Wednesday 30 November 2011

Royal Holloway Enters Occupation!

Royal Holloway Students Occupy Management Corridor:

At 1.18 pm on Tuesday 30th November, around 30 students from Royal Holloway University of London entered occupation of the management corridor at Royal Holloway University. This action takes place on a day that 3 million public sector workers have taken strike action over unjustified and politically motivated pension reforms. Students have entered occupation in protest against cuts to education and public services. The university education of students in under attack as a result of the Higher Education White Paper entitled; “Students at the Heart of the System”, when the report in fact goes as far away from this concept as possible.

The reforms can be broadly understood as a hurried and jumbled attempt at opening a market in the higher education sector; remodelling students as consumers and universities as service providers. The Higher Education White Paper is one of the most drastic and far reaching reforms proposed to any public service for decades. The White Paper strikes a significant blow to access and social mobility. Their potential to impact on the most under-represented groups is overwhelming and cannot be ignored; the proposals threaten to strengthen a systemic bias and will reinforce a university education as a positional good reserved for the elite in society.

A pledge has been issued to the Principal of Royal Holloway University, Professor Paul Layzell demanding the following points which can be found here; 

http://www.su.rhul.ac.uk/news/article/6001/343/

A number of demand’s have also been issued;
• Senior Management Team withdraw staff redundancy notices and end the restructuring plans
• Free access in and out of the occupation for all students and lecturers
• No victimization of student occupiers or lecturers supporting the occupation

We urge all students, lecturers and staff on campus to join the occupation in protest against the Education White Paper and all it stands for. The protest will be peaceful and will provide a forum for students to discuss the issues of the changes proposed to the education system. The occupation has been aimed in order to have minimum impact against the education of students on campus.

So Now What?

Students intend to remain in occupation until the pledge has been accepted by the Principal. We urge all students, lecturers and staff to attend the occupation. We are unsure at this time how long the occupation will last, which means that we need YOU, students of the university to join in, in order to apply pressure to the University Management. If you want to attend then all are welcome. Bring some food and drink, music, and yes you can even bring your WORK with you to do whilst in occupation! If you want to stay during the night then please bring a sleeping bag and pillow with you.

Please join and share this group with others and if you have any questions please do not hesitate to post them and they will be answered promptly. Or of course you can come along to the occupation and ask them in person! 

Please also like the Facebook Page in order to show your support for this action (www.facebook.com/OccupyRHUL) :, or alternatively, follow us on Twitter with @occupyRHUL and hashtag - #occupyRHUL

We urge everyone to support and get involved with this occupation. 
United We Stand!

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