La Trobe students occupy Bundoora campus to stop the cuts
Posted by John, August 22nd, 2012 - under Cuts, La Trobe, Occupations, Universities.
LA TROBE STUDENTS OCCUPY BUNDOORA CAMPUS TO STOP THE CUTS
Students from the “Stop the HUSS Cuts Collective” have voted to occupy the La Trobe University campus in Bundoora indefinitely, starting tonight.
At a meeting on campus this afternoon, students voted to occupy the campus with a number of students volunteering to stay overnight and indefinitely until Open Day. The collective also demanded the rejection of the proposed cuts, for the university to enter into negotiations with the NTEU in good faith, a shift in focus on saving money to saving jobs and for a redistribution of executive pay to save other jobs at the university.
In response to the camp established tonight in the centre of the campus, the university has threatened to exclude the students involved from their courses. Further the University has advised Humanities and Social Science staff to not attend Open Day.
“After short changing students on their courses and a superficial consultation about the cuts, John Dewar is having to resort to threats to stop our protest. We will not be intimidated and will continue to exercise our democratic right to free speech on campus”, said Danica Cheesley from the Stop the HUSS Cuts Collective.
The overnight occupation has been called in response to the cuts proposed by the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. The cuts have provoked significant outrage from students at all of La Trobe University’s campuses as they will lead to further “dumbing down” of degrees and limit accessibility of courses to students.
“Students are angry about the cuts and have decided to occupy our University to demand no cuts and no job losses”, said Emma Dook, Disabilities Officer from the La Trobe Student Union.
The Stop the HUSS Cuts Collective will hold a protest on Open Day in defiance of the university administration.
Meet 10am Sunday 26 August, on the corner of Kingsbury Drive and Plenty Road Bundoora (catch 86 tram).
Comment from paul walter
Time August 23, 2012 at 4:34 pm
Dumbing down continues apace.