gair rhydd Monday September 13 2010 | freeword – Est. 1972 | Issue 928
FREE INSIDE : Your student lifestyle magazine MUSIC // FILM // ARTS // FASHION // FOOD // TRAVEL // FEATURES // LGBT+ // INTERVIEWS // BOOKS // and more Inside this week:
Animal testing
Contingency plan needed Hannah Pendleton News Editor This year the Welsh Assembly Government has cut Cardiff University’s Financial Contingency Fund (FCF) by 60%, vastly reducing the amount of financial support available to vulnerable students. The FCF is the source of funding that helps around 1300 students a year remain in higher education. Further and Higher education institutions in Wales, like Cardiff University, are given a financial contingency fund for every academic year, giving discretionary financial support to vulnerable students. This vital source of funding that helps a large number of students each year, allows them to continue on through their higher education. Those that face difficulties due to an unexpected illness and student parents are just a few of the many that are benefitted. Most importantly it provides financial help, support and stability when there is the possibility of a student having to leave university due to serious financial hurdles. Despite the importance of the FCF to so many individuals, the WAG has made the decision to cut funding by up to 60%. This now means that for this academic year, the Student Support Centre have £412,975 to consider and allocate to students in hardship. This is in contrast to the previous year (2009-10) where there was a total of £1.2 million available. During the last academic year up to 90% of the fund was allocated to vulnerable students. The 60% cuts will create increased pressure on the Student Support Centre who must now consider ways to manage the reduction in funding. Sarah Ingram, the Academic and University Affairs Officer stated: “The shocking 60% cut that the
Welsh Assembly Government has imposed on the Financial Contingency Fund will harm our poorest and most vulnerable students. “With drop out rates already increasing because of the unforeseen hidden costs of courses and personal money issues, the University’s financial support services will be forced to turn desperate students away, that just last year they would have been able to help continue studying”. Ben Lewis, Head of Student Advisory Services, highlighted the importance of the FCF. From recent figures of students who use the fund it has emerged that 89% of students who responded indicate they would not have been able to continue in higher education without FCF help (2009-10 figures). It is also clear that needs can be particularly acute later in students’ careers, jeopardizing completion in the final year. Regardless of the amount of concern surrounding the cuts, the WAG remains positive, with plans in place to prevent an increase in drop out rates from ‘less privileged’ students. A spokesperson said: “While Financial Contingency Fund levels are reducing in 2010-11, we have a higher education student support package in place to ensure financial barriers do not deter those students from less privileged backgrounds from entering higher education”. Cuts to the fund will result in more highly considered spending. Ben Lewis said: “We will still have money to award to students, but we will have to make changes in how awards are made. “We are awaiting guidance from WAG to help us to do this.”
Continued on page 4
A recent investigation has revealed that animal experiments at Cardiff University have increased since 2006 News, page 2
Summer holidays Our resident columnist offers his own opinion of summer holidays, and doesn’t really care about how you spent yours... Columnist, page 12
Culture prejudice? Opinion takes on the issue of the Burka in a debate over whether the traditional dress is a tool of female liberation or cultural oppression Opinion, page 10
Coalition review Politics offers an in-depth review of the Cameron-Clegg coalition after its first three months, with discussion of the policies that will be affecting us students Politics, page 15
Refresh yourself We give you an exclusive guide to Freshers’ Week 2010, and offer you some handy hints and advice to help you make sure it is the best week of your life Features, pages 16-17
Making a change One of our Editors discusses the big impact that climate change will have on our planet Science and Environment, page 22
Get involved!
Cardiff University Alumni reaches National Command – Full story: page 3
Sport interview your new Athletic Union President and talk about his plans for the year ahead Sport, page 31 And more, in Wales’ number one independent student newspaper