SOAS Occupation

To OccupyUGC,

We thank you for your letter.

It would interest you to know that the Brunei Suite has been visited by several Indian professors and activists speaking about your cause, meaning that rather than standing miles apart, we have quite literally been side by side.

During a recent lecture we hosted about the UGC protests, one academic taught us about the use of police violence against your endeavours, including lathi charges. As the situation evolves, we offer our continued support, particularly given the quickened pace of Indian neoliberalism following the election of Narendra Modi and the BJP.

Our non-negotiable demands include (1) a guarantee of there not being job losses as a part of proposed budget cuts, (2) a wider democratisation of governance at our university, (3) an end to proposed course cuts, which affect entire departments, (4) an end to “outsourcing” (subcontracting to private companies) of non-teaching staff, (5) the beginning of an academic boycott of Israel, passed by referendum last year, and (6) an end to the university’s implementation of the Conservative Party’s PREVENT strategy of counter-extremism, as framed by the Counter-Terrorism Act of 2015.

Despite the obvious differences of our respective political situations, OccupySOAS and OccupyUGC are mobilising similar energies in the face of continued opposition from market-driven factions that seek to redefine education as a commodity, and projection of state interests, rather than a public good to be accessed by all.

Indian politics continue to advance in a combative direction. Religious and nationalist fundamentalisms have come to accompany the growth of market fundamentalism in the current neoliberal project. These trends are apparent across South Asia, and we want to inform you that members of its Diaspora in the occupation space have made it clear that they support what you are trying to achieve. Your continued struggle gives us hope for a better future.

The strength and resilience of our opponents guarantees that our fight will not end here, and the World Trade Organisation summit in Nairobi next month is one of many opportunities for resistance. It pleases us to know that we will continue to work toward the same objectives.

We agree passionately: one world, one struggle, education is not for sale!

In complementary solidarity, we encourage you to be realistic, and demand the impossible.

We hear the concerns of racial hostility; We are addressing them in the Occupation through Safer Spaces, and in wider society; To raise concerns, ideas and suggestions you can get in touch with us via our email [email protected] (anonymously through:https://www.guerrillamail.com)

It has been brought to our attention that a number of students at SOAS feel unable to enter and engage with the occupation as a result of finding the space racially hostile. For this, we apologise unreservedly. With this apology, we also send out a recognition of the responsibility we face to fight structural racism both within the SOAS Occupation and in wider society. We are working on improving our internal processes to ensure that such issues of exclusion are taken up with the seriousness they deserve and trying to make our politics truly inclusive to all those that want to take part.

BME and Muslim students’ exclusion from Occupation

One of the criticisms raised was that the negative schoolwide effects caused by the Occupation are disproportionately affecting BME students. We did not anticipate the reckless decision by management to arbitrarily shut down the main building, cancelling Black History Month events.

The point has been made that disproportionate policing against BME and Muslim students prevents some students’ from entering the space. This inaccessibility is something we are aware of given that one of our demands concerns the school’s implementation of the Prevent strategy. We apologise for the fact that no adequate mechanism has been set up for those students to influence the decisions of the Occupation.

Whilst endeavouring to engage in actions to solve the issues raised, we acknowledge the vital importance of black students’ contributions to the occupation where they have played a critical role in its tactics and operated extensively both within and outside of the space. It is important not to deny the multifaceted and complex agency of BME students and fall into the trap of treating the opinions and political positions of BME students as monolithic. We recognise that denunciations of racial insensibility against a group (which includes dedicated members who are BME) can lead to the erasure of their identity and agency. It also undermines the dedication of these very occupiers and BME groups who have used and supported the space. To erase their agency is an act of political violence in itself.

Effects of the Occupation on students

Further, while the occupation has stood in full solidarity with the political choices of protests made by staff and unions with whom it stands in solidarity, we acknowledge that we should have thought more critically about how actions by Senior Management would affect the wider student community. Still, we did try to mitigate the effects of the closure of the university on the second day of collective action by making a strong case for a ‘soft picket’. Nonetheless we must not forget who is causing these disruptions and why: Senior Management, whose irresponsible and unaccountable behaviour, (such as ordering the “closures” of our university), is exactly what Occupy SOAS is fighting.

All political meetings and pickets finished by 5pm on both the 29th and 30th of October. Yet in spite of this, Senior Management shut the Main Building for almost 20 hours on 29th morning, and blocked the borrowing of books from the library and unilaterally closed the building on the 30th at 9pm, despite the variety of events that had been organised by students and staff.

Whilst Senior Management needlessly disrupted students’ timetables and events, they themselves were able to go ahead with their plans of cutting courses, exploiting workers, and intimidating the entire community.

We therefore maintain that the crisis at SOAS has been created and sustained by Senior Management’s decisions to pursue an authoritarian and repressive style of misgovernance. They must be held accountable for their actions.

Way forward

We recognise that apologies alone are not nearly sufficient to critically pursue our fight against structurally oppressive spaces which exist within British society. We therefore commit to this in two ways; Supporting the work with Liberation groups inside the Occupation. Establishing channels of communication and mechanisms of engagement for members of the SOAS community who don’t feel comfortable entering the occupation, but wish to be heard within the Occupation. To help achieve this we will be organising an event in the JCR on Monday the 9th (open to all SOAS students) to discuss, clarify and take action on these matters.

This oppressive society permeates the spaces we act in. Occupy SOAS has not claimed to escape society or its structural oppression and prejudices. However, we have and will continue to fight White Privilege as it is expressed within the occupation. This internal struggle includes a renewed commitment to our Safer Spaces policy, as well as engaging in experience-sharing discussions and workshops to better recognise, challenge and dismantle the oppressive behaviours and structures facing us.

In our demands regarding Prevent strategy at SOAS, and our work with various Liberation groups across London, we are directly fighting the oppression of BME activists. Through recognising the intersectionality of various forms of struggles, we hope to continue this fight both inside and outside the Occupation.

Open dialogue

We welcome suggestions on how we can further improve the space and steps that we could take to better oppose racism. We will listen and work hard to understand your concerns so that we can take them up appropriately. Students who feel that they are unable to enter the space to make criticisms can get in touch with us via our email [email protected]. Anything e-mailed to us will be discussed either within our Safer Spaces team, or at a General Assembly. For those who would prefer to contact us anonymously, you can email us from a single-use e-mail account (https://www.guerrillamail.com), though this means that we will not be able to respond in the same e-mail. We will further advertise other channels of communication and complaint as they emerge from the aforementioned processes.

The trigger for our decision to occupy was the feeling that the moves toward course cuts and curriculum reviews, would only be mildly resisted if no direct action was taken. Senior Management is proving to be intent on rolling back or simply ignoring years of campaigns for social justice by Justice For Cleaners, Fractionals For Fair Play, Democratise SOAS, and trade unions. The secretive implementation of Prevent on campus and the new outsourcing tender process are both ongoing decision-making processes that must be stopped.

We never claimed to represent the entire SOAS community. Instead, our mandate arose from our own political conviction that an Occupation with reasonable demands would put pressure on Senior Management to make a better SOAS for its workers and students. We welcome all constructive criticism which supports our fight for a better university. Occupy SOAS’ decision to take direct action in no way precludes others from alternative action to bring about the changes they want to see in the SOAS community. In fact, we fully encourage this diversity of activism.

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.

“WHO IS SANDY?” Alexander Nicoll (Sandy) is Secretary of the UNISON trade union branch at SOAS, and has worked at the university for 21 years. He has been unwavering in his solidarity for both students and (especially outsourced) workers; notably in his urging for UNISON support of the 2010 anti-fees protests and in his integral role in the Justice for Cleaners campaign.

On Wednesday, Sandy was suspended on allegations of “gross misconduct” after speaking out in support of student protests.

“WHY ALL THE FUSS?” Following Tuesday’s student and worker rally, Sandy re-entered the main building to return to his workplace with other UNISON colleagues. After using his faculty card to open the side gate, he faced unsubstantiated accusations from management of letting non-students into the university. Sandy categorically denies these allegations. The School claims to reserve the right to suspend members of staff without evidence.

Students and staff alike find it unconscionable to allow this obvious scapegoating to go unchallenged, particularly in light of Sandy’s tireless commitment to the SOAS community and the vital role he has played in securing labour rights for the lowest-paid workers on campus.

“WHAT HAPPENED ON TUESDAY?” On Tuesday, a rally was held to consolidate and demonstrate solidarity with the Student Occupation which has been subject to repressive tactics. The rally was supported by over 150 students and included speeches from academic staff. Following the rally, many SOAS students engaged in a peaceful sit-in of the SOAS Directorate office. See also this video for more about the sit-in: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vueaZTgE9_s

“WHY ARE FACULTY AND STUDENTS PICKETING?” By personally targeting and attempting to make an ‘example’ of a vocal member of the SOAS community, and specifically a prominent trade union activist, the university management has severely escalated its already substantial attempts to prevent legitimate opposition to its austerity agenda. This called for an immediate and appropriately robust response as the suspension is an attack on the official channels through which members of the community are expected to handle grievances.

Management has consistently proven itself unwilling to be swayed by student and staff concerns over governance, no matter how they have been presented. It has ignored basic issues like SOAS’ marketability following the closure of its specialist courses. It has further chosen not to reinvest surpluses wisely, such as through insourcing workers. Indeed, management’s continued refusal to even listen to logical alternatives to its austere fiscal approach is what has made rallies necessary. Students and staff have been ignored, silenced, and now intimidated. It is unacceptable to victimise staff at a time when management has serious accounts and apologies to make to staff. As a result, disruption was necessary to gain the attention of decision-makers, and to let decision-makers know that there are people at SOAS who stand up when someone is singled out and made an example of.

“WHY ARE YOU STOPPING US FROM ACCESSING OUR EDUCATION?” A common complaint among students at the solidarity action for Sandy was the lack of choice presented in staying out of the Main Building. Those forming the picket line discouraged people from entering the building whilst blocking the entrance. None of the protesters were physically violent at any point. Those forming the picket line sought every non-violent means to discourage people from entering and breaking the picket. In reaction, a small group of student tried to physically push through picketers assaulting them in the process. Following this the university management itself took the decision to close down the building and lock the front doors.

Regardless, Senior Management itself is to blame for the continual infringement upon our education. It is them who have insisted on casualising staff and intimidated and victimised individuals for speaking out for the values SOAS claims to champion. It is them who have prioritised an ideologically-driven surplus at the expense of the courses that make SOAS unique and the community that gives it life.

Contrary to popular perception, the overwhelming majority of those supporting Thursday’s protest were current SOAS students who themselves missed classes. The financial burden of fees weighs on all of us.

“WHERE IS THE DIALOGUE?”

The purpose of the rally was to demonstrate solidarity with a member of the SOAS community over a wrongful suspension.

The decision to suspend Sandy is a direct message to staff: the management will not even listen to staff exercising their rights to freedom of assembly and freedom of speech. Such acts must be condemned in the most forceful way, until proper remedies have been taken, including reinstatement of Sandy with immediate effect and a full apology to all staff at SOAS for the intimidation caused by management’s act of silencing and repressing staff activism.

Management has refused to meaningfully engage in dialogue at every turn; any and all meetings that they have called have been rigidly one-sided and on their terms.

“I NEED TO ATTEND MY LECTURE”

We are all students and we all want to attend our lectures. We also do not want our education to be undermined. However, the power to resolve this situation lies in the hands of Senior Management who has continued to refuse to engage with student, various campaigns, and union demands. Instead they have continued to victimise those who want to speak out.

We urge you to write to the management and demand that they start negotiating with students and staff immediately. Additionally, we suggest that you contact your lecturer as some lectures are being rearranged at other SOAS buildings or in UCL/Birkbeck. Your lecturer may also be withholding teaching as a sign of solidarity. Do contact lecturers on an individual basis.

“I NEED TO USE THE LIBRARY”

All SOAS students are entitled to use all UoL libraries. The nearest ones are UCL, Senate House and Birkbeck.

“I CAN’T ACCESS THE PRAYER ROOM”

There are prayer rooms in Birkbeck and the IoE, located next to SOAS. Please do ask anyone at the picket for directions to these prayer rooms.

“MY STUFF IS INSIDE/IN A LOCKER”

That’s fine, you can enter through a side door. Just ask at the Brunei Gallery reception.

“WHAT IS UNISON?” UNISON is the second largest trade union in the UK with 1.3 million members. UNISON represents both full- and part-time staff who provide public services in the public and private sectors.

“What is UCU?” University and Colleges Union is the largest trade union and professional association for academics, lecturers, researchers, trainers and academic-related staff in further and higher education.

WHY HAS THERE BEEN VIOLENCE? The numerous incidents of management-backed violence against students and staff is very concerning. In addition to the long-term structural violence being meted out on us by the Executive’s austerity programme and their corporatisation of the university, the senior management has been complicit in a number of instances of physical violence.

Cutting off the electricity mains and wifi inside the Brunei Suite has created a fire hazard - in addition to being inconvenient for SOAS staff and students using the Brunei Gallery for its classes. Every night, the air conditioning is put on full blast at great financial and environmental expense, not to mention the health of those occupying. Management is also spending £2,400 per day hiring intimidating 24 hour security to prevent people from entering and exiting the Brunei Suite. This not only has created an additional fire and safety hazard; it has rendered the space inaccessible to those unable to climb through the window.

On Thursday 29 October, picketers were injured. Those standing peacefully resisted acts of physical and verbal aggression by people using violence to break the picket line. As an occupation, we condemn and work through consultations and dialogue to end any acts of insult or harassment. Yet extra security staff hired by management have been insulting, physically pushing and assaulting people entering and leaving the occupation. Why is this violence going unnoticed and unacknowledged?

“ISN’T THE OCCUPATION JUST SOAS ALUMNI DISRUPTING THE CURRENT STUDENTS’ EDUCATION?”

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,

Response to management's update below.

What is Management's ignorant response to the current occupation (not a sit-in!) in the Brunei Suite?

After an ongoing exchange of documents containing our demands and the management's quick dismissal of these, as well as over 70 educational events (check our calendar below), senior management decided to single-handedly escalate the situation by turning off the mains electricity in the occupied space. Fully aware of the fire hazard posed by the potential intense usage of extension cables and acting in such a reckless manner without giving notice, we are deeply shocked by management's wilful negligence.

Regarding their concern for health & safety, a first step to ensure this would be to cease constantly running the air conditioning (which increases the likelihood of illness). Underpinned by false accusations of 'physical and verbal intimidation against School staff as well as some minor criminal damage' (we would be pleased to find out which imaginary incidents they are referring to), this is basically exemplary of management's ongoing ignorance of the wider concerns and demands of the SOAS community.

Regarding the Open Day, we were delighted by the influx of many prospective students in the occupied Brunei Suite who experienced this political action as a motivating reason to apply to SOAS. Thus, management should be grateful to the occupation for increasing application numbers of critical-thinking prospective students. In other words, why just get a pen and sweets from a human rights organisation if there is human rights advocacy put into action in an occupation within our own university (see our demands regarding workers' rights and outsourcing of staff in SOAS).

The occupation is fully aware of the lost income due to cancelled commercial bookings in the Brunei Suite, which shows that the language of money is the only language management speaks. The displayed willingness to negotiate ('we continue to welcome dialogue with the group') comes after years of patronising dismissal, rejection and intimidation of on-campus campaigns, and thus shows the effectiveness of the method of a disruptive occupation.

We fully agree that the occupation also has a 'significant academic impact'. This takes form in various lectures, seminars and talks, making the occupation a frequented space in an overbooked campus (see calendar). Therefore, the occupied Brunei Suite is truly 'creating an academic environment that nurtures, challenges and inspires the next generation to develop ideas for a fairer and more cohesive world' (Prof. Paul Webley, Achieving Our Vision, 2020 Vision and Strategy for the 2016 Centennial and Beyond)

- The occupiers

--------------------------------- What is the School's response to the current sit-in in the Brunei Suite? UPDATE: Friday 23 October

Since Wednesday 14 October, the group engaged in the sit-in has made no contact with the SOAS senior team. The senior team invited the group to a meeting on Friday 16 October but the invitation was declined as the group was "too busy." In just over a week there have been several incidents of physical and verbal intimidation against School staff, as well as some minor criminal damage.

The sit-in continues to have a significant impact, both academically and financially. Key activities for Undergraduate Open Day on 21 October had to be relocated to the SCR (thanks are extended to all staff and the SCR committee for accommodating this), resulting in a less than ideal experience for prospective students on the most important Open Day of the year. A Careers event offering students the chance to meet with law firms, education providers and human rights law organisations was also disrupted. The School continues to lose income from commercial bookings.

This morning, the mains electricity and wi-fi in the Brunei suite were turned off. For health and safety reasons the lights have been left on. We continue to welcome dialogue with the group.

20 October 2015

To the protesting students, staff and their supporters at the Witswaterstrand University, the University of Cape Town, Stellenbosch University and the university currently known as Rhodes,

Re: Solidarity with #RhodesMustFall and all UCT student protesters

Yesterday and again today, our Twitter and Facebook feeds have been awash with protesting students from Wits, the UCT, and the university currently known as Rhodes.

After mass protests at Wits led to the still unfulfilled promise of the suspension of fee hikes, UCT, Stellenbosch and Rhodes students took to the streets and likewise demanded that #FeesMustFall. We watched in awe at this mass expression of outrage at the austerity being meted out on South African university students.

Yet it is when police were called in by UCT management and given free reign to shoot students with rubber bullets, that we decided to write this statement of solidarity.

Watching the videos of police shooting at students, sending at least one woman to hospital as a result of tear gass, and then subsequently arresting countless other students, all to evict a peaceful protest occupation of the Bremner administrative building, recalls us back to the darkest days of student repression during apartheid.

Like us, who have occupied space thereby reclaiming our university, the students of UCT merely want to improve the situation for black students and academic and non-academic workers. Through racism and economic compulsion, UCT is excluding blacks from the ability to fully participate in the institution of higher education.

This violence must end.

We therefore want to express our full solidarity towards the continued protests and shutdowns by the students and staff of Wits, UCT, Stellenbosch and Rhodes as well as other South African universities that are planning mass protests: University of Pretoria, UKZN, Fort Hare, CPUT, University of the Free State, and more.

The #FeesMustFall and the University must be decolonised and de-corporatised.

Aluta Continua...

The SOAS Student Occupation

SOAS, University of London

The United Kingdom

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @occupySOAS2015

Facebook: OccupySOAS

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.

15 October 2015

On Thursday the 8th of October 2015, two days after the occupation of the Brunei Suite, the General Assembly of the SOAS Student Union voted unanimously for a resolution of no confidence in the school's senior management.

The resolution has been a long time coming. Over the years, students and academic and support staff have been in conflict with management over a range of issues – over and over again. As diverse as we all are (always disagreeing and debating about almost everything), there is one thing that we can all agree on: SOAS' management needs to change.

Whether it is their bureaucratic intransigence preventing us from switching courses and choosing our tutorials, or the more serious matters of outsourcing and course cuts, SOAS management consistently ignores the needs and wishes of students and the exploitation of its staff. They make decisions without us and impose them on us as if our viewpoints do not matter.

* When we passed a referendum with an overwhelming majority (73%) in support of the Boycott, Divestments and Sanctions (BDS) Campaign last year, management ignored us.

* When we opposed the outsourcing of cleaners, security and other workers, management ignored us.

* When the Fractionals went on strike for a fair pay, management ignored them.

* The 14% gender pay gap remains ignored and institutional racism thrives.

The Executive Board wants to make 6.5 million pounds of cuts. Why do they insist on redundancies? Why won't they start with cutting their own inflated salaries?

What the occupation has realised is that no matter how many resolutions we pass as students and academic and support staff, the management will continue to ignore us. The SOAS Student Union is great and always very supportive of the students. Yet the undemocratic structures of governance at the university mean that the SU gets very little say (2 votes in a body of 22 people) over the big decisions such as those about fees, courses and worker rights.

As students, we are sick and tired of being treated as walking ATM machines who are only as good as the money we bring into the university.

The people that run this institution will only listen when they are forced to do so. The occupation is therefore the first step in challenging the management's autocratic authority. The occupation will not rest until students and all the staff are no longer subjects, but active participants in the running of this university.

It is time that SOAS democratises.

The current governing situation under the Executive Board and Board of Trustees must be restructured. In its place, students, academic staff and support staff should have authority over the running of our university.

The first step in achieving this, as occupiers, is to open up the Brunei Gallery to courses, discussions and lectures by students, lecturers, and workers in SOAS as well as many supporters from outside the university. This space will be a pedagogical space where we all learn together outside the confines of corporatism. Through this action of creating our own free university, the occupation will show that students and staff are capable of driving our own education and that there is no need for senior management to design our curriculum for us.

Anyone who would like to hold an event at the SOAS Student Occupation can email us at [email protected] or find us on Facebook.  

(See the Statement of Occupation here: http://soasanticuts.tumblr.com/post/131222762935/statementofoccupation)

In response to the news that the Director of SOAS wants to make 6.5 million pounds in cuts, the occupation holds that the following six demands are non-negotiable:

1. No job losses (including Fractionals) in the ‘necessary’ savings plan

* The alleged ‘necessary’ savings should start with the wages of top management.

* Written assurance that there will be no job losses for all staff.

* Management must issue a written assurance that no compulsory redundancies will be made.

* An end to exploitative contracts. All demands of Fractionals For Fair Play must be met immediately.

2. No course cuts

* There should be a departmental bottom-up review of courses with the administration barred from 'hand-picking' reps. Departments should elect their own reps with a commitment to improving courses instead of cutting them.

* Departments should convene open forums to discuss and plan the process of the curriculum review (including the decolonisation of the curriculum).

* There should be an apology from the entire executive with no scapegoating of individuals (such as the Pro-Director for Learning & Teaching).

* Management must publish a detailed and transparent explanation of how and why their recent email document on the implementation of 184 course cuts was created. Management must be accountable and take responsibility for the process.

3. In-sourcing now! All outsourced staff must be brought in-house.

* The administration must cancel all planned tender processes.

* No union reps and other campaigners should be victimised in any way, shape or form.

* Management must apologise to mistreated workers for using private companies with a history of human rights abuses. Unacceptable companies include Mitie (which runs immigration detention centres) ISS (which deports workers), Ocean, Serco, etc.

4. Democratisation of Governance

* The university must publish its finances and yearly budget in full. This must include detailed accounting of its alleged financial debt and pay-scale transparency for each management position.

* The management should devolve powers to academic departments and decentralise the decision-making at the university.

* The Academic Board must be re-constituted as a democratic structure with an equal number of elected HODs and elected non-executive academic staff and non-academic staff. Specifically, there should be at least 3-4 elected student representatives, 3-4 non-academic staff representatives, and an elected non-executive academic chair. This Board should be empowered to receive reports, vote on proposals, and communicate directly with the SOAS Board of Trustees.

* The Executive Board must be reconstituted as a democratic structure with majority student and academic staff and support staff representation. Proposals affecting academic research, teaching, and student welfare should be put to vote by the Academic Board as a matter of routine (rather than when the Executive deems it is necessary).

* A SOAS Senate must be created with universal academic-staff membership. The Senate will be empowered to meet at least once each term with the power to vote on proposals put forward by the School’s new Academic and/or Executive Boards.

* A SOAS Community Forum must be established which will include all students, non-academic and academic staff. They will meet once each term to provide all members of SOAS with a venue to discuss issues of mutual concern.

* Governing Body meetings should be entirely constituted by students and staff and should exist to hold management structures to account.

* SOAS Community Forum and/or university-wide referendum shall hold veto rights over all Governing Body decisions.

5.   Implement the Academic Boycott (BDS)

* The university must immediately implement the Academic Boycott of Israel (BDS). In a landslide referendum last year, students and staff overwhelmingly voted in favour with a yes vote of 73%.

6.   Stop PREVENT and the CTSA bill

* The university must stop the implementation of the PREVENT strategy immediately

* Management must send an apology to all student and staff acknowledging the effects these decisions have had on Muslim students and staff within SOAS.

The Director's Cut (after Orwell)

the Director has decided that all red-rated modules should be withdrawn ...

the teaching resources that will no longer be required ...

I would like to make it clear that I have never seen this document

2+2=5

the Director has decided ...

the teaching will no longer be required ...

I had never seen the document and had not agreed to courses being cut

2+2=3

the Director ...

will no longer be required ...

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.

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,