SUDE Demo Today

Today(Thursday 12 March) at 4:30 - 5pm, staff and students will be assembling at the Clifford Whitworth Building in order to take our petitions and protests against cuts and redundancies to the Old Fire Station.

We estimate that the combined petitions may hold around 3,000 signatures of staff and students, a not inconsiderable figure. In collecting these signatures, we have been able to gauge the general mood on the different campuses regarding Project Headroom and the impact that it will have, and is already having on staff and students alike. For those staff who have been involved in the staff/student petition, there is widespread concern and dismay that students are paying increasingly higher tuition fees, yet they are receiving a poorer education as a result of the widespread redundancies and cuts in courses, which are an inevitable result of management strategy.

Further, through our actions, we have consulted far wider layers of the university population than have upper management over the issue of redundancies. We have spoken to staff and students directly and it appears from our petitions, that there is a resounding 'thumbs down' to Project Headroom.

We need to ensure a large turnout tomorrow for the 'handing over' of the petitions which will be undertaken by one member of staff and one student. Please circulate this email as widely as possible and encourage students to come along to the event. We are after all, fighting for their education.

There is still time to sign the staff petition if you have not done so already. There is one in the School of Language office 8th floor Maxwell.

We will also be able to air our brand new branch UCU banner.