Lancaster University denies freedom of speech

Phil Exton | 15.05.2005 23:54 | Education | Liverpool

Market orientation at university results in zero-tolerance approach to dissent --->

In September 2004 students and local residents of Lancaster organised a peaceful action against a secretly held investment convention at the university campus.

The convention included BAE systems amongst its guests, and a variety of other defence (arms) and technology groups. The university regulraly receives donation and investment from arms firms and other firms involved in serious environmental abuse. It also houses recruitments days that consist primarily of investment banks and red-handed corporations.

The action was assured as within the bounds of the law by police authorities on the scene, but in April 2005 the university pressed charges against a number of demonstrators under "aggravated trespass". The university, it seems, is furthering its policy of student alientation amidst its plunge into private investment. A clear message has been sent to students and locals alike that the university will take a zero-tolerance approach to peaceful dissent or autonomous criticism.

On April 25th 2005, students and academic staff held a short vigil in the name of free-speech at the university campus.

Phil Exton
e-mail: p.exton@lancs.ac.uk

Comments

Hide the following 10 comments

continue the protest

16.05.2005 13:55

it's been suggested before on the wire that students and other concerned individuals picket degree ceremonies where honorary degrees are being given to the great and the good. these people may not know their new alma mater is profiting from death abroad and maybe grateful to find out. next step, get some celebs to hand the degrees back. can't see any prosecutions arising out of that.

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protest now or forever hold your piece of paper

16.05.2005 17:09

the arms industry is heavily involved in recruiting in the universities for top research workers engineers and scietist who are always looking for cheaper and new ways of rubbing out mankind and making a profit to boot.

the so called freedom of research in university is curtailed the moment you raise the issue of investment and sponsors like the anti-apartheid campaign against barclays the issue of ethical investments is a time bomb waiting to go off. no doubt some cash is propping up the dictators in tashkent shooting unarmed civilians, but remaining allies of blair and bush.

the protest over south african apartheid investments in liverpool led to wide spread mobilisations and actions especially when ministers were invited by the chancellor to tough out the opposition of idealistic students also the local community antiapartheid groups got involved and drew attention to the slavery past of the city fathers the racist in sa anf the current police racist post riot torn toxteth,the campaign snowballed and grew to embrace the unions(shell oilworkers at the refinery in ellesmere port merseyside took action) and others ....it can be hoped with the agitation for the g8 developing principally in higher education colleges universities schools etc we could make the campaign successful.

as regards tactics we in our youth beat up the tory students supporting apartheid and inviting racist to speak some claimed free speech was paramount alas none was being given to the masses in sa where trade union leaders faced the gallows for striking..
whatever tactic is adopted the spread of the campaign to the community is vital and getting people onside crucial(bit of spin there)i think the liverpool university invested money donated by yoko ono to develop peace studies was inv4ested in bae space..the student paper covered it at the time...will try to send it alt contact the guild here ..
anything is better than nothing better to lose fighting

johno

Why do students

16.05.2005 22:24

think that they live outside the terrible corporate world of profit and private enterprise? This is a capitalist country and every last pound coin in circulation is the product of capitalism, even the ones in the pockets of students. Even if daddy works for the council and mummy works in a hospital, their money is made by capitalism before the nice, kind public sector gets hold of it. Most students are middle-class, coming from homes that have benefitted most from capitalism, and they in turn will get good jobs, mostly in the private sector. State run universities have always been required to train students and do research that will benefit the economy. That's what they were built for in the first place, not as medieval style philosophy hot-houses. As for free speech at university, students must remember that they have to behave within the law or they will be prosecuted. It's not like school where teacher makes you stand in the corner if you are naughty.

jeff

Yea Nice one jeff

17.05.2005 20:08

latest figures show that over 50% of ppl who finish school/sixth form go into Higher Education. Thats a lot of families who have benefited from capitalism considering 1million families in the UK (about 5 mill people) live below the poverty line. Thats 1 in 10 people of this country who many no doubt have sent their children to Uni but cannot afford to help them so the student runs him/herself over the top in debt (loans, overdrafts etc) just to be able to get through. I wont deny the 1st year allows for a lot of fun in it aswell but then again the cost of halls of residence is no where near that of rent. If its mainly middle class people that go to Uni then it shouldnt affect the people going when top up fees come into place right? As for obeying the law. You are right there. We all have to face the fact that this is only a free country if one remains quiet and allows the government (which represents 36% of 60% of the electorate so no where near the majority of britain) to do as it pleases. The right to protest just does not exist because this system will not stand for change. It will defend the rights of the corporations to the death.

Student

The right to protest

18.05.2005 10:53

does exist. Students are paying customers of a university, nothing more. They should leave if they don't like what the university does, or better still find out before enrolling for study. Nobody begrudges some students thinking they can change the world for a couple of years before they go to work as an accountant, a management trainee or a dentist in private practice, but any protests have to be legal.

jeff

iTS jEFFS wORLD

18.05.2005 16:27

SO lets get this straight. around 52% of the school population goes to uni. They as a majority will come out to be lawyers accountants or something big anyways. THat leaves the other 50% with the shit jobs. This system wouldnt survive if that was the case. In order for this system to survive the few need to supress the many. Uni students as a majority dont come out as anything special, but at least many can claim to have enhanced their knowledge on certain issues.

But sure Jeff if u wanna believe that a uni degree will give me and all other students an automatic high paying job then feel free to dream.

Party Time....Excellent

Universities

18.05.2005 21:02

are not quite what they used to be. Lots of kids are wasting their time doing low grade courses at low grade universties staffed by low grade teachers. There are a lot more students these days, but the same number of well paid jobs. Nearly all of these well paid jobs will be taken by graduates, mainly better quality graduates from better quality universities. If you wanted student demos and sit-ins to be tolerated by your university, you were born 40 years too late. Flower power has gone, it's all about cash now. Anyway, free speech shouldn't be encouraged in students, it's bad training for the world of work where you do what you're told and say what you're told to say.

jeff

Workis a waste of time

19.05.2005 14:05

id much rather study a pointless course (history in my case) and come out with some knowledge on how the world works and the struggles of the past rather than ge tinto the whole work for someone and get paid nothing routine from as early as 18. Obviously i work part time to cover some costs but its only part time. I intend to remain as free from exploitation as i possibly can (thus being exploited 16hrs a week rather than 43.1 hrs a week and benefit from learning a couple of things that are of interest to me. Dont worry i will enter the magical world of work one day but dont expect me to sit and take the abuse and not to fight for some basic workers rights for myself and my colleagues.

Later

same student last comment

clarification

22.05.2005 16:31

The protest is only illegal if the University says it is. It is a charge of Agrevated Trespass - which requires the act of civil trespass to occur.

someone

University Challenge

22.05.2005 17:48

Pressure is on in LJMU also with sackings of lecturers. There are aricles on Kirkby Times relating how on professor got his belongings threw in a skip.

See here

http://www.kirkbytimes.co.uk/news_items/2005_news/may/john_moores_university_ransacking.html

You know better than I that Uni has commercial interests looking to drag the system of learning into one of mere profit driven courses. You can train 200 philosophy students, but in this day and age knowledge itself means little anymore. In fact it is downright dangerous having too many people educated beyond the basic 3 r's and suchlike.

Good luck

KT

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