Students are encouraged to vote in today’s referendum, with voting taking place, as with the sabbatical and council elections, through the ‘Online Voting’ sidebar on your QOL homepage.

The referendum is an opportunity for students to register their opposition to the proposals put forward recently by the Russell Group (of which Queen’s is a member and subscriber) – specifically, a removal of the cap on fees, with the eventual aim of a US-style market in education and the lowering of the wage threshold at which graduates are forced to repay their loan.

Union President Shane Brogan told students in today’s all-student email:

“The proposal, if implemented by Westminster, would see dramatic changes to student fees such as expecting students to take on private debt to fund more of the costs of teaching a student for a year (around £7,000 per year for an Arts student), it would also mean that students pay their student loans back when they are earning less money, by reducing the current threshold from £15,000, and substantial increases to the interest students pay on their current student loans.”

Students are also faced with two small technical changes to the Union’s constitution that could not be approved at Council due to problems with members’ attendance and consequent instances of quorate.

Ratification 2 is especially important, as it is intended to boost turnout in referenda through a longer voting period. Ratification 1 would formalise the current practice of referring to Andrew Dodge as the Director of the Union.

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