In a few hours time students from Leeds, Hull, UCL and many others up and down the country will gather in Manchester to protest against the cuts to the EMA and and the hike in tuition fees. I really wish I could be there, but I cannot. I have cerebral palsy and have trouble negotiating a pub sober on a Friday night, never mind a crowd in Manchester. Do not mistake me I do not believe either protester or police intend any problems, it is simply, without sarcasm, physically difficult for me to attend such rallies. I will stay in, glued in hope to the goggle box (yes I am that old) to see if the demonstration will be covered by BBC or BSkyB.
I must confess to having almost paternalistic pride in the students, I was a undergraduate when tuition fees came around the first time around, and then, even the supporters of tuition fees were complaining that students were apathetic – and I my view they were right, although that has changed.
For example at Leeds Trinity they have achieved some great demands from the Senior Management Team. This is from Leads Trinity Against Cuts:
“After continued negotiations between Leeds Trinity University Management and the student occupation which has been based in the senior common room we have finally come to an agreement.
Management have met two demands that were put forward by the campaign, this being to not penalise any students for taking part in their legal right to protest against the cuts to education and wider society which is still to be revised so that we are satisfied, as well as this they have agreed to meet our demand of a permanent office space in which to continue the campaign from, as such we will be using this space to co ordinate our campaign and set up events that will further allow the student body to get involved.
As a result of meeting these demands Leeds Trinity Occupation will be ending on Saturday the 29th January 2011, we will along with other students and staff be marching to the coaches that will be taking us to the National demonstration against cuts taking place in Manchester that day.
Thank you to UCU, Unison, Youth Fight for Jobs & Education and all the support we have received through the campaign so far. We will of course continue to campaign to defend all jobs and courses at Leeds Trinity University College.”
Well I wish you all good luck, and from my house proclaim – ‘This is the eve!’
I must confess to having almost paternalistic pride in the students, I was a undergraduate when tuition fees came around the first time around, and then, even the supporters of tuition fees were complaining that students were apathetic – and I my view they were right, although that has changed.
For example at Leeds Trinity they have achieved some great demands from the Senior Management Team. This is from Leads Trinity Against Cuts:
“After continued negotiations between Leeds Trinity University Management and the student occupation which has been based in the senior common room we have finally come to an agreement.
Management have met two demands that were put forward by the campaign, this being to not penalise any students for taking part in their legal right to protest against the cuts to education and wider society which is still to be revised so that we are satisfied, as well as this they have agreed to meet our demand of a permanent office space in which to continue the campaign from, as such we will be using this space to co ordinate our campaign and set up events that will further allow the student body to get involved.
As a result of meeting these demands Leeds Trinity Occupation will be ending on Saturday the 29th January 2011, we will along with other students and staff be marching to the coaches that will be taking us to the National demonstration against cuts taking place in Manchester that day.
Thank you to UCU, Unison, Youth Fight for Jobs & Education and all the support we have received through the campaign so far. We will of course continue to campaign to defend all jobs and courses at Leeds Trinity University College.”
Well I wish you all good luck, and from my house proclaim – ‘This is the eve!’
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