gair rhydd
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freeword - EST. 1972
ISSUE 898 MAY 25 2009
BO UT IQ UE
MAGAZINE: CAERPHILLY QUENCH FREE INSIDE
HANDLED
Student floors serial cheese robber >> page 3
BOOTY
Digging for hidden treasures in Cardiff
SWEET
NO ST AL GI A
The candy tim e forgot
FILMS
Protesters assemble to oppose University cutbacks:
OF THE
YEAR
ATP:
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PHOTO: JAKE YORATH
CARDIFF'S STUDENT WEEKLY
LIFELONG YEARNING Sarah Powell News Editor
Over 250 members of the Save Humanities at Lifelong Learning campaign took part in an organised demonstration last Monday, protesting against the proposals to axe all humanities and Welsh provision. Lecturers, students and members of the public met outside the Main College building in Park Place, wielding
placards with the message ‘Save our Subjects’. The protest is in response to the fear that over 140 employees from the Lifelong Learning Centre could be made redundant, leading to the loss of provision for all humanities and Welsh subjects. Campaigners hoped to influence members of the University Council, who met at 5pm on Monday May 18 to try and reach a decision on the proposals for the centre. The campaigners’ message to the Council was to call for more time for the group to work with the Council for
an alternative solution to the proposals. Influential political figures who have pledged support for the campaign were also present at the demonstration, including Jenny Randerson AM. Speaking to the crowd, Ms. Randerson told campaigners of her own determination to prevent the proposals from going through. She said; “In terms of fairness and equity, decisions should not be made this rapidly to axe a whole department, and to cut out a whole group of students and staff. I think the University is being extremely short sighted in this aspect.”
With regard to the proposals, she continued; “Cardiff prides itself on being the pre-eminent University in Wales; it prides itself on history and reputation, and to cut a whole department sends out entirely the wrong message, not just about the way the University values these subjects but the way it values lifelong learning. We cannot allow this to happen.” Dr Dave Wyatt, a co-ordinating lecturer at the centre and one of the key organisers of the protest, told gair rhydd: “I’m very pleased with how the day went. It was great to see the amount of
support that the campaign has. A lot of our students were present, and it gave them agency to voice their opinions over the proposals.” He continued; “It was a very positive day and there has been very strong cross-party support from the Welsh Assembly, Plaid and the Liberal Democrats.” STORY CONTINUES >>PAGE 5 UNIVERSITY COUNCIL REPORT >>PAGE 2