Fair Access to University

Fair Access to University – 13 June 2011, Union Council (Ref: 1011P17)

Union Notes

1. The rise in tuition fees cap for 2012-12 and the consequential drive for fair access to University
2. The University of Southampton’s submission of its Access Agreement to the Office for Fair Access (OfFA) including the University’s targets for the recruitment of students from under-represented groups in Higher Education
3. That the University’s targets are based on a location adjusted benchmark (LAB) which takes into account the regions that an institution recruits from
4. The following targets that the University has set in its Access Agreement for 2012-13:

(a)  Students from state schools: 5% above LAB

(b) Students from low participation neighbourhoods: meet LAB

(c)  Students from lower socio-economic groups: meet LAB

(d) Students from Black and Minority Ethnic backgrounds: Improve from 10.5% to 13.5% of total student body

(e)  Students in receipt of Disabled Students’ Allowance: meet or exceed LAB

       5.  The importance of widening participation to the diversity of the student body.

Union Believes

1. In fair access to University for talented students
2. That the University should be meeting its targets
3. That SUSU should be holding the University to account if it fails to meet its targets

Union Resolves

1. To mandate the Union President and VP Academic Affairs to hold the University to account for its access targets
2. That SUSU should lobby for more ambitious access targets in the years following 2012-13