for Theresa May PAGE 4 MUSIC Five reasons to visit Strawberries & Creem Festival PAGE 14 POSTGRADUATE Will a reduction in tuition fees help or hinder students? // Flickr Tuition cuts a “shallow gesture” claims Silwood: Imperial's Green Labour minister Cupboard A recent report recommends cutting tuition fees but a shadow education minister says this will not resolve problems within PAGE 18 higher education. SPORTS NEWS longer period of time a wide-ranging review of student loans over 40 per year – a proposal that before being written off, higher education, recom- years and be charged has been championed by Joanna Wormald according to an independ- mended tuitions fees for less interest. At present, outgoing Prime Minister, Deputy Editor ent report published last domestic students should student debts accrue Theresa May. The week. The report also be capped at £7,500. interest of up to 6.3% and Treasury has warned that recommends the reintro- Universities can currently are written off after 30 this could cost £6 billion duction of maintenance charge up to £9,250 per years. per year. The national uition fees should grants. year. In addition to this, The government budget may also be hit by Battle of be slashed and The Augar report, the independent panel led should also reintroduce the report’s recommenda- repaid with less commissioned in by Philip Augar advised means-tested maintenance tion that the government Battersea interest over a February 2018 as part of graduates should repay grants of at least £3,000 PAGE 24 T Cont. pg 3 FR IDAY, 7 TH JUNE, 2019 FELIX FELIX ISSUE 1724 EDITORIAL NEWS [email protected] CONTENTS We've finally done it! EDITORIAL 2 Tuition cuts a “shallow gesture” claims Labour minister NEWS 3 The Felix Team NEWS that the Augar report’s Marsden, has described Analysis COMMENT 4-5 fter ten jaba – Felix simply "reverse progress recommendations will put the proposed cut to tuition y D Ed Editor-in-Chief (cont.) months and nd ito in widening access". Andy Djaba universities into financial fees as “a shallow gesture” SCIENCE 6 27 issues of A r This week's issue also • hardship as “scaremon- that “will not resolve the Last year, Imperial College submitted three priorities to the Augar report’s review Felix, we've sees the final Postgraduate Deputy Editor should increase its finan- gering”. issues that affect pro- panel. The College said any changes to financing must be sustainable and bridge GAMES 7-9 Afinally done it! This is feature of this academic Joanna Wormald cial contributions to make spective students or our the gap [estimated at £90 million for Russell Group universities alone] between officially the earliest year. I'm glad that we've • up for the loss of universi- institutions”. existing funding for and the actual cost of providing “a world-leading STEM edu- FOOD 10 I've ever written my been able to get this News Editor ties’ incomes as a result of “Hinds has cation”, and should ensure higher education is accessible regardless of a student’s Editorial and we are section of the ground this Joanna Wormald lower tuition fees. These financial circumstances. How far do the Augar report’s recommendations meet • MUSIC 14-15 100% on track to hit year and my only hope is Politics Editors increased contributions dismissed “Will not these priorities? the print deadline. Not that it continues to grow Avirup Banerjee should, according to the Analysis by auditing firm KPMG revealed that UK universities spend 42% of SUSTAINABILITY 16 the imaginary print next year after I've handed Divyen Vanniasegaram report, be focused on the claims that resolve the their income on teaching – considerably less than higher education institutes in deadline which I have over. As Ute's article Juan Rubio Gorrochategui courses which are most the Augar other countries. Managing estates, student services, and corporate and administra- C&S 17 been bending to my addresses, there is still • expensive to provide – issues that tive costs account for 47%. The remaining 10% is used as a “margin for sustaina- will every week, but the a long way to go before Comment Editors such as STEM subjects report's recom- affect our bility and investment” (i.e. money used to protect against future risk and to ensure POSTGRADUATE 18-19 actual print deadline! postgraduate students feel Aida Manzano Kharman – and those that offer services and standards can be maintained or improved). This MSI equates to an Charlie Titmuss mendations This means I might ac- adequately represented • “better value”. institutions” average of £1,000 per student – a figure the Augar report describes as “substantial”. HANGMAN 22 tually step foot outside and supported by the Science Editors However, former will put The report also notes that the higher education sector is “in a reasonably solid the basement whilst Union. Rosie Dutt Universities Minister, Jo financial position”. PUZZLES 23 there's still daylight on a Be sure to pick up a Eyad Abuelgasim Johnson, has expressed universities Addressing the House The specialised equipment required for many STEM subjects means these Thursday evening... copy of next week's issue Henry Alman doubts over the Treasury’s of Commons earlier courses are more costly to provide than many arts- or humanities-based degrees. SPORTS 24 Once again, I'm of Felix for a roundup Sânziana Foia willingness to increase into financial this week, Hinds said: As a STEM-focused university, Imperial has less opportunity to subsidise more drawing a blank when of the political uprising • higher education funding, “Whatever decisions we expensive courses with surplus from courses that cost less than £9,250 per student it comes to writing this then be surprised that its size belies an issue in Sudan (an issue that Tech Editor saying the Augar report’s hardship make about how best to per year, as many other universities do. However, Imperial may be able to benefit Krithika Balaji Editorial. I think I need nobody stepped forward packed with the finest has been disappointingly Haaris Asghar recommendations will as 'scare- take forward recommen- disproportionately if the government decides to implement the recommendation the pressure of needing to couple up (is that what hard-hitting journalism. under-reported by main- • “destabilise university dations in this report, it's that funding should be focused on “high-cost and high-value subjects” as part of to submit in five minutes it's called?), is a whole No thanks to me, I might stream media outlets). Arts Editors finances, imperil many vital that we support these the government’s Industrial Strategy, which includes a pledge to increase spending Felix Office mongering' ” Beit Quad, Prince Consort to get the creative juices separate matter. If, by add. Deputy Editor, Section of the week Claire Chan courses and reverse institutions to continue to on research and development from 1.7% to 2.4%. The Augar report states: “Our Road flowing. I watched Love some miracle, a copy of Joanna, has conducted goes to the Music section. Helen Money-Kyrle progress in widening offer world-leading higher proposals … are intended to encourage [STEM education] and are likely to result London, SW7 2BB Island for the first time this issue of Felix makes a thorough analysis of Head to page 14 for a Vaishnavi Gnanananthan access”. Education Sec- education to students in in more funding going to institutions with a strong research base.” Tel: 020 79548072 yesterday so I'm tempted its way to the island, read last week's Augar report, double page spread, • retary, Damian Hinds, Shadow Education future.” The reintroduction of maintenance grants, which do not have to be paid back, will Email: [email protected] Books Editors to turn this whole Editori- carefully Sherif: Believe which recommended a written by yours truly, on JJ Cheng has dismissed claims Minister, Gordon help those less able to cover their living costs but the benefits of the report’s other felixonline.co.uk al into one big Love Island in your Barber! Failing reduction in tuition fees. a festival I'm heading to suggestions – cutting tuition fees and interest rates while spreading repayments @feliximperial • meme but, if I'm honest, I that, invest in a bucket hat The issue of tuition fees is next weekend on official Music Editors over a longer period – are less certain. Printed by Mortons Media couldn't really see what please. far more nuanced than it Felix press business! Simran Kukran As Felix has previously reported, cutting tuition fees primarily benefits the Group, Boston Road, Horncastle, Lincolnshire the hype is about. One In keeping with the might seem at first glance Adrian LaMoury highest-earning graduates. Two in five graduates earn less than £25,000 five years thing I will mention, rest of this term so far, and time will tell if a Henry Eshbaugh after graduating, meaning they fall below the threshold at which they have to start Registered Newspaper Asad Raja ISSN 1040-0711 though, is Sherif. To this week's issue of Felix reduction in fees will ul- repaying their student debts, which, on average, amount to over £50,000. Even arrive on the island with is a slim one. 'Felix-lite' timately benefit prospec- • factoring in the additional ten years before the debts are written off, low-earning Copyright (c) Felix 2017 Film Editors no trim is one thing. To if you will. However, tive students or if it will Mikhail Demtchenko graduates are unlikely to see any significant change in the amount they pay back.