[Reader-list] The occupation is over, the campaign continues

[Jeebesh]

The occupation is over, the campaign continuesPosted on 15 May 2010 by  
phallward
http://savemdxphil.com/
At 8pm on Friday 14 May 2010, Middlesex University management served a  
High Court injunction to end a twelve-day student occupation of the  
Mansion building at Trent Park. The occupation began on Tuesday 4 May,  
when Philosophy students gathered to protest the management’s abrupt  
decision to close their unique and successful programmes. The  
occupation quickly succeeded in focusing remarkable levels of national  
and international attention on the scandalous situation at Middlesex.

The injunction came into effect at 8am on Saturday 15 May. The  
students finally decided to end their occupation on Saturday afternoon  
so as to join a rally, outside the Mansion, in support of the campaign  
to save philosophy at Middlesex. During the rally, Tariq Ali and  
members of the campaign spoke out forcefully against the management’s  
decision to close the programmes, the way this decision was taken, and  
the way its consequences and implications have been handled.

Today the University management had a clear choice. They could have  
continued a process of negotiation with the students that management  
initiated, belatedly and reluctantly, after immense international  
pressure, on Thursday 13 May. They could have discussed concrete steps  
for the renewal of MA and PhD recruitment. They could have considered,  
with their enthusiastic students and staff, options for redesigning  
and relaunching the BA programme in Philosophy.

Or else: they could have made an appeal to the High Court in order to  
gain the legal power to drive their students out.

True to form, the management has made its decision. Faced with  
students who were determined to protect their subject and the future  
of humanities teaching at Middlesex, management decided to treat them  
like criminals. Rather than talk to them face to face about the  
renewal of their programmes, management decided to bully them off the  
campus.

Middlesex management has been bullying its staff and students for many  
years now. As everyone knows, the power of a bully ends when the  
people he intimidates band together and confront him. Middlesex  
philosophy students have taken a first step towards such  
confrontation: we appeal to other students and staff, at Middlesex and  
elsewhere, to join us in this struggle.

This occupation is over; the campaign continues.

To protest the management’s decision to expel the students, please  
send a message to the board of governors and members of the University  
executive, to the email addresses below; if you are willing for us to  
post your letter on our website along with other letters of support,  
please BCC it to savemdxphil at gmail.com.

Please check this website(www.savemdxphil.com) for future events and  
regular updates.

The Campaign to Save Philosophy at Middlesex
Saturday 15 May 2010
www.savemdxphil.com
savemdxphil at gmail.com