Since British universities were allowed to charge £ 9,250 for each student in each course, not only did the universities begin to operate as commercial companies, but their employees began to behave like industrial workers. This has been shown by the threat of strike by the academic staff of more than 60 universities on May 25 and 26 of this year. Universities have never had so much money, but as is often the case, this does not lead to greater efficiency.

The Prime Minister has said that the amount of £ 9,250 was set as an upper limit for government loans for fees that universities could charge for undergraduate courses. She had hoped that the universities would compete on price as well as quality, but instead, they formed a cartel and conspired to charge the full amount to all students in all courses. This has led to students in arts and humanities courses, which are less expensive to teach, being charged as much as students studying engineering, science and medicine.

With the great wealth that this development has brought, vice-chancellors have begun to pay themselves as bankers or CEOs of large business companies. The vice-chancellor of a university in Bath, in the west of England, charged so much that he provoked a public outcry that led to the resignation of the lady. Universities, like most other institutions, work best when they have few resources; then everyone is encouraged to be more efficient. Reducing student loans to force lower fees could benefit the community in a number of ways.

In earlier times, being on the academic staff of a major university brought so much prestige and a life in such a stimulating and enjoyable environment that the salary paid was hardly a consideration. As for pensions, no one ever expected to retire. But with the rapid multiplication of universities in recent years and their increasing influx, the contemplation of dreaming spiers is being corrupted by the aspirations of the stock market. Seeing the vice-chancellors’ greed has awakened the lecturers to industrial appetites. Now they anticipate retirement and worry about changes in their pension plans.

Charging all students the same fee regardless of course of study is probably the correct policy, but the level should be lowered substantially. Providing a greater degree of public support for students leaving college with a much lower debt burden is also justified. Above all, a situation should be created in which universities can focus on carrying out their traditional role of promoting knowledge, free from the distractions of the market.