More of the cuts
to Disabled Students Allowance scheduled to hit those entering university this
September (2015) have been postponed until next year (academic year 16/17). The
specific areas mentioned are additional disability-related accommodation,
peripherals (which is likely to mean printers, scanners and ergonomic items
related to computers), and consumables (which in DSA terms would mean printing
and photocopying costs).
This follows on
from the stalling announcement made in September by Greg Clark, which halted
the threatened massive reduction in funds available for a wide range of non-medical
helper support (such as practical assistants and note-takers).
This time round
we have again an announcement written in terms of the universities getting a
reprieve, the delay is to “help give
institutions the time to review the services they offer to disabled students
and make appropriate improvements to meet their needs”. This suggests that the
universities, not students nor DSA itself are the intended victims of
“rebalancing” and therefore universities would have felt some sort of unacceptable
impact as a result of reductions in the number of goods and services available
via the DSA. Those of us work with actual students are more used to thinking in
student-centred terms so this emphasis on the protection of the welfare of
institutions is somewhat strange.
Bearing in mind a judicial review has been granted to two disabled students, the phrase “the Government
would prefer to move forward in a consensual manner (as far as is reasonably
possible) rather than through litigation” leaps off the page.
