FINANCE
Universities UK (UUK) has published a brief summary of its responses to its consultation on the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) pension – broadly speaking universities have backed a plan to make the scheme less generous by reducing the defined benefit salary threshold to £40,000 in order to keep contributions at around 30.7%. However, USS has responded that the UUK proposals would nonetheless result in contributions of 31.2%. THE reports that unions are unlikely to be happy with either scenario.
Meanwhile, the Chief Executive of the University and College Employers’ Association (UCEA) is arguing that it might be time to rethink collective pay bargaining in the sector.
STUDENT ISSUES
UCAS has published a report which shows that university applicants disclosing a mental health condition has risen by 450% in 10 years, but that this probably represented only half of those applicants with a mental health condition that they could declare.
REGULATORY AND GOVERNANCE
Anyone who has been following discussions about essay mills, may find the House of Lords Library briefing on the Higher Education Cheating Services Prohibition Bill interesting.
EQUALITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION
Wonkhe has an interesting article on the barriers faced by disabled students and their difficulties in accessing appropriate levels of financial support.
Respond
