Tuesday September 20 2011 | Week 1
ALTERNATIVE EDINBURGH F e at u r e s
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Music» p18
C U L TURE
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S i n c e 1887 T h e U K ' s O ld e st S T u d en t N ews pa p er
S cott ish S t udent Ne wspaper of the Year 2010
36 hour-long occupation leaves university red-faced
Wee Red Bar changes hands
Further protests planned across Scotland in guerilla protest campaign
Popular music venue in grounds of ECA to be run by the university
Sam Bradley
Sam Bradley
PROTESTORS OPPOSED to the University of Edinburgh’s recent decision to raise tuition fees for incoming students from the rest of the UK (RUK) occupied the George Square Lecture Theatre for 36 hours over the weekend. At approximately 12:45pm on Friday, around 40 protestors from the Edinburgh University Anti-Cuts Coalition took control of the building, which is situated next to the central university library. Despite attempts – at times held literally through closed doors – by university security staff to persuade the protestors to leave the premises, students proceeded to hang banners and chant slogans from the upper storeys.
The security staff responded by preventing any more protestors from entering the building and switching off the heating system inside. Food was later supplied by supporters of the occupation, who winched carrier bags up to the students in the balcony overlooking George Square. After several hours in the building the group released a set of demands to the university, which included that the increased tuition fees be dropped, free access and heating be provided to the protestors in the building, and a promise from the university of extensive student consultation prior to any future changes to the funding system. At the time of writing, the University of Edinburgh has only released a single statement to the press, saying, “The university attaches great importance to freedom of speech as long as points of view are put across in a safe and lawful way.”
EMILY JARRETT
INSIDE: Activists gear up for an autumn of discontent. INSIDE THE OCCUPATION P5
The forty-strong group included about ten activists who are members of other universities and had travelled from across Scotland to take part. Some of those who were not members of Edinburgh University had participated in the six-month occupation of the Hetherington Research Facility in Glasgow earlier this year. The Edinburgh University Student’s Association (EUSA) released a joint statement with the National Union of Students (NUS). “It’s absolutely no surprise that Edinburgh University students are incredibly angry about their university’s decision cash in on English, Welsh and Northern Irish students. We stand shoulder to shoulder with those opposing £36,000 fees for students from the rest of the UK. Edinburgh University should listen to their students, think again and respond
by reducing their fee level and increasing bursary support” said Robin Parker, President of NUS Scotland. Matt McPherson, president of EUSA, told the press “With Edinburgh University making their degrees the most expensive in the UK it comes as no surprise that students are making their feelings clear by claiming back their university. £36,000 degrees will deter talented students from the rest of the UK coming to study at Edinburgh. The University started this race to the top in Scotland and now it’s facing the consequences of its actions. “While this non-violent protest was organised without the students’ association, the students’ association’s role in the days to come will be critical. We’ll be speaking on a regular basis directly with the occupying students and with officials of the University of
Edinburgh. Edinburgh University needs to listen to its students, rethink its degree costs by reducing the fees and increasing its bursary package. This will ensure talented students from all backgrounds can afford to study at Edinburgh University.” EUSA’s Vice President Academic Affairs Mike Williamson said that he supported the action, telling The Student, “There may be one or two things I don’t quite go along with but I support it in principle.” Naomi Beecroft, a second year Linguistics student told The Student, “We’re here as part of a symbolic protest, to show that student apathy no longer exists, that we’re activists, we’re here and we’re not going to go away and the problem’s not going to go away.”
IT IS one of the more popular venues in Edinburgh for listening to student bands and is used frequently by local record companies – and now fans of the Edinburgh College of Art (ECA) Wee Red Bar have been assured the recent merger with the Edinburgh University will not impact on the venue. Edinburgh University Student Association's vice president of services, Phillipa Faulkner, told The Student that the bar, recently taken over by the university’s accommodation service, would be maintained in it’s current form. The assurances come despite fears among ECA students that any takeover by EUSA or Edinburgh University would leave the Wee Red Bar radically altered. Prior to the merger between the Edinburgh College of Art and Edinburgh University, the Wee Red Bar was run by students and was renowned for its distinctive style. Housed in the grounds of ECA itself, it often plays host to bands and student-run events. Faulkner told The Student, “We’d like all ECA students to know that EUSA welcomes new members, and wants to provide great services. We’re in a period where everything is new and people might not be sure how things will pan out but we’re working with the ECA president to make sure that things go smoothly. “I have been informed that Accommodation Services plan on maintaining the bar and that they will be consulting with students in order to preserve its vibe and its feel.” Continued on page 6»