Vice-Chancellor responds to funeral protest with jargon and non-speak

The Vice-Chancellor, Stuart Corbridge, sent a jargon filled email to every student in the uni about the recent accommodation fee increases, in response to yesterday’s student protest.

Over 300 students showed up to the Funeral for Accessible Education, where a coffin was carried through town and laid at rest outside the Bill Bryson.

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However, the main demand of the protest, a two year freeze on fee increases, was ignored in the email.

The Vice Chancellor said he was keen to engage in further dialogue with the students union and college groups, and discuss four key areas.

In the email he said: “More bursarial support for students with a parental income of up to and including £26.5k (the national average wage), potentially offering more student choice via differential college fees, active involvement of students in the development of our new Accommodation Strategy [and] how to begin a more general dialogue on how the University should consult and communicate with students moving forward.”

He also took time to clarify that international tuition fees will not be increased for those who are already at the university, which will offer little solace for those coming to Durham from abroad in the coming years.

The complete absence of any mention of the two year freeze will be seen as a snub by some, as the email offers no suggestion of going back on the fee increases.