Discover Top Posts Tagged with #statementsofsupport

‪‎Occupy UGC‬'s statement in support of ‪Occupy SOAS. Our struggle is global!‬

Dear friends, We might be standing miles apart but it seems we are fighting a similar cause. We have heard how the students, teachers and staff at School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London have been relentlessly raising their voices against the discreet proposal of cuts in funds at the institute, scraping of courses which are tagged as ‘less relevant’ for the market , subsequent job losses, undemocratic governance and the undue suspension of Sandy Nicoll, Unison branch secretary, in its wake. While it throws open questions about the specific situation at SOAS, it, at the same time, exposes how the sphere of public education is getting increasingly tied with the functioning of capital and the implicit linkage between the University and Industry. We not only extend our solidarity to such an exposure by the students and staff at SOAS, we also salute the grit with which the struggle has taken place in the face of constant monitoring by the authorities. Here, in India we also have been fighting the sell- out of research and education. Recently, University Grants Commission, the highest governing body of the Universities in the country, had announced the scrap of a fellowship which is granted to the researchers who are pursuing M.Phil and Ph.D (a mere Rs 5000 and Rs 8000 respectively per month, lower than the stipulated minimum wage of the country) in the Central Universities. With the demand of :1)Reinstatement of the fellowship; 2) Enhancement of fellowship and 3) Extension of fellowship to all State Universities, we are in the midst of a struggle where we have occupied the entrance street leading to the UGC Headquarters building in New Delhi and which is doing rounds by the name of #occupyUGC. The space is inhabited by students and teachers of different Universities in the capital city, with slogans, postermakings, open-classes with teachers and cultural performances. Not just this, the whole of country is witnessing a wave of such protests. Facing the constant repression by the state authorities, the brutal police lathicharge and arrest which had already happened twice within these 12 days, we have only grown stronger and more resolved to take this movement forward in a creative way. In its 12th day now, we derive inspiration and courage from Occupy SOAS and extend solidarity to the protestors there. As the forthcoming WTO summit in December at Nairobi is going to discuss the market opportunity of education as a ‘tradable commodity’, the global resistance of students-teachers-staffs-workers in education sector should grow stronger with slogans for inclusive and equitable education. One world, one struggle Education is not for sale! In solidarity, #OccupyUGC New Delhi 31-10-2015

#statementsofsupport

Fractionals For Fair Play (FFFP) Statement of Solidarity with Students Occupying the Brunei Gallery

Fractionals For Fair Play (FFFP) sends a message of solidarity to students occupying the Brunei Gallery. The students have occupied this space to protest against the proposal to cut courses, against the on-going outsourcing of workers, and against the undemocratic governance structures of the School.

FFFP acknowledges that this rigorously practiced form of direct action needs the full and unquestionable backing of all staff and students, particularly in times where SOAS management threatens the occupying students. The Fractional Campaign thus fully supports the students’ right to protest against university policy, and we stand in solidarity with the students in challenging the nature of restructuring at SOAS. SOAS Management is dangerously following the logic of neoliberalisation (of education). This includes “rationalisation plans” that ultimately imply the causualisation and exploitation of the institution’s most vulnerable members of staff. The current plans of SOAS Management threaten the academic quality of the institution and promote precariousness of workers. FFFP opposes the undemocratic way in which these proposals have been drafted and imposed on the staff and students.

We call on SOAS management to put an end to its senseless restructuring and its undemocratic practices. We stand with the students and defend our university against attempts to use it as a laboratory for managerial experiments.

#statementsofsupport

Solidarity Statement from AISA

IN SOLIDARITY WITH STUDENTS, STAFF, TEACHERS AND WORKERS OCCUPYING SOAS

Friends,

The All India Students Association (AISA) expresses its solidarity with the ongoing Occupy SOAS movement at the School of Oriental and African Studies, London. We believe your fight against changing the character of SOAS by attempting clandestine changes in the governance structure of the university and substantial cuts in funding and closure of courses which are unique to SOAS as well as the completely unjust victimization and suspension of Sandy Nicoll, Branch Secretary of the trade union, Unison are directly related to the austerity policies that governments in the UK and worldwide are increasingly adopting. The struggle of the cleaners at SOAS and the wave of support it has got from students and staff of the university are a special source of inspiration for us, as we too have been actively supporting and organizing contractual workers in Universities especially at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), New Delhi in their struggle for just wages and dignified working conditions. We not only stand in solidarity with your fight but also salute your indomitable spirit which has defied the hostile attitude of the management which has resorted to tactics such as turning off heating and WiFi as well as hiring private security to monitor the occupation and prevent anyone from entering. We are sure that any such tactics fall flat on the face of the unity shown by students, staff, teacher and workers. In India we too are in the midst of the Occupy UGC movement. The University Grants Commission (UGC), which is the nodal government institution responsible for the funding of higher education in India, has decided to reduce the scope and scale of basic research fellowship for MPhil and PhD students. We believe this roll back is a consequence of the continuous slashing of budgetary allocations for education by subsequent governments, as well as part of the process of laying the groundwork for the Ministerial Talks of the WTO in Nairobi in December where our Govt. is all set to accept education as a ‘tradable’ commodity which will result in the complete dismantling of public funded education in India. Education is not the only sphere which is under attack in India. Hindu supremacist groups who are very close to the government have unleashed a wave brutal attack on religious minorities and Dalits. It has shown scant regard for dissenting voices, and artists and academics who have been publicly critical of the present dispensation have been murdered while those responsible enjoy a tremendous sense of impunity. The recent spate of the returning of state awards by artists, writers, filmmakers and scientists are a statement of protest against the policies and action of the Indian government. Our Prime Minister has himself been indicted over the genocide of Muslims in Gujrat and his numerous trips abroad are an attempt not only as an image makeover but also to invite global corporations to exploit India’s natural resources. He is in the UK during the next week, in this context we appeal to students, teachers, workers, trade union members and all justice loving people to register a strong protest over his visit. The Occupy UGC movement which till date has seen unprecedented support from students, teachers, artists and filmmakers has popularly come to be known as the #OccupyUGC movement. It has continued in the face brutal police crackdown on protesting students, but instead of fizzling out we have seen a increased swell in support after the police action. As an active organizer and participant in the movement we also extend solidarity from the Occupy UGC movement to Occupy SOAS. As we write the movement has entered its 11th day and Occupy SOAS gives us courage and inspiration to carry on our struggle.

In Solidarity,

Sucheta De National President, AISA

#statementsofsupport

SOAS Student Union Statement

In her Director’s Address yesterday, Valerie Amos gave staff an overview of the School’s financial position in which she set out plans to increase the School’s cuts programme from £3-5 million to £6.5 million, despite SOAS making a surplus of £1 million in 2014/15. We understand that these cuts will be found primarily from job losses.

The Students’ Union is clear that cuts on this scale are not only unnecessary but put the future of SOAS as a unique and important institution at risk.

It is notable that even in Valerie Amos’ address, it was stated that SOAS made a surplus of £1 million in 2014/15, despite missing targets on undergraduate and postgraduate taught recruitment. In fact, the data presented shows that SOAS has made a surplus in all but one of the last seven years. These cuts are not being made to reduce a deficit, but to increase SOAS’ surplus to around £5 million.

The announcement of this extreme cuts plan only compounds the lack of trust in the so-called “sustainability” agenda engendered by the release of “module appraisal” documents in recent weeks by exposing the secretive processes by which students and staff are excluded from the key decisions about the future of our School.

It will be difficult to see this trust restored without senior management agreeing to the terms set out in the motion at last week's Union General Meeting, which concluded in a vote of no confidence in Executive Board.

For the Union to continue to engage in the various reviews related to the "sustainability" project it will be necessary to secure assurances that there will be no course cuts, no compulsory redundancies, no outsourcing of facilities, cleaning and maintenance workers, and that a comprehensive review of governance structures within the School will be undertaken.

The view of the Students' Union, and of the student body more broadly, has been to understand these problems as a governance issue, and we will not accept anything less than collective responsibility from Executive Board. For the avoidance of doubt, the scapegoating, resignation, or sacking of any individual within senior management will not be accepted.

To these ends, the Students' Union expresses our full solidarity with the occupation of the Brunei Gallery Suite, and to any students taking action relating to these issues that are of pivotal importance to the School as we wish to see it continue to exist.

#statementsofsupport

Statement from SOAS UCU

SOAS UCU Executive statement of solidarity with students occupying the Brunei Gallery

The SOAS UCU executive committee sends a message of solidarity to students currently occupying the Brunei Gallery. These students have occupied this space in protest against proposals to cut courses, against the on-going outsourcing of workers, and against the undemocratic governance structures of the School.

The SOAS UCU executive supports the right of students to protest against university policy, including the use of direct action. The SOAS UCU executive also shares the opposition of students to these developments in the School, in conformity with motions already endorsed by this branch.

We call on SOAS management to respect the right of students to protest and to refrain from involving the police or the courts in their response to this occupation. We also call on SOAS management to give assurances to students that will address their concerns.

Best regards SOAS UCU exec

#statementsofsupport

Statement from SOAS Unison

This week, in response to leaked proposals to cut 184 courses across the school, SOAS students went into occupation in the Brunei Gallery suite. The occupiers also call for an end to the outsourcing of SOAS staff to outside contractors, where they are exploited on inferior terms and conditions, and for reform and democratisation of SOAS governance.

SOAS UNISON branch executive wishes to offer wholehearted support and solidarity to the students in occupation.

The course cuts proposed would put whole departments at serious risk, and reduce the number of degree programmes the School is able to offer. The methodology for determining courses to be cut is extremely unsatisfactory, relying on what the document itself admits is ‘patchy’ data from student course evaluation questionnaires.

The end to outsourcing has been a long standing demand of both UNISON and the Students Union, yet SOAS management is actually proposing to extend outsourcing to new areas of the School’s operations. This is of particular concern to our members, and completely unacceptable.

The secrecy and lack of consultation with which these cuts have been decided, and the unresponsiveness of management to student and staff concerns about outsourcing reveal a grave lack of democracy, transparency and accountability in the governance of the institution. SOAS UNISON supports the occupiers in their call for the democratisation of the university’s governance structure.

The proposals for course cuts can be found at the following linkshttps://drive.google.com/…/0Bw9nWfWHcecTNDdxcUhEX1VCS3c/view

https://drive.google.com/…/0Bw9nWfWHcecTMFlmQ1Ntb0lJdnc/view

Best regards,

SOAS UNISON Branch Executive

#statementsofsupport