Middlesex Uni reoccupied

crossposted from http://savemdxphil.com/

This evening around 50 students and staff from half a dozen different programmes at Middlesex University’s School of Arts and Education occupied the library at Trent Park campus.

This building is full of books on philosophy, literature, art criticism, music and culture. These books – and the courses and departments associated with them – are severely endangered by management cuts. We are determined to preserve them.

The Campaign to Save Philosophy at Middlesex
Thursday 20 May 2010, 7:30pm

Times Higher Education Supplement article: Hostage situation? We didn’t even have keys

3 May 2010

Sussex registrar’s court claims disputed by student protesters. Melanie Newman reports

Students at the University of Sussex have accused its registrar of exaggeration after he claimed that he had been held hostage during an occupation earlier this year.

On 3 March, students occupied the university’s main administrative building in protest against staff redundancies.

On the same day, the university sought and obtained a court injunction banning the students from the premises, and the protesters were ejected by Sussex Police. The injunction documents state that about 100 students were involved: the students themselves put the figure at 300.

In a witness statement to the High Court, John Duffy, Sussex’s registrar and secretary, says the students “forced entry” to Sussex House, “locked key members of staff including [me] into their offices against their will” and caused damage to the building.

Read the rest of the article on the THE website here

Nottingham Uni occupied Sussex House!

Our thanks to the students of Nottingham Uni who sent us this video.

What happened at Senate today…

All motions underwent some amendment during the meeting.

The motion calling for the immediate and unconditional reinstatement of the six suspended students was passed, with 17 for and 14 against. Of the 14 that voted against, at least 13 were unelected members of senate (i.e. senior management).

The motion to launch an independent inquiry into the events of March 3rd (occupation of Sussex House) was passed by a large majority (with the VC and most of VCEG voting against). All further content to this proposal was removed.

Voting on these two motions took place with an acknowledgement of a similar motion having just been passed near-unanimously by the USSU EGM of 850 students (with a further 100 outside the door unable to get in).

With regard to the proposals, management agreed to an extended consultation period up to June 7th. In speaking for an extension of the consultation period, senators mentioned amongst their concerns significant lobbying from MPs and councillors, personal contact with students, and an awareness of the Stop the Cuts campaign, the occupation and its concerns, and the strength of student response on campus.

Aberdeen occupied!

This afternoon 120 students at Aberdeen University went into occupation of their management offices. Here is our message of solidarity to the occupation…

The Sussex Occupation of A2 Lecture Theatre would like to send greetings and solidarity to the students of Aberdeen University in Occupation against cuts.

Today, in a record-breaking turnout, 850 members of Sussex Student Union unanimously passed a vote of no confidence in the Vice Chancellor’s Executive Group (University Management) in an Emergency General Meeting.

The general meeting also voted for the immediate, unconditional reinstatement of six students who have been suspended on political grounds.

Following the highest turnout for a strike ballot in the union’s history, the UCU at Sussex is going ahead with its first day of strike action tomorrow with the full backing of the Students’ Union, and this occupation.

We recognise that the struggle at Aberdeen is the same as ours here, and the same struggle affecting all workers and students nationally, inside and outside of the education sector.

United, we stand in solidarity with all those fighting cuts and job losses, and wish you the best of luck with your occupation.

Yours,

The Occupiers of Arts A2, Sussex University, Brighton

A few pictures from the Sussex House occupation…

A few random pictures from the Sussex House occupation at the beginning of March. The current occupation of Arts A2 is a response to the suspension of 6 random students as scapegoats for this action and the use of a High Court injunction (obtained under false pretences of a ‘hostage’ situation) in an attempt to curtail through criminalisation future protest on campus.

Events this week

A rough outline of events coming up this week. The picture below’s a link.

Statement of support from lecturer

To the students occupying A2

As a Professor, my job is to teach students but you were the ones who were teaching me last night. Even though I lecture on democracy, civil liberties and human rights, you are the ones who are putting these ideals into practice and ensuring they are not empty words in our society.

I was very impressed by your way of functioning: listening to each other, planning your actions with care, reminding yourselves of the democratic processes (e.g. not overruling a decision made earlier by a bigger assembly), collaborating with each other on various tasks, being mindful to always act in a positive and constructive way.

Your action also exemplifies civil disobedience at its best. You know you have a High Court injunction hanging over your head, but you have nonetheless decided in your heart of hearts that this injunction was infringing your human rights and that you had to defy it. You do this in a peaceful way, and in acceptance of the potential consequences: arrest and imprisonment. This is courageous, and I want to congratulate you.

I shall not hide from you that I had been increasingly pessimistic about the prospects of democracy both nationally and locally. The determination and sensitivity with which you are acting gives me hope.

You make me proud of being a member of the community of Sussex University and instil me with more optimism for the future. Thank you.

Please keep standing by your values, in the days but also the years to come.

Marie-Bénédicte Dembour
Professor of Law and Anthropology
University of Sussex
13 March 2010

Reply to the PC Hotel Workers in Pakistan

Arts A2,
Sussex University Campus,
Falmer
Sussex,
ENGLAND

Saturday 13th March 2010

Dear Comrades,

Your letter was lucid, informative, and a welcome boost to our morale! You will be pleased to know that your message of solidarity was read out in our occupation and was met with hearty applause.

Students of the Stop the Cuts movement at Sussex and around the country understand the importance of unity between students and workers. Your occupation, which is a milestone for its length and its persistence is a lesson not only for students here, but activists around the world during this critical time.

We send you our warmest solidarity, and a slogan which has been very popular among the student body: “STUDENTS AND WORKERS: UNITE AND FIGHT!”

Keep the fight up,

The Students of the Occupation

Day 3: Update

Good news!

The Brighton University Phoenix Nursery is to stay open! Details to follow.

The university’s admissions day for Informatics, Engineering and Physics has started and we have set up a photo exhibition in Library Square. All relations with the staff working on the admissions day are going well. We are positively campaigning for prospective students to come to the university at the same time as informing them of why their talks have been moved.

Thanks for all the support from around the country.