A Letter of Concern From Dundee University Students' Association on SNP budget Announcement to MSP's at Holyrood

The following letter was sent to all MSP’s at Holyrood; it refers to the SNP Budget announcement on Tuesday and the university/ student funding aspect of it. Dundee University Students Association has felt so concerned over the direction that the government is heading in terms of higher education in Scotland that they have felt compelled to email all MSP’s calling for them to review their decision.  Dundee University Students’ Association is working on this issue with St Andrews University Students’ Association and Glasgow University SRC who have also sent similar letters to MSP’s voicing concern over recent budget decisions by the SNP which will affect students first rate education.

 

For more information contact Milan Bogunovic on 07879697076 or 01386386002 or David Macleod on 07739964572

 

Dear Member of the Scottish Parliament
 
As President of Dundee University Students’ Association and elected representative of our student body it is my duty to bring to your attention the disappointment and anger faced by Dundee University students in relation to the recent SNP budget announcement.

 

In May 2007 thousands of students across Scotland voted in the Scottish Parliament elections.  Many were attracted by promises of scrapping student debt and pledges to provide more Government support for Universities. Now, in the light of the budget outlined on Thursday, many students have real concerns about the future funding of higher education in Scotland.   
 
Across the campus in the past two days students have queried just what support they can expect from the SNP Government in the future if this is the way they have been treated so far.  Students are concerned not just about the here and now but also the future of Higher Education in Scotland when stories circulate in the press that Universities will have to reduce student intakes and make potential cuts to services.
 
The financial position of the University of Dundee and the concerns of students about this are well known to many MSP's. Students are asking themselves to what depths will this neglect reach and could the Government not have done more to assist institutions across Scotland that are struggling? The answer among the student body is yes they can, but they choose not to realistically address all aspects of funding in higher education and put their heads in the sand and clam that the problems do not exist.
 
 

For the sake of current and future students in Scotland I urge you to consider your response to this when debates regarding the budget next occur in Parliament. Scottish Universities produce highly skilled, professional and dynamic graduates who contribute so much to the society and economy of Scotland as well as act as ambassadors for Scotland and our universities around the globe.  Do we as a nation want to jeopardise all this? 
 
Yours sincerely
 
Milan Bogunovic

President of Dundee University Students’ Association