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London Met is fiddling me out of my degree, claims violin maker
Mark Blunden25 Aug 2010
A basketball player on a scholarship to London's biggest university has been banned from graduating unless he pays thousands of pounds in fees.
The London Metropolitan University is demanding the money from Alexander Westgarth as it owes £36.5 million to the Higher Education Funding Council for money that was given as grants to students who dropped out.
Mr Westgarth, 28, was offered the scholarship to play for the university basketball team to secure a place on a three-year violin-making course.
He said that in exchange for playing with the championship-winning London Mets squad, the university agreed to waive his tuition and accommodation fees, of about £8,000 a year, starting in 2007.
But at the beginning of his second year, Mr Westgarth, who was given a double distinction, was told his scholarship was being stopped. However, the university still paid the fees for him that year — blaming this on an “administrative error”.
At the beginning of the third year he did not pay his fees because he was told that anyone with a scholarship was exempt.
But he was shocked to learn that the university did not consider him to be on a scholarship and he was ordered to pay back £3,200. Mr Westgarth, from Holloway, said: “I knew something was wrong when my university swipe card stopped working.
“I feel hard done by that I've been told at the end of my education that I have to pay my fees to get my BSc, which I'm pretty sure is a 2.1.”
Mr Westgarth, who also coached the university's second squad, said: “They got their money's worth out of me. Last year, the coach told me that anyone already on a scholarship could complete their studies.”
London Metropolitan said that each scholarship has to be renewed each year. A spokeswoman added: “He received a scholarship in the academic year 2008/09 in error, but we did not ask Alex for payment for that year.
“Alex was aware that this was an exceptional concession. As communicated to Alex on July 14, 2008, regarding his tuition fees for 2009/10, no scholarship has been agreed for this academic year. Therefore Alex is required to find the fees.”
Reader views (10)
the degree's not worth the paper its on so its fairly irrelevant
- anon, london, 29/08/2010 22:26
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the degree's not worth the paper its on so its fairly irrelevant
- anon, london, 29/08/2010 22:25
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Dear Sirs, £36,500,000 deficit is owed by London Met. University, plus interest
accruing, due to gross mismanagement. What wasnt mentioned in the article in the Evening Standard is that due to this bad management departments, including instrument making departments. are having to close. This student in question Alexander Westgarth seems to have worked hard and is on course to acheive a good degree in his subject, violin building. He appears to have fulfilled his three year basketball scholarship duties and commitment. It seems that because of the enormous deficiit in the university's finances the authorities have changed the goal post in relations to Alexanders scholarship. As the mother of three graduates, a graduate and post graduate myself, I am appalled at the mistreatment of this student. I hope that the irregularities and mismanagement of London Met University will be thoroughly and objectively investigated.
- Bridget Lanham, Edinburgh Scotland, 27/08/2010 10:31
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This article strikes a chord with me, but costs to the tune of £3000 are not on a minor scale. He's conducting himself well, or so it sounds. No doubt a harmonious outcome will be orchestrated, and both parties will end up singing from the same song sheet. Music to the ears? An out of court settlement perhaps? He'll bounce back, I'm sure. Power forward, sir!
- Johnny Plate, Platonic Vistas, 27/08/2010 00:30
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It is well documented that it is the London Met Uni who has been "on the fiddle"...
Last year the university falsely claimed £36m worth of government funds for students who had not completed their end-of-year assessments.
They got caught, the governors were forced out, and now the university is using any means necessary to repay the £36m they owe.
The story of Alex is one of a hard-working student who is being denied the degree and scholarship he deserves, he should not be punished for the fraudulent activities of the previous university management.
- Sebastian, Wimborne, UK, 26/08/2010 21:31
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"The London Metropolitan University is demanding the money from Alexander Westgarth as it owes £36.5 million to the Higher Education Funding Council for money that was given as grants to students who dropped out."
Surely this is a libellous statement. The university are telling him he needs to pay simply because he has studied a course there. Do you expect them to provide their courses for free? It seems he got away with one free year when he shouldn't have done, why should he be allowed to get away with another one when tens of thousands of students across the uk are getting into severe debt to pay for their education? What a ridiculous story, this is really shoddy journalism.
Anyone with a bit of common sense can tell that this Mr Westgarth is just trying it on. "Last year, the coach told me that anyone already on a scholarship could complete their studies.” Yes, anyone on a scholarship. It's fairly obvious that Mr Westgarth was not on a scholarship at that point, and he knew that.
- Brian Turnbull, London, England, 26/08/2010 06:58
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Bob of Cheam - violin making, in your opinion, is obviously a craft that you think no longer needs to exist - get wise Man. This guy on the fiddle ? - I wonder why you think he is - do you know him? Or is your flippant comment supposed to be a joke? Sounds to me he has been hoodwinked by Authority to use his sporting skills to the London Mets Basketball teams advantage and that the Uni. cherishes more on sporting achievements than student's academic abilities and wishes to gain a decent degree. Hope this Guy resolves his issues quickly with his London Uni. and is awarded his Degree. To me it appears to be downright highway robbery or mugging - the Guys completed his course but now has to pay back handers - Beware all you students with promised grants. I thought your change of government was clearing up all that financial abuse of people within authority!
- BarbaraB, Nashville Tennne. USA, 25/08/2010 21:14
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I'm just shocked that there is a basketball-playing violin maker. In the states, basketball playing university students usually take sham courses like marketing.
- RonnieC, Lumberton,USA, 25/08/2010 19:50
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“Alex was aware that this was an exceptional concession. As communicated to Alex on July 14, 2008, regarding his tuition fees for 2009/10, no scholarship has been agreed for this academic year. Therefore Alex is required to find the fees.”
Judging by the wording here, there's a paper trail to support their claim. He looks suspiciously like someone trying the wring a final year's worth out of the Uni that he's not entitled to.
- Rogan, Irving, 25/08/2010 19:14
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"violin-making course"????
He's obviously on the fiddle.
- Bob, Cheam, 25/08/2010 14:29
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