- 鈥淲onga tactics鈥 does not sound like something the Student Loans Company would want to be associated with. But that is how one campaigner 鈥 quoted in the Daily Mail 鈥 described methods used by the state lender to pursue graduates falling behind on repayments. The news website BuzzFeed highlighted on June how graduates were being sent letters from what appeared to be an independent debt collection agency called Smith Lawson & Company. A clue to its origin was in the company鈥檚 initials, but it was made 鈥渃lear鈥 in some small print at the bottom that Smith Lawson was a trading name of the SLC. The tactic was branded controversial as payday loan firm Wonga has just been asked to pay 拢2.6 million in compensation for sending customers letters from fictitious debt recovery firms. The SLC 鈥 which said that it used the 鈥渟econdary brand鈥 to save paying fees to a conventional debt collection agency 鈥 has now suspended its use of the letters.
- Smith Lawson & Company would have its work cut out when it comes to collecting debt from European Union students outside the UK, according to an article in The Daily Telegraph on 24 June. It reports that the latest figures show a threefold rise in the amount of debt arrears accumulated by students from EU member states over the past two years, with 拢38.2 million now overdue. About 92,000 EU students have taken out UK student loans, with 拢686.3 million drawn out in the past 12 months, the paper said. Acknowledging that concerns have been raised about the number of EU students accessing loans for 鈥渄ubious鈥 courses at private colleges, the report noted that the coalition had 鈥減romised to tackle the practice鈥. So we can breathe a sigh a relief on that one, then.
- The campaign to keep Scotland in the United Kingdom has been compared to a 鈥渂unch of arrogant students who get drunk at lunchtime鈥 by the country鈥檚 former first minister. Lord McConnell of Glenscorrodale said that both sides of the debate had failed voters by using 鈥渃omplacent and negative tactics鈥, but the Labour peer recalled judging a university debate on independence when describing the approach of the Better Together campaign, The Independent reported on June. 鈥淭hose in favour of Scotland鈥檚 membership鈥ead all the evidence and papers鈥nd became so convinced of the case that they went to the pub at lunchtime, became complacent and, despite having all the arguments, lost the debate comprehensively,鈥 he said. Someone should tell Better Together that the bell just rang for last orders.
- Two separate reports last week focused on that perennial problem 鈥 too few poor children entering 鈥渢op鈥 universities. First the Department for Education released figures showing that only 50 pupils on free school meals got into Oxbridge in 2011 鈥 fewer than both Eton College (60) and Westminster School (65) sent that year, the Daily Mail reported on June. Then the Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission 鈥 led by former Labour Cabinet minister Alan Milburn 鈥 identified a missing 2,000 poor state pupils who should be making it to 鈥渆lite鈥 universities. If all this sounds familiar, it鈥檚 because we鈥檝e heard much of it before. The DfE set out similar damning figures in March, while the Sutton Trust has for years been banging on about a 鈥渕issing 3,000鈥 state pupils not getting into top universities. Perhaps more troubling is how the Milburn commission defined a 鈥渉igh status鈥 university 鈥 one that is in the Russell Group or has a higher average score than the worst-performing Russell Group member in the 2001 research assessment exercise. Yes, you read that right 鈥 the 2001 RAE.
- The University of Essex has announced a scholarship in memory of Nahid Almanea, a 31-year-old Saudi student who died after being stabbed 16 times as she walked along a quiet footpath in Colchester last month. It is expected that the scholarship, announced on 30 June and developed in discussion with her family and friends, will fund an international student who wants to work in science education. Ms Almanea had been studying the Essex English Language Programme at the university鈥檚 International Academy since January. She was due to complete her course in August before going on to study for a life sciences PhD.
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