Since 9:30 this evening, approximately 100 students have occupied the University of Sussex library to protest falling standards. Below is the occupiers 'learn-in' manifesto and a few words by one of the participants. Please circulate this as widely as possible.
Since 9:30 this evening, approximately 100 students have occupied the University of Sussex library to protest falling standards. The students are currently running workshops and there are plans to do film showings later in the night. The occupation is also being organised through meetings held every hour, on the hour, involving all the students. Below is the manifesto issued by the occupiers.
Sussex University Library Learn-in Manifesto
We are here because the standards at Sussex University are falling.
We believe that the recent cuts to the library epitomise the problems facing students at this university.
We believe that we are entitled to a high level of education and that large seminars and few resources, either academic or material, are not going to achieve this.
We regret that this action may inconvenience library staff and we stress that this action is in opposition to the library cutbacks and redundancies perpetrated by university senior management.
We demand more transparency from the university and that it calls an emergency council meeting, open to all students, during term.
We want to show the university the extent and level of discontent among studentsand we wish to show our complete support for the aims of the sort-US-out campaign (
http://www.ussu.net/sortUSout/), as well as the staff in ALL their industrial action.
Contact For All, Books For All, Housing For All, Food For All, Free Education For All.
As students we are turning our words into action;
As students we demand the university do the same.
Education the world over is under attack through privatisation and corporatisation: prioritising profit over the right to free education.
From Bogota to Paris, our struggle at Sussex University is global.
Sussex University Library Learn-in Manifesto
We are here because the standards at Sussex University are falling.
We believe that the recent cuts to the library epitomise the problems facing students at this university.
We believe that we are entitled to a high level of education and that large seminars and few resources, either academic or material, are not going to achieve this.
We regret that this action may inconvenience library staff and we stress that this action is in opposition to the library cutbacks and redundancies perpetrated by university senior management.
We demand more transparency from the university and that it calls an emergency council meeting, open to all students, during term.
We want to show the university the extent and level of discontent among studentsand we wish to show our complete support for the aims of the sort-US-out campaign (
http://www.ussu.net/sortUSout/), as well as the staff in ALL their industrial action. Contact For All, Books For All, Housing For All, Food For All, Free Education For All.
As students we are turning our words into action;
As students we demand the university do the same.
Education the world over is under attack through privatisation and corporatisation: prioritising profit over the right to free education.
From Bogota to Paris, our struggle at Sussex University is global.
Comments
Hide the following 10 comments
That's more like it
09.03.2006 09:25
You must light a candle
Kent House Arsonist
damn right
09.03.2006 14:35
up the occupation!!!
Krop
students in library
09.03.2006 14:51
pedagogue
wicked news
09.03.2006 16:03
squirrello
Solidarity
10.03.2006 01:30
T.A.
Runddown of occupation
10.03.2006 12:13
The fight continues....
(ps, will try to ad photos!!)
ps,
Are other student groups aware of the European Students Forum in the Basque Country from the 24th-26 march? Are any unis thinking of sending delegations?
www.gaztesarea.net/bereziak/ikaslegailurra
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------------------------------------------
On the eve of Wednesday 8th March 2006 the Sussex University library
was
held open past its 9:30pm closing time when over 100 Sussex University students
held
a ‘learn-in’ in protest over the continued degradation of the quality
of
their education.
Amongst many activities, discussions (‘libraries as communist anomalies
within capitalism’, ‘education and war,’ etc), workshops (creative
writing, yoga, activist training, etc), book readings, film showings,
international student networking and plain old dissertation writing
were
are held successfully. The atmosphere inside the library was
breathtaking.
Students agreed by equal consensus to leave at 2am in respect for the
Library building manager (whose name this author has shamefully
forgotten)
and possibly other library staff who could only go to sleep when
students
left. Library staff were very understanding and so were Security. It
seems
like the vast majority at Sussex University are against the Vice
Chancellor
Alasdair Smith in particular and the problems facing students and
workers
globally in general. Apparently the university [mis]management is
shaking
in their knees. They've come to realise that their positions are soon
to
be history!
The action was in full support of all AUT industrial action, the
sortUSout
campaign, and the global fight for free high quality education the
world
over (as this is being written 45 universities in France are on strike
or
under student occupation! - www.stopcpe.net). Through privatisation and
corporatisation financial profit for the few is being put over the
right
of education for all, globally.
Students and staff at Sussex University are tired of empty words and
silent blows. Together we demand change.
+++ The next demonstration +++ (all students and staff invited):
Tuesday 14th March, 12pm, from Library Square.
------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------
++Press Release ++ (drafted inside the occupied library):
Over 100 Sussex students have gathered in the library, the hub of the
education system, to protest their unease at the financial
mismanagement
of Sussex University. The Vice Chancellor Alistair Smith has presided
over
a dramatic deficit of four million pounds. This has resulted in staff
cuts, lack of student/tutor contact time and cuts to multiple courses.
The students have peacefully occupied the space since 9.30pm. They have
successfully been forming their own workshops with the intent to
educate
themselves whilst the University refuses to.
We are protesting against:
- Lack of teaching hours in many arts and humanities courses
- Severe lack of food provision on campus
- Challenging cuts to interdisciplinary courses and cuts to courses
advertised in the 2005/06 prospectus
- Opposition to rent rises privatisation of university campus
residencies
- Opposition to the introduction of top-up fees
The students demand:
- A minimum of eight contact hours per week for every course
- No departmental closures- no cuts to interdisciplinary course
- Cheap healthy meals to be available all day on campus
- Essential reading should be available for all students in the library
- Adequate affordable and well-maintained university managed housing
for
all first years. No more rent rises beyond inflation
- Free and equal education for all- Do not introduce top up fees and a
living grant for all
Students are demanding a response to all their demands from their Vice
Chancellor.
Members of the student body and sortUSout campaign have been sharing
their
skills and discussing tactics for further actions to achieve their aims
in
the campaign as well as further workshops. This is to empower and
organize
in the belief that people should control their own lives and work
together
as equals and they extend solidarity to student movements fighting
privatisation and corporatisation of their higher education throughout
the
world.
------------------------------------------
Sussex Student
solidarity
10.03.2006 13:13
cass
Photos from library occupation
10.03.2006 23:41
Fists high
Students gather for hourly meetings
Shall we stay like agreed with staff till 2 or occupy all night?
Negotiations take place with head librarian
A reading of the literary classic 'Where The Wildthings Are'
Rebel Clown Army Training amongst the books and videos
Photos from the library learn-in.
Kisses X
Student_Occupier
Well done the occupiers
11.03.2006 12:41
All the best,
Squatticus
squatticus
e-mail:
squatticus at hotmail.com
Homepage:
http://workerspower.com
Learn-in is teaching
23.03.2006 17:39
Secondly, there is one country in the world where education is free and open to all at every level :: revolutionary Venezuela. Global women's Strike and Payday men's network just returned and filmed some of it see website www.globalwomenstrike.net for news of when video will be ready for showing. Meanwhile there are other vids of revolutionary grassroots Venezuela.
sELMA jAMES
e-mail:
selmajames@crossroadswomen.net