Today (Friday 21 May), the Vice-Chancellor Adam Tickell updated all staff in his regular View from the VC email. You can read the full View from the VC below.

Next month, we expect a Government consultation to begin on the findings of the Augar Review. That means tuition fees will once more be under the spotlight and, if recent Ministerial remarks are heeded, a headline cut in fees to £7,500 is a very real possibility.

As was excellently summarised by Research Professional this week, such a move would create almost no winners. Universities would be poorer, with less money for teaching, research, widening participation and all other activities; the vast majority of students would end up paying back precisely the same as now but for a worse experience; the taxpayer will benefit marginally on the face of it, with a lower initial outlay, but of course everybody loses out if economic activity drops in university towns and cities.

The piece outlines many of the concerns we have discussed here at Sussex, in particular really understanding cross-subsidy. Whilst it is difficult reading in many respects, it is also important to consider this is exactly why we’ve begun an important journey in deciding how to strengthen our position to take on these potential sector changes, before they are imposed on us. It’s precisely what Size and Shape is all about – and we are on the front foot here. Discussing our options and taking control of our destiny.

Also on the Government’s radar is its proposal to move towards a post-qualification admissions system for universities. This would mean that offers of university places are only made to prospective students after they have received their A-level (or equivalent) grades. There is cautious and broad support for reform within the sector but, on behalf of universities, Universities UK has set out some caveats to that support.

With its consultation now closed, we await the Government’s decision. Whatever happens, it seems that change is coming and we will be making the case for this to be phased to ensure a smooth transition.

A more immediate challenge – albeit one that we are happy to be facing – is the wider return of staff and students to our fantastic campus. Detailed information was sent to all staff on this last week and I encourage you to read that in full if you have not already done so. And, while the UK’s vaccination programme thankfully continues to progress apace, regular and frequent testing will be key to the safe operation of our campus.

If you are going to be on campus, please do make sure that you visit our testing centre, in the Dine Central space in Bramber House. Tests are simple and quick, with the results delivered to your phone in minutes. The team also have a supply of home testing kits, if this is your preference.

Our response to the pandemic has proved that we can be agile and responsive when faced with an emergent threat. This should re-energise us to bring about the transformations necessary to tackle the climate emergency and we will soon be setting out our plans in our new sustainability strategy. Ahead of this, you can join a Research With Impact forum next week on research for sustainability, with Professor Joe Alcamo, Director of the Sussex Sustainability Research Programme (SSRP).

I want to again thank everybody who gave their thoughts recently on the future of the USS pension scheme. We are finalising our response to UUK’s consultation, which closes on Monday (24 May). Although the University doesn’t release its responses to consultations on USS, the Chair of our governing Council wrote to all staff explaining Council’s general approach, which was to support the UUK proposals as the least worst option on the table. There was an error in her letter which has now been updated. I read the draft of the letter and should have spotted it and would like to apologise for the confusion.

No-one is in any doubt that the UUK proposals would make USS less attractive than it currently is. Unfortunately, the choice is not between the status quo and a less attractive scheme: it is between contribution levels which could rise to 50% of salary (counting both staff and University contributions) by next October or, with additional support from employers, a smaller pension on retirement. It may be that really quite radical and more attractive changes to the pension scheme are possible in the medium term and I, for one, would very much welcome work on this. In the short term, however, the current valuation needs to be resolved if we are to avoid substantially greater contribution levels.

Just a quick reminder that the deadline for applying for voluntary severance is next Wednesday at 9am, so do look at the guidance if you wish to take up this opportunity.

Finally, over the last week I’ve been listening to Squid’s brilliant new album Bright Green Field. Although I’ve known one of the members since he was in primary school with one of my daughters and am friends with his parents, my reason for mentioning it is that Squid got together in Brighton when three of the members were students at Sussex.

Unless they are really lucky, none of the members of the band will get rich from their music and won’t enhance the data which feed our league tables. They studied subjects for which the Office for Students is withdrawing premium funding. But what they are doing is enhancing lives through their music.
Education can be a messy process and we need to avoid reducing it to graduate employability, good honours degrees, or earnings.

Give them a try or - given that Paul Weller says that he earned £9,500 from three million plays on Spotify - maybe buy the CD.

With best wishes,

Adam