The UCU Left is a national organisation of University and College Union activists. It is committed to ensuring that the new union has a democratic structure through which members can determine policy, and elected officers and professional officials can be held accountable. It seeks to defend educational equality, and to oppose the consequences of neo-liberal marketisation. It is opposed to all forms of racism, sexism, oppression and imperialism.
Congress 2008 Resolutions - ELQ Funding
38 - Oppose ELQ cuts and defend part-time education - Birkbeck

Congress notes that:

  • The government's instruction to Higher Education Funding Council for England to withdraw £100 million in institutional funding for students studying for an equivalent or lower level qualification (ELQ) will have a disproportionate effect on part-time higher and further education, with institutions like Birkbeck and the Open University worst hit.

Congress believes that:

  • These cuts are contrary to governments declared support for lifelong learning and will damage compromise the ability of adults to retrain, update their skills or change careers. They will lead to courses closing and job losses, particularly for hourly-paid, fixed term and other vulnerable categories of staff.

Congress instructs UCU to:

  • Campaign against ELQ cuts, for increased funding for part-time education, to secure protection for vulnerable staff, and to promote publicly funded life-long learning opportunity for all.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
39 - Opposition to changes to HEFCE funding for ELQ students - Open University

Congress believes that the government's decision to withdraw funding for higher education students who already have an equal or lower qualification - ELQ students - is retrograde. It is contrary to the government's commitment to life long-learning; it is especially damaging to those institutions which have done most to promote part-time and adult education and widening participation, and it discriminates against older students, women needing fresh qualifications to return to work, and those with increasing disabilities and health problems who need to change career.

Congress welcomes the wide opposition to this policy and pledges to continue to maintain and build the broad campaign - which involves among others Birkbeck, the OU, and the NUS - to highlight the fundamental flaws in the ELQ policy and seek its removal.


CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
40 - ELQ Funding - Yorkshire and Humberside Regional Committee

Congress notes the funding cuts for students taking second qualifications equivalent to or lower than their existing qualification. This is a threat to lifelong learning and blocks a route traditionally used by adult learners wishing to make a career change.

Jobs in HE institutions and in 'HE in FE' colleges will be affected by this cut and an important principle of the right to obtain flexible and portable educational qualifications will be undermined in favour of a business-determined, marketised Mcnotion of skills training for dead-end jobs. Individuals should have the right to engage in genuine education appropriate to their circumstances and aspirations at any time in their lives. Genuine education creates genuine employability and personal enhancement.

Congress therefore resolves to support the further development of a national campaign (similar to the ESOL campaign) against the implementation of the proposed cuts in ELQs.


CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
HE15 - Campaign Against ELQ Funding Cuts - London Metropolitan University

Conference opposes the Government's decision to cut ELQ funding as it:

  • may reduce participation in HE, particularly from part-time students
  • may lead to large and differential increases in the tuition fees paid by UK/EU students
  • is very unlikely that employers will plug the resulting funding gaps
  • is discriminatory in that it will disproportionately disadvantage certain groups of students
  • mainly affects institutions which have done most to widen participation
  • may permanently damage specialist expertise and infrastructure in adult and part-time HE
  • may reduce participation in HE, particularly from part-time students
  • has a negative impact on our members' jobs
  • goes against our belief in the right of individuals to engage in education at any time in their lives.
Conference instructs HEC to:

  • Organise a co-ordinated campaign of events, which could include a national demonstration, as well as a national conference that includes representatives of staff and students directly affected, for early in the Autumn term to demand these cuts are reversed.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY
HE16 - ELQ - University of Brighton - Falmer

Conference notes:

  • In September, the Secretary of State (DfIUS) John Denham, instructed the Higher Education Funding Council for England to withdraw institutional funding for ELQ students - those studying for an equivalent or lower level qualification.

  • The impact of these institutional funding changes has a disproportionate effect on the part-time sector, with institutions like Birkbeck and the Open University and other institutions which have done most to wide participation being worst hit.

Conference believes that:

  • These changes are contrary to the agenda of lifelong learning and could have a negative impact on the economy if adults cannot retrain to update their skills or change career direction.

  • These funding cuts will inevitably lead to courses closing and job losses.

This meeting asks UCU:

  • To prioritise campaigning to reverse the ELQ funding change policy.

  • To anticipate and assess the impact that the funding cuts will have on Academic Related staff.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

UCU - 'Student Qualification Funding Cuts - The Issues' (details here)


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