Taking a Stand

LAST WEEK saw one of the biggest demonstrations the University campus has experienced in many years. Hundreds gathered to send the University a loud message that they were not happy.

Student demonstrations have been the subject of much ridicule of late, both in these pages and from the ‘normal’ student population. This occasion was different. A broad selection of political persuasions was represented, with the usual suspects complemented by many students that have never been to a demonstration before. All present were united simply by the fact that they are dissatisfied by the way the University treats them, and they are not going to keep quiet about it any longer.

This should be a clear sign to the University that they have a problem. In the past, complaints have often been swept under the carpet with claims that problems are not widespread and that representatives are unrepresentative. When hundreds of students take time out from exam revision to show their desire for change, these excuses evaporate.

In a recent report compiled for The Independent, The University of Manchester received the lowest mark for student satisfaction of the top 55 universities in the country. This was clearly evident last Tuesday.

For a University that is aiming for world-class status, this is simply unacceptable. The University does ask students for their input, but it is taking what students have to say on board that really matters. It may not be the 1960s, but students still get annoyed and they still know how to make themselves heard.