PROTEST ABOUT ACCOMMODATION FEES RISING

[KateBush]

The University has surpassed itself ).
A 27% rise is outrageous, and way beyond the means of most students.

We must not accept the unacceptable. The matter has to be passed by the senate before they can bring it into effect though. there is STILL TIME to make our feelings known to the University. If we stand together and make our feelings known, we can STOP this happening.

I suggest that first, people email the Quaestor, who posted the message, to make their feelings known (quaestor@st-and.ac.uk) and then approach Will MacFarlane (director of representation in the Students Union--email dorep@st-andrews.ac.uk) to find out exactly what the Union plans to do about this.

If we all work together, we can consider something to make the university take notice-- either a rent strike (they can't expel EVERYONE from the university!) or a demonstration/protest of some sort. Come on, if we stand together, we can do it....WE PAY THESE PEOPLES' WAGES! IVE HAD ENOUGH OF BEING TREATED LIKE A SECOND CLASS CITIZEN. IF IT WASNT FOR US, THESE PEOPLE WOULD HAVE NO JOBS.

LETS MAKE A DIFFERENCE! WHO'S WITH ME?

[benedict]

sleeping outside some relevant building en masse might get some headlines/attention. would be pretty impressive if several dozen students gave up their beds for the night & all kipped outside a uni building through the cold for a week or however long.

[rubbermuffin]

[s]benedict wrote on 14:52, 28th Jan 2004:
sleeping outside some relevant building en masse might get some headlines/attention. would be pretty impressive if several dozen students gave up their beds for the night & all kipped outside a uni building through the cold for a week or however long.


The principal's house would be good...anyone know where it is?

[KateBush]

Great ideas guys, keep em coming


Yep I know where the principal's house is, but I don't think I should disclose it on a public message board. Please email will and the quaestor--its not good moaning among ourselves--let's tell the people who may be able to do something.

(shouldnt be difficult with webmail/pine hee hee!)

[exnihilo]

Its the Court it needs to go to - not the Senate. And about half the Court don't live in St Andrews or have anything to do with the town really. On the plus side, it is chaired by our esteemed Rector.

And the Principal's residence - as a university building can freely be identified - indeed the University sign outside it does a grand job of it. Just take a wander up Hepburn Gardens.

[Jonny_G]

How about a sit down protest. It's one of the most effective means of protest. If you get a few hundred people sitting on North Street, stopping the traffic and get the press involved by using he University's high profile at the moment, you are bound to get noticed. There would be uproar if the uni started suspending people or whatever, never underestimate the power of non-violent organised protest.

[The Cellar Bar]

We've got plenty walls for posters.
And the last time there was a sit in - in Quad - we helped out with lashings of coffee to keep people going.
Keep it going, guys, and shout if you need!!!

[KateBush]

hurrah--these ideas are all brilliant! Keep em coming! I suggest we have a meeting at soe point in the Union? I'm not in St Andrews at the moment, but will be soon. Who's up for it? And when can people make it? Some time next week? We don't have long to act. Posters are a great idea, as is the sit down protest. was thinking along those lines meself. There was one last semester against war and it was very effective. There's no reason why we can't do ALL the things people have suggested.

WE CAN DO THIS!

[exnihilo]

One tiny note of caution - the University has played this game before. They propose an enormous increase, let the student body work itself into a lather over it and then announce a far smaller increase, which is closer to what they wanted in the first instance. Don't be surprised if they do it again, and be aware that your elected reps. will conduct these negotiations for you.

All that said, it's good to see that some people are willing to DO something instead of just complaining. All power to you.

[Mr Comedy]

Could we not just all sit in the princicpals office, and refuse to leave?

[exnihilo]

[s]Mr Comedy wrote on 15:15, 28th Jan 2004:
Could we not just all sit in the princicpals office, and refuse to leave?


You'd need to get in there first! It's like Fort Knox now - he doesn't want just anyone (up to and including visitors from other universities) to be able to waltz in.

You might also want to contact both Donald Findlay and Andrew Neil as each one helped defeat previous attempts at exorbitant rent hikes, and might well be willing to add their voices to the protest. If so, email me.

[Frasier Fan]

I'd definitely be willing to take part in a protest
of some sort and know that loads of other people would be interested. The fact that the university thinks it ca get away with this is disgraceful!

[Jonny_G]

Everyone's getting really ticked off. This is great(see also rent rise thread for some damning stats). We HAVE to protest about this and we have to do it soon. St. Andrews is quite quiet at the mo coz lots of people are on holiday/at home but we should do this before classes start in earnest, tutorials etc so we get maximum turnout. These fe hikes will cripple poorer students who rely on their student loan to get them through the year.

WE CANNOT LET THIS HAPPEN!!

Does anyone have any experience of organising protests? How about the weekend 7/8 feb?? I think a lot of people will come especially if we expand the issue to include overcrowding in halls, 4 people to a room etc.. Any further ideas?

WE WILL PROTEST AND WE WILL WIN!

[Miss Maryland]

i think we should all take advantage of the current weather conditions and pelt him with snowballs!

[hr]...and there was much rejoicing.

[C.]

Have an initial protest to get some public attention for this. I would suggest this: on the first wednesday back (11th Feb) at exactly 1:30pm arrange a sit down protest in the middle of North Street (just outside the quad). If we can get about fifty students to simply hang around in the middle of the road for 30minutes that will generate a decent amount of publicity. A few posters tacked to boards protesting the raise should be useful.
I for one have nothing better to do for half an hour on wednesday and although I'm not going back to halls I'd not want to see friends suffer this stupidity.

[David Bean]

Everyone in Melville could go on hunger strike. It's not as though we'd notice the difference much...

[hr]"And all the people rejoiced, and said: 'God save the King! Long live the King! ...May the King live forever!'" - Handel, 'Zadok the Priest'

[Guest]

Remeber we all have to apply for halls this year between the 2nd and 20th of February.

[Prophet Tenebrae]

Exnihilo is right - this is a classic university tactic and people fall for it all the time. They know they won't get 27% past without hell freezing over but I urge you to ensure that if you protest it's not just blindly against a massive rise but rather for rent rises purely in line with inflation.

[Shackleton]

£98 does seem like a lot to pay for small rooms and shared facilities. Plus, I find that I have to cater for myself much of time, as the window of time for meals tends to be quite short. The average private flat costs about £65/week, £70-£75 with bills.

[Admin]

Students' Association press release available here:
http://www.thesinner.co.uk/article/597