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<P><FONT SIZE=2>A message from the Campaign for the Public University<BR>
<BR>
Dear All,<BR>
<BR>
The National Campaign for the Public University is initiating a letter<BR>
writing campaign to protest against the silence of Russell Group VCs in<BR>
light of the proposed cuts to the funding of higher education and to<BR>
urge them to speak out on this matter. There is a list of email<BR>
addresses for all Russell Group VCs at the bottom of this email - you<BR>
can just copy and paste this list into your email. A suggested template<BR>
for the letter is also provided below, please adapt as you see fit.<BR>
<BR>
When you write, **Please BCC in the Campaign at publicuniversity@live.co.uk **<BR>
<BR>
Please do forward this on to colleagues and let them know that if they<BR>
would like to join the Jiscmail list for the Campaign for the Public<BR>
University, that they can do so via this website:<BR>
<A HREF="https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?SUBED1=CAMPAIGNFORTHEPUBLICU">https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/webadmin?SUBED1=CAMPAIGNFORTHEPUBLICU</A><BR>
NIVERSITY&A=1<BR>
<BR>
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<BR>
Dear Vice-Chancellors,<BR>
<BR>
I am writing to express my deep concern that, as Russell Group<BR>
Vice-Chancellors, you have welcomed a proposed 'premium fee' that will<BR>
nearly treble the cost of their education for students, while removing<BR>
the public support for courses in the arts, humanities and social<BR>
sciences. This is associated with a 'soft capped fee' which will bring a<BR>
significant cut in income for what you are pleased to regard as<BR>
'non-elite' universities. Their fate is apparently not a matter of<BR>
concern, despite the evident excellence of research and teaching across<BR>
the sector (as demonstrated in the RAE and National Student Survey).<BR>
<BR>
Your silence over the philistinism of the Browne Report and the absence<BR>
of any defence of the public value of Universities on your part is also<BR>
striking. The term 'elite' implies leadership, but the Russell Group has<BR>
failed to express anything other than self interest. In the process, you<BR>
have set yourself against your students and many of your staff.<BR>
<BR>
I urge you to speak out in support of the public value of universities<BR>
and against the proposed privatisation of the higher education sector.<BR>
<BR>
Yours faithfully,<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
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----<BR>
Russell Group e-mail addresses are below:<BR>
d.eastwood@bham.ac.uk; vc.eric.thomas@bristol.ac.uk;<BR>
v-c.office.online@admin.cam.ac.uk; FarnhamS@Cardiff.ac.uk;<BR>
principal@ed.ac.uk; A.Muscatelli@admin.gla.ac.uk;<BR>
K.ONions@imperial.ac.uk; principal@kcl.ac.uk; j.pharaoh@adm.leeds.ac.uk;<BR>
Howard.Newby@liv.ac.uk; h.davies@lse.ac.uk;<BR>
nancy.rothwell@manchester.ac.uk; chris.brink@ncl.ac.uk;<BR>
david.greenaway@nottingham.ac.uk; andrew.hamilton@admin.ox.ac.uk;<BR>
vc.office@qub.ac.uk; vc@sheffield.ac.uk; A.M.Wilson@southampton.ac.uk;<BR>
Nigel.Thrift@warwick.ac.uk; provost@ucl.ac.uk;<BR>
piatt.pa@russellgroup.ac.uk <BR>
<BR>
<BR>
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