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Student day of action: protests over higher education plans - live Student day of action: protests over higher education plans - live
(40 minutes later)
1.44pm: Policing at the student gatherings appears to be pretty light-touch, from reports we're hearing.
@robbieflash talks of a "cautionary police presence" outside the University of London Union; @sherelledavids says there are "literally more police than us at LSE", but that seems more a reflection of the (so far?) modest numbers of protesters on site than a deluge of police officers.
The Metropolitan Police is tweeting in friendly fashion about the London demo:
The Protest Liaison Team are in Malet St. Please feel free to speak with them.They are wearing baby blue tabards #nus #nuswalkout
— Metropolitan Police(@CO11MetPolice) March 14, 2012
Although things sound a little more fractious in Birmingham, between students and security guards at the city's shopping centre:
Protesters shortly managed to get outside Vodafone in the bullring but got thrown out by security quickly #nuswalkout
— Redbrick (@redbrickpaper) March 14, 2012
1.21pm:Hello, this is Claire Phipps, taking over from Jessica Shepherd for a couple of hours. Jess will be back this afternoon, so you can continue to tweet her @jessshepherd1 or me @Claire_Phipps
The #nuswalkout tweets are giving us a taster of what's going on around the country. London students are having a teach-out at the moment:
Teach out in Torrington Sq for the National Student Walkout, pre the march to Parliament #nuswalkout twitter.com/seanrr1982/sta…
— Sean Rillo Raczka (@seanrr1982) March 14, 2012
And what sounds like a smaller gathering in Birmingham:
Protest is currently on the march down New Street - about 20 protesters present #nuswalkout
— Redbrick (@redbrickpaper) March 14, 2012
And in Sheffield:
Really enjoyed the #nusweekofaction #comeclean #NUSwalkout at Sheffield Hallam. Some amazing people speaking and marching!
— toni pearce (@toni_pearce) March 14, 2012
12.17pm: Students at York St John decorate the vice-chancellor's office with posters. Thanks to Ryan Sandford-Blackburn, campaigns & communications co-ordinator at the union. Follow Ryan @ysjsu12.17pm: Students at York St John decorate the vice-chancellor's office with posters. Thanks to Ryan Sandford-Blackburn, campaigns & communications co-ordinator at the union. Follow Ryan @ysjsu
11.58am: Here's a photo of King's College London students pinning the hidden costs of their studies to their giant pound sign.11.58am: Here's a photo of King's College London students pinning the hidden costs of their studies to their giant pound sign.
11.40am: I just spoke to Liam Burns, president of the National Union of Students who was preparing to head down to the University of London Union's rally.11.40am: I just spoke to Liam Burns, president of the National Union of Students who was preparing to head down to the University of London Union's rally.
He told me that students were in no way resigned to tuition fees going up and up and that a growing number of universities were listening to pleas from their students' unions to clamp down on hidden course costs. The tripling of tuition fees is just the tip of the iceberg, he said. There needed to be far more scrutiny over plans to cut bursaries and to give private providers a greater role in higher education.He told me that students were in no way resigned to tuition fees going up and up and that a growing number of universities were listening to pleas from their students' unions to clamp down on hidden course costs. The tripling of tuition fees is just the tip of the iceberg, he said. There needed to be far more scrutiny over plans to cut bursaries and to give private providers a greater role in higher education.
Both locally on campuses and in government, people know that we won't let [ministers] get away with this ... The most insidious thing about Willetts' narrative is that this is a better deal for students ... Students are still paying for field trips, lab coats and all things that are essential to their courses.Both locally on campuses and in government, people know that we won't let [ministers] get away with this ... The most insidious thing about Willetts' narrative is that this is a better deal for students ... Students are still paying for field trips, lab coats and all things that are essential to their courses.
11.13am: An interesting and provoking comment below the line from NTEightySix11.13am: An interesting and provoking comment below the line from NTEightySix
It's a very just and noble cause but how many of these students will swiftly drop these principles after they graduate and get snapped up by PwC or Deloitte? Joining up with every trendy lefty movement at university is basically a fleeting hobby for a lot of these middle class students, so who are they kidding?It's a very just and noble cause but how many of these students will swiftly drop these principles after they graduate and get snapped up by PwC or Deloitte? Joining up with every trendy lefty movement at university is basically a fleeting hobby for a lot of these middle class students, so who are they kidding?
What do you think?What do you think?
11.11am: Hannah Waldram from our news communities team writes in:11.11am: Hannah Waldram from our news communities team writes in:
"We're asking those at protests today to share their images via our Student cuts placards and posters Flickr group – which already has some great photos from previous stands against the education reforms. We'll feature some of the best ones on the site here which will help paint a picture of the day of action across the UK."We're asking those at protests today to share their images via our Student cuts placards and posters Flickr group – which already has some great photos from previous stands against the education reforms. We'll feature some of the best ones on the site here which will help paint a picture of the day of action across the UK.
You can also follow today's action on Twitter via this list of some of the key voices at the protests, including representatives for student unions at Warwick, Bristol and Sussex universities.You can also follow today's action on Twitter via this list of some of the key voices at the protests, including representatives for student unions at Warwick, Bristol and Sussex universities.
If you're at a protest today you can share your pictures via the Flickr group, leave a comment below or tweet on the #nuswalkout and #comeclean hashtags to @guardian with your news and updates."If you're at a protest today you can share your pictures via the Flickr group, leave a comment below or tweet on the #nuswalkout and #comeclean hashtags to @guardian with your news and updates."
10.33am: Several student unions have been in touch to tell me what they are up to today. First off, Sheffield Hallam has organised a rally outside City Hall in just under an hour's time. Jake Kitchiner, president of the students' union, says he will be lobbying local MP Nick Clegg.10.33am: Several student unions have been in touch to tell me what they are up to today. First off, Sheffield Hallam has organised a rally outside City Hall in just under an hour's time. Jake Kitchiner, president of the students' union, says he will be lobbying local MP Nick Clegg.
Norwich University College of the Arts students will also be writing letters to their local MP, Lib Dem Simon Wright. They'll be asking him to call on David Willetts, the universities minister, to make the coalition's plans for higher education public.Norwich University College of the Arts students will also be writing letters to their local MP, Lib Dem Simon Wright. They'll be asking him to call on David Willetts, the universities minister, to make the coalition's plans for higher education public.
The union of Newman University College in Birmingham is encouraging students to come and tell a "banker" how much they have spent so far on hidden course costs during their studies.The union of Newman University College in Birmingham is encouraging students to come and tell a "banker" how much they have spent so far on hidden course costs during their studies.
One of the biggest events numbers-wise will be the University of London Union rally. This is being held with the Education Activist Network and the National Campaign against Fees and Cuts. It is assembling at Malet Street at 1.30pm.One of the biggest events numbers-wise will be the University of London Union rally. This is being held with the Education Activist Network and the National Campaign against Fees and Cuts. It is assembling at Malet Street at 1.30pm.
The University of Warwick student union has set up cages across its campus and are collecting photos of students who believe they have been "caged by costs". They'll be presenting this to the head of the university, Professor Nigel Thrift.The University of Warwick student union has set up cages across its campus and are collecting photos of students who believe they have been "caged by costs". They'll be presenting this to the head of the university, Professor Nigel Thrift.
10.15am: Michael Chessum, who is on the NUS executive council and is from a separate group, a coalition of students and workers known as the National Campaign against Fees and Cuts, is calling on David Willetts, the universities minister, to resign.10.15am: Michael Chessum, who is on the NUS executive council and is from a separate group, a coalition of students and workers known as the National Campaign against Fees and Cuts, is calling on David Willetts, the universities minister, to resign.
He told me Willetts was trying to "gut" higher education and "turn it into a privatised luxury".He told me Willetts was trying to "gut" higher education and "turn it into a privatised luxury".
The government's higher education white paper, on top of a tripling of fees and the worst cuts higher education has ever faced, will put good university education off limits to many students, creating a chaotic and two tiered market in provision with paying consumers. The dropping of the higher education bill was a symbolic victory for the student movement, but in practice amounts to no more than an attempt to force through regressive reforms by executive action, without a public argument. His policies will dismantle higher education as we know it, and his approach has been anti-democratic and frankly cowardly.The government's higher education white paper, on top of a tripling of fees and the worst cuts higher education has ever faced, will put good university education off limits to many students, creating a chaotic and two tiered market in provision with paying consumers. The dropping of the higher education bill was a symbolic victory for the student movement, but in practice amounts to no more than an attempt to force through regressive reforms by executive action, without a public argument. His policies will dismantle higher education as we know it, and his approach has been anti-democratic and frankly cowardly.
10.13am: Thousands of students are boycotting lectures and attending rallies today as part of a National Union of Students' campaign to highlight the plight of what the union says is a growing number of students being priced out of obtaining a degree.10.13am: Thousands of students are boycotting lectures and attending rallies today as part of a National Union of Students' campaign to highlight the plight of what the union says is a growing number of students being priced out of obtaining a degree.
I'll be covering the day's events on campuses across the country. Send me your personal experiences of the hidden – and not so hidden – costs of higher education and tell us what is going on today at your university or college.I'll be covering the day's events on campuses across the country. Send me your personal experiences of the hidden – and not so hidden – costs of higher education and tell us what is going on today at your university or college.
You can tweet me - jessshepherd1 - or email at jessica.shepherd@guardian.co.uk.You can tweet me - jessshepherd1 - or email at jessica.shepherd@guardian.co.uk.
Today's events are the culmination of a week-long "Come Clean" campaign by the NUS. The union says that unlike for the NHS reforms, the government is not giving the public the opportunity to scrutinise major reforms to higher education. These reforms include the near-trebling of tuition fees to up to £9,000 this autumn and the opening-up to the private sector of degree-awarding powers.Today's events are the culmination of a week-long "Come Clean" campaign by the NUS. The union says that unlike for the NHS reforms, the government is not giving the public the opportunity to scrutinise major reforms to higher education. These reforms include the near-trebling of tuition fees to up to £9,000 this autumn and the opening-up to the private sector of degree-awarding powers.
While a white paper setting out the coalition's changes for higher education has been published, plans to publish a bill were quietly dropped or delayed in January.While a white paper setting out the coalition's changes for higher education has been published, plans to publish a bill were quietly dropped or delayed in January.
Liam Burns, president of the NUS, says this "removed the opportunity for the kind of scrutiny that has been afforded to changes in the NHS".Liam Burns, president of the NUS, says this "removed the opportunity for the kind of scrutiny that has been afforded to changes in the NHS".
Students, parents, lecturers and anyone with a stake in education wants to know what the government and our institutions have in store for higher education and demand that they come clean.Students, parents, lecturers and anyone with a stake in education wants to know what the government and our institutions have in store for higher education and demand that they come clean.