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Student day of action: protests over higher education plans - live Student day of action: protests over government's higher education plans - Wednesday 14 March
(40 minutes later)
5.08pm: Do let us know what else you feel your campus has achieved from today's events. 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.
Meanwhile, the University of Cambridge has suspended a student for two and a half years for protesting against a visit by the universities minister, David Willetts. The student, who has not been named, is said to have disrupted Willetts' speech in November last year. The student read out a poem criticising Willetts for raising fees to up to £9,000 a year and for the reforms contained in the white paper. The university initiated disciplinary proceedings against the student for "impeding freedom of speech". 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.
In February, 60 dons and students wrote a letter to the university demanding that they be charged for the same offence. You can tweet me - jessshepherd1 - or email at jessica.shepherd@guardian.co.uk.
Rees Arnott-Davies, a student at Corpus Christi College said the suspension was out of proportion. "Two and a half years for an entirely legal and peaceful protest is an absolute travesty and makes me ashamed to study at this university. The idea that you can protect freedom of speech by silencing protest is the height of hypocrisy." 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.
4.59pm: Two triumphs of the day. 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.
One is that Sheffield University has said that if a field trip or a piece of equipment is considered to be compulsory for a course, it will be included in the £9,000 per year tuition fee. 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".
The university says that examples of compulsory elements include:
/>• residential and non-residential field trips, visits and theatre trips
/>• professional accreditation exams and membership of regulatory bodies – where they are a core requirement of a course
/>• lab equipment and other items required for compulsory research projects
/>• any special materials for producing course work, if required by the department 		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.
The total cost of these commitments would be at least £200,000 in 2012, money which the University is happy to commit in order to ensure that students entering the University in 2012 receive significant value for their money. 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.
Really inspiring turnout @sunderlandsu for the #yes2nus campaign. Well done to everyone who spent so much time campaigning &supporting this He told me Willetts was trying to "gut" higher education and "turn it into a privatised luxury".
The other is that Sunderland University's students' union has rejoined the National Union of Students having left in 2003. This has been greeted very happily by many on Twitter. 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.
3.30pm: Some of you have very reasonably been asking me to establish whether the higher education bill has been dropped or just delayed. I've asked the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, which has responsibility for universities, for a comment from David Willetts, the universities minister. They wouldn't give me one, but a spokesman from the department has told me that "subject to parliamentary time, we intend to implement the reforms we set out in our White Paper". 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.
3.27pm: Thanks for some fantastic photos. Do share them on our Flickr page Student cuts placards and posters Flickr group 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.
or tweet them to @guardianedu and we can add them to our storify 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.
@jessshepherd1 I'm a mature student based in Canterbury. Would have loved to join in with the protests, but I can't afford the train fare. 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.
3.24pm: Think how many more students might have come if rail fares were a bit cheaper... 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.
3.11pm: My colleague Hannah Waldram has sent me this excellent storify. It gives a good sense of the crowd at the University of London Union rally at lunchtime. 11.11am: Hannah Waldram from our news communities team writes in:
[Please note: this is put together using Storify, which does not work on our mobile site and apps. If nothing loads below this paragraph, click here to go to Storify itself, or use the desktop version of the site.] "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.
3.03pm: Jessica Shepherd back. Now seems like a good time to recap on what the white paper, published in June last year, said since many of the students protesting today want more scrutiny of the reforms it calls for. 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.
In a nutshell, it spellt out greater powers for English universities to recruit unlimited numbers of the best performing students – those who achieve AAB at A-level. It also proposed to create a "flexible margin" of 20,000 places that universities charging an average fee of £7,500 or less could bid for. That means one in four places was up for grabs. The white paper also allowed employers and charities to sponsor extra places outside the quota system. 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."
Here it is for those who want a more in-depth read. 11.13am: An interesting and provoking comment below the line from NTEightySix
2.30pm: So what do the academics make of today's walkout by students? Below the line scraggs asks: 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?
Conjecture here, but I suspect that if there are lecturers who support the protest – and surely there are? – they may be more than happy to provide the relevant material that the students may be missing so that they can catch up. What do you think?
You might like to take a look at this article on Comment is Free, by Stefan Collini, professor of English literature and intellectual history at the University of Cambridge. Student protests deserve our attention and respect, he says: 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.
When I have accepted invitations to talk to student groups involved in such events, I am always struck by the intellectual seriousness of the majority of those taking part, and by the level of engagement and sophistication that would grace any more conventional academic seminar. Many of those of student age really do want to understand why such a damaging policy is being imposed – and what can, even now, be done about it. 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.
I am less optimistic than they are about effecting political change in the short term. But I do believe in engaging in public debate in an attempt to alter the political weather in the longer term, and peaceful protests are one important and legitimate way of calling attention to matters which governments would prefer to regard as closed. 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.
He goes on: 11.58am: Here's a photo of King's College London students pinning the hidden costs of their studies to their giant pound sign.

/>To represent student protest as just the predictable whinging of interested parties clearly misrepresents student protests against the marketisation of higher education. Let's not forget that those taking to the streets today are not protesting on their own behalf: they are not the ones who will be saddled with the £40-50,000 debts, since this only applies to those entering universities from the autumn of this year. And in fact this is not a sectional interest on the part of those currently connected with higher education at all, but something in which our society as a whole has a stake. 		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 @ysjsu.
I'd be very interested to hear from academics who support today's action – and any who don't.
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_Phipps1.21pm: 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: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…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— Sean Rillo Raczka (@seanrr1982) March 14, 2012
And what sounds like a smaller gathering in Birmingham:And what sounds like a smaller gathering in Birmingham:
Protest is currently on the march down New Street - about 20 protesters present #nuswalkoutProtest is currently on the march down New Street - about 20 protesters present #nuswalkout
— Redbrick (@redbrickpaper) March 14, 2012— Redbrick (@redbrickpaper) March 14, 2012
And in Sheffield:And in Sheffield:
Really enjoyed the #nusweekofaction #comeclean #NUSwalkout at Sheffield Hallam. Some amazing people speaking and marching!Really enjoyed the #nusweekofaction #comeclean #NUSwalkout at Sheffield Hallam. Some amazing people speaking and marching!
— toni pearce (@toni_pearce) March 14, 2012— 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 @ysjsu. 2.30pm: So what do the academics make of today's walkout by students? Below the line scraggs asks:
11.58am: Here's a photo of King's College London students pinning the hidden costs of their studies to their giant pound sign. Conjecture here, but I suspect that if there are lecturers who support the protest – and surely there are? – they may be more than happy to provide the relevant material that the students may be missing so that they can catch up.
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. You might like to take a look at this article on Comment is Free, by Stefan Collini, professor of English literature and intellectual history at the University of Cambridge. Student protests deserve our attention and respect, he says:
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. When I have accepted invitations to talk to student groups involved in such events, I am always struck by the intellectual seriousness of the majority of those taking part, and by the level of engagement and sophistication that would grace any more conventional academic seminar. Many of those of student age really do want to understand why such a damaging policy is being imposed – and what can, even now, be done about it.
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. I am less optimistic than they are about effecting political change in the short term. But I do believe in engaging in public debate in an attempt to alter the political weather in the longer term, and peaceful protests are one important and legitimate way of calling attention to matters which governments would prefer to regard as closed.
11.13am: An interesting and provoking comment below the line from NTEightySix He goes on:
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?
/>To represent student protest as just the predictable whinging of interested parties clearly misrepresents student protests against the marketisation of higher education. Let's not forget that those taking to the streets today are not protesting on their own behalf: they are not the ones who will be saddled with the £40-50,000 debts, since this only applies to those entering universities from the autumn of this year. And in fact this is not a sectional interest on the part of those currently connected with higher education at all, but something in which our society as a whole has a stake.
What do you think? I'd be very interested to hear from academics who support today's action – and any who don't.
11.11am: Hannah Waldram from our news communities team writes in: 3.03pm: Jessica Shepherd back. Now seems like a good time to recap on what the white paper, published in June last year, said since many of the students protesting today want more scrutiny of the reforms it calls for.
"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. In a nutshell, it spellt out greater powers for English universities to recruit unlimited numbers of the best performing students – those who achieve AAB at A-level. It also proposed to create a "flexible margin" of 20,000 places that universities charging an average fee of £7,500 or less could bid for. That means one in four places was up for grabs. The white paper also allowed employers and charities to sponsor extra places outside the quota system.
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. Here it is for those who want a more in-depth read.
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." 3.11pm: My colleague Hannah Waldram has sent me this excellent storify. It gives a good sense of the crowd at the University of London Union rally at lunchtime.
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. [Please note: this is put together using Storify, which does not work on our mobile site and apps. If nothing loads below this paragraph, click here to go to Storify itself, or use the desktop version of the site.]
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. @jessshepherd1 I'm a mature student based in Canterbury. Would have loved to join in with the protests, but I can't afford the train fare.
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. 3.24pm: Think how many more students might have come if rail fares were a bit cheaper...
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. 3.27pm: Thanks for some fantastic photos. Do share them on our Flickr page Student cuts placards and posters Flickr group
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. or tweet them to @guardianedu and we can add them to our storify
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. 3.30pm: Some of you have very reasonably been asking me to establish whether the higher education bill has been dropped or just delayed. I've asked the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, which has responsibility for universities, for a comment from David Willetts, the universities minister. They wouldn't give me one, but a spokesman from the department has told me that "subject to parliamentary time, we intend to implement the reforms we set out in our White Paper".
He told me Willetts was trying to "gut" higher education and "turn it into a privatised luxury". 4.59pm: Two triumphs of the day.
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. One is that Sheffield University has said that if a field trip or a piece of equipment is considered to be compulsory for a course, it will be included in the £9,000 per year tuition fee.
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. The university says that examples of compulsory elements include:
/>• residential and non-residential field trips, visits and theatre trips
/>• professional accreditation exams and membership of regulatory bodies – where they are a core requirement of a course
/>• lab equipment and other items required for compulsory research projects
/>• any special materials for producing course work, if required by the department
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. The total cost of these commitments would be at least £200,000 in 2012, money which the University is happy to commit in order to ensure that students entering the University in 2012 receive significant value for their money.
You can tweet me - jessshepherd1 - or email at jessica.shepherd@guardian.co.uk. Really inspiring turnout @sunderlandsu for the #yes2nus campaign. Well done to everyone who spent so much time campaigning &supporting this
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. The other is that Sunderland University's students' union has rejoined the National Union of Students having left in 2003. This has been greeted very happily by many on Twitter.
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. 5.08pm: Do let us know what else you feel your campus has achieved from today's events.
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". Meanwhile, the University of Cambridge has suspended a student for two and a half years for protesting against a visit by the universities minister, David Willetts. The student, who has not been named, is said to have disrupted Willetts' speech in November last year. The student read out a poem criticising Willetts for raising fees to up to £9,000 a year and for the reforms contained in the white paper. The university initiated disciplinary proceedings against the student for "impeding freedom of speech".
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. In February, 60 dons and students wrote a letter to the university demanding that they be charged for the same offence.
Rees Arnott-Davies, a student at Corpus Christi College said the suspension was out of proportion. "Two and a half years for an entirely legal and peaceful protest is an absolute travesty and makes me ashamed to study at this university. The idea that you can protect freedom of speech by silencing protest is the height of hypocrisy."
5.25pm: That's it from me. Thanks so much for your excellent contributions to this blog. Do keep commenting below the line.