EDITOR'S CHOICE TODAY'S VOTE Should mixed wards be scrapped? Click here to vote. WANDERERS NEWS VOTE: Would Bolton have been relegated if they had gone further in the Uefa Cup? Criticism of the chairman is not fair – Megson Knox set to leave the Reebok Andy’s our readers’ top man Boss backs Wanderers' Euro policy NORTH WEST HEADLINES Christmas Day murderer jailed for life Rangers chief blasts 'small minority' Night of violence mars Uefa Cup Final ALAN CALVERT: WEMBLEY HERE I COME! Bankrupt of job ideas It may take time for Fred Eurovision that was a non-contest Compulsory emigration gave some an escape route Survival is not name of the game Get 7p off the current edition of The Bolton News by Direct Delivery HERE Check out our updated TV and Video section. Click HERE. The Bolton Blog is now up and running - and you can join. Click HERE. If you are in the middle of a major incident or see something interesting taking place you can now send Your Pictures directly to us. Click HERE. GET OUR NEWS BY E-MAIL Just register

Most read Comments 1 New deal would spark keeper duel 2 Stand by Megson, says Kelly 3 Man tracked burglar through Bolton's streets 4 VOTE: Would Bolton have been relegated if they had gone further in the Uefa Cup? 5 Knox set to leave the Reebok 6 Criticism of the chairman is not fair – Megson 7 Helicopter crashes in Bury 8 Naked women urging people to be adventurous for charity 9 121-year link between Bolton and literature celebrated 10 Night of violence mars Uefa Cup Final Today | 7 Days 1 Megson clear out 2 Whites target Gomis looks to Italy 3 Billionaire Roman deserves credit, says Megson 4 Supermarket money 'should stay in Westhoughton' 5 Bolton hotel rooms fully booked for Rangers' Uefa Cup Final 6 Star mum brings baby campaign to Bolton 7 Call for tougher smoking warnings 8 Teachers strike at Withins School 9 Spectacular circus opens at the Reebok 10 UPDATE: Tributes to biker killed in park accident

SPARE a thought for the people running the University of Bolton.

I wrote many a tale some years ago when Bolton Institute was campaigning tirelessly to reach its current status and I shared in the general euphoria when Bolton eventually became a university town.

Since then there have been visible changes to the Deane campus buildings and there are other major plans in the pipeline.

Unfortunately, a report drafted by the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee rated Bolton as the worst in the country for retaining students past their first year on a degree course. Figures for 2004/5 showed that almost a fifth of the students did not stay on for a second year.

That is sad, but we should recognise that the great majority of those who study at Bolton come from a working class background and families not particularly familiar with the higher education ethos.

A Bolton degree might not be seen as equal to those from more prestigious rivals, but achieving one has helped countless young people make their way in the world.

It is to be hoped that the "student experience officers" appointed recently to help first year students will be able to convince them that there is much to be gained by continuing with their studies.

The University of Bolton is in a unique position to give a lift in life to youngsters - many of them local - who would not have got anywhere near such an institution at one time.

Those of us who still resent being branded as "11-plus failures" can see the sense in "sticking with it" when it dawns on students during the first year that - contrary to what some people think - university involves hard work and application.

3:59pm Monday 3rd March 2008

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