10,000 students from across the country demonstrated in London today on the national demonstration against cuts to education and public services organised by the NCAFC. [Read more...]
10,000 demonstrators kick start student fightback
November 9, 2011 By 4 Comments
Support our lecturers’ action against pension cuts! (Model motion)
October 14, 2011 By 3 Comments
In the run up to the November 30 pensions strike, University and College Union members at 67 pre-92 universities are taking industrial action short of a strike, which could escalate into a marking and assessment boycott. Here Pat Smith, a student and UCU activist at Hull University, explains why students should support them. [Read more...]
Education activists disrupt Universities UK annual conference
September 7, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Click here to see the original press release
For immediate release: Wednesday 7th September 2011
Education activists disrupt Universities UK annual conference
Today at 3.30pm BST, activists from Royal Holloway Anti-Cuts Alliance (RHACA) disrupted Universities UK’s annual conference at Royal Holloway, University of London. The conference, attended by Vince Cable MP, is expected to focus on the effects the Government’s HE white paper will have upon universities. RHACA were protesting against the white paper’s intentions to create a ‘level playing field’ between public university institutions and for-profit providers.
The group, who are affiliated to the National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts (NCAFC), the organisation behind last December’s tuition fees protest in Parliament Square, carried a banner with the slogans “Education: Not for $ale” and “HE White paper: Profit at the Heart of the System”. After chanting, banner drops and being told they weren’t recognized by the organisers, activists were met by an embarrassed RHUL management. Discussions took place about the absence of students from decision making processes and a lack of consultation over major issues.
“The Government’s white paper is titled ‘Students at the Heart of the System’- garbage; here we have the Government’s education officials and vice-chancellors from across the country making crucial decisions without student involvement,” said one activist. “Students nationwide have made their voices clear over the past year, but still they will not listen. We can do without being patronized; ministers would have us believe the white paper is beyond us – we’ve read it, we understand it, and we’re fighting it.”
Another activist said, “The white paper will make way for privatization and a market in higher education; it is an attack on the essence of the public university. The vice-chancellors here are thoroughly aware of their students’ opinions, yet they have the impertinence to carry out the government’s reforms with impunity.”
“At Royal Holloway we have seen the management strike a deal with the publishing giant, Pearson, so that Royal Holloway can start validating Pearson degrees. This is the thin end of the wedge and we do not want these for-profit providers in our universities.”
The disruption is indicative of the tone being ahead of the NCAFC’s planned national demonstration on 9th November. Billed as “Defend Education, Fight Privatisation”, the demonstration’s Facebook event is already expecting thousands in attendance.
Ends
Notes for Editors
. RHACA were one of the first groups to occupy their university last November
.One of the activists is an organiser on the National Committee of NCAFC
. Pictures and interviewees available
. Royal Holloway, University of London, has announced tuition fees of £9,000
Contact
Name: Craig Gent Tel: 07824 331240
Royal Holloway Anti-Cuts Alliance
Royal Holloway, University of London
http://rhacc.wordpress.com
British Youth Council ‘sacks’ Honourary Presidents for betraying young people
September 3, 2011 By Leave a Comment
At Saturday’s Annual Council Meeting in London, the British Youth Council (BYC) voted against adopting two of its three Honorary Presidents in protest at their voting record on tuition fees.
Jo Swinson MP (LibDem), whose Presidency was up for renewal, and Aiden Burley MP (Conservative), whose nomination was new, were rejected by the conference. Both voted for the bill to triple fees on December 9th, while students demonstrated outside and occupied their campuses. Swinson broke an explicit election pledge to vote against any rise in fees. The debate also focussed on the Coalition’s scrapping of EMA.
By its consitution, BYC must have an Honourary President from each of the three main parties, and the decision to reject the Libdem and Tory nominees was almost unprecedented.
Speaking against the nominations, an NCAFC activist said: “Jo Swinson is actively complicit in one of the biggest betrayals of young people in generations. She is part of a party that is part of a government that has tripled tuition fees, abolished EMA and betrayed young people… It would be ridiculous to make her an Honourary President of the BYC.”
Note: The British Youth Council (http://www.byc.org.uk/) is an umbrella network that represents millions of young people in the UK.
Contact: michael.chessum@nus.org.uk and 07964791663
London Met Sounds of Resistance March, 22 June
June 14, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Assemble at 2pm at Highbury Fields to march to London Met,Tower Building, 166-220 Holloway Road
Rally outside the Tower building 4-6pm to lobby the Board of governors with speakers, music and performing arts
[Read more...]
Campaign against the New College of the Humanities
June 7, 2011 By 1 Comment
More on the campaign against plans for a private HE institution in central London. [Read more...]
London Met occupiers’ statement
May 5, 2011 By 2 Comments
London Met occupation has issued the following press release. [Read more...]
London Met students occupy against cuts
May 4, 2011 By 3 Comments
4 May: Following a meeting to discuss the fight against cuts at London Metropolitan University, sixty students have occupied the Graduate Centre in protest at the cuts. [Read more...]
URGENT: Solidarity needed for the UCL 13!
March 25, 2011 By 2 Comments
• twitter.com/defendUCL13
The Management of University College London has launched High Court proceedings against 12 students and 1 member of staff for participating in a peaceful three day occupation in support of striking lecturers and in protest at the anticipated rise in tuition fees to £9,000.
The 13 protesters, apparently singled out at random from amongst the dozens of students who had been occupying the University Registry, have been told by management that they face thousands of pounds in legal costs on a scale that could put them into bankruptcy and end their university careers.
The student union, UCLU, has voted in a mass general meeting that occupation is a legitimate form of protest against management’s fees and cuts. UCU, the lecturers’ union, supports direct action by students against the cuts.
What is clear is that UCL management are cynically attempting to remove those who question their authority on campus and intimidate others into silence.
UCL Management were given ample opportunity to negotiate with the occupation. It was repeatedly made clear to them that if they promised not to victimize occupiers, the Registry would promptly be vacated. Instead they chose to escalate their threats to protesters instead of quickly reopening the registry, and to take 13 people to court.
Solidarity to the Birmingham students facing disciplinary action!
January 26, 2011 By 1 Comment
Ten University of Birmingham students are facing disciplinary action that could lead to expulsion after a peaceful sit-in that ended with forceful eviction by university security and the police.
Read all about it here
