7/29/2019 Bev Interview

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Interviewer: With the current economic situation how do you think college and university students

are affected?

Bev: Funding cuts reduce the rate per student particularly in relation to enrichment and workshops

have meant the college has to try to fund additional support and extracurricular activity without

receiving any actual money for it. Increased cost relating to utility cost maintenance costs for the

building including cleaning, again put pressure on the reduced income received from the funding

agencies. Increased university fees and living costs etcetera put pressure on families trying to

support their sons and daughters through university. In some cases more debt is forced upon the

student, part time jobs are not as abundant as in the past and university students are finding it

difficult to secure a part time job to supplement their grant income.

Interviewer: Is there a drop in the number of people who apply to further education regarding

finance?

Bev: We havent noticed a significant drop in student numbers, but we have seen fewer studentswho would normally be in receipt of EMA. I have also spoken to a lot of parents who say increased

bus fares are making it difficult for students to attend college.

Interviewer: does college assist those struggling financially?

BEV: the college administers a bursary fund which is a lump sum of money, this year the college

received 327 thousand pound but this doesnt give the students anywhere near the money they

need to get to college. Last year with the EMA grant they received a maximum amount of thirty

pounds a week, this year we are only able to give students fifty pound a half term which is for 6

weeks. We try to assist them as much as we can and we reward good attendance with a small bonus.

Interviewer: what measures does college when it concerns the student quota, if the number of

students decreases at college how does the college try to encourage students to apply/ join?

BEV: the college has targets it needs to achieve to ensure it gets the funding required to cover its

planned expenditure, we have a large school liaison team to ensure that we attend school

assemblies to promote the college at both partner schools and non-partner schools. We also make

sure that we are present at educational events throughout the borough; our marketing department

ensure that the college events and good news stories are given good press coverage in the local

newspapers. another key area is our website and it is key that it is up to date and the information on

it is relevant and again displays the good news stories .With the significant increase in social media,

the college has encouraged students both past, present and potential new ones to sign up to

Facebook and twitter.