London Metropolitan University Occupied

User 'anonymous' did: report at Sat Aug 22 06:17:05 +0000 2009.

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true The occupation by students of the University's Sir John Cass Department of Art, Media and Design, follows a strike action against staff cuts, and a rally of around 200 students, academic and support employees on Thursday 7th of May. Alan, a teacher at London Met stated: "I have been working here for almost 34 years. We are on strike today to try and bring attention to a series of cuts that are taking place on an enormous scale. We are expecting to lose around 550 Full-Time Equivalents, which translates into about 800 people’s jobs. We are getting support from students, other trade unionists and from local trade unions involved in similar struggles at the moment - trying to fight what amounts to a general crisis in the education sector because of under-funding from the government. This university was established partly in order to offer education for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, but now this central purpose has been undermined by government cuts. That is why we are on strike today, we hope it will be successful and we ask for all your support. This is part of the campaign against London Metropolitan Universities plans to restructure" Read here for more information about the massive financial crisis that is threatening the entire future of the university: <ul> <li>1- The Government recently found that London Met had claimed that it had 7,000 more students than it actually did.</li> <li>2- Every university receives an amount of money as funding PER STUDENT, so London Met had received millions of pounds too much.</li> <li>3- Not only has London met been ordered to pay back the money (which it doesn't have), but the budget has also been cut by £15 million a year.</li> <li>4- To attempt to recover the money, London Met plans to impose devastating cuts- ONE IN FOUR members of staff are being made redundant, ALL BUT TWO libraries are to be closed (one City, one North), the Nursery will be closed, and many modules and courses are being closed.</li> <li>5- In short, those who are not responsible for the financial problems are being punished for them- the staff and students.</li> <li>6- The university is being run as a business, yet if it is a business then we the students are the customers, so why have the management not informed us and ACTIVELY LIED to us about the crisis and the cuts?</li> <li>7- By losing OVER HALF OF OUR STAFF on some courses, we will not be able to continue receiving the standard of education we have been. The University cannot survive these cuts.</li> <li>8- There is good news- YOU can help save the university. Everyone can. Any student or member of staff willing to get up and do something about this can stand up and fight.</li> <li>9- It is a lot easier to help than you think [see below]. Let those who have already done so much for the campaign and have already started turning things around be your example.</li> <li>10- We have received enormous media coverage and over 50 MPs have expressed deep concern at our situation.</li> </ul>   32

2009-05-13T09:34:54+00:00

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The canteen of London Metropolitan University's <a href="http://www.londonmet.ac.uk/about/commercial-road.cfm">Commercial Road campus</a> in Whitechapel has been <a href="http://london.indymedia.org.uk/articles/1374">occupied by students</a> in protest over plans that could see 550 staff jobs axed. This is part of the campaign against LMU's scheme to restructure as a result of its massive financial crisis. Students and striking staff claim that they should not be made to pay for years of bad management. They state that "those who are not responsible for the financial problems are now being punished for them". Unlike all the other universities occupied earlier this year, its seems that London Metropolitan will not allow this to run its course, as the management is taking the students to court to regain possession of the occupied area. There have also been reports that the governors are getting in private security to prevent anyone from joining the occupation, therefore the students <a href="http://london.indymedia.org.uk/articles/1392">have been calling</a> for support. See <a href="http://london.indymedia.org.uk/articles/1405">photos of the solidarity demo</a> on Tuesday 12th, and follow <a href="http://twitter.com/savelondonmet">updates on Twitter</a>. Blogs: <a href="http://www.thelondonmetcrisis.blogspot.com/">The London Met Crisis</a> | <a href="http://thecasscrisis.blogspot.com/">The Cass Crisis</a> | <a href="http://savelondonmetuni.blogspot.com/">Save London Met University</a> <a href="http://twitter.com/savelondonmet"> </a>

London Metropolitan University Occupied

2009-10-30T18:29:15+00:00