A DRAMATIC student protest brought Oxford Road to a standstill last week. Over 200 protestors clashed with police on Tuesday and brought rush hour traffic to a halt as they marched around campus.
Police back up was called in from across Manchester, including undercover officers, several riot vans and a tactical support unit. A police helicopter was scrambled to monitor the march around south campus.
After breaking through several police lines, the students occupied the controversial Arthur Lewis building. The protestors then staged a short sit-in, during which they held an informal conference to discuss what students should expect from their university education.
The main clashes occurred on Brunswick Street, where the police, some in riot gear, attempted to stop the march continuing up the road. Tens of police lined up, backed up by riot vans. However, the protestors easily broke through, with several scuffles occurring.
Steve Monaghan was caught up in one of the scuffles with the police and commented: "The police are acting with the same brutality as normal. They don't like anybody challenging the status quo, but we will keep going, because that's what students do."
Protestors were from a newly formed pressure group called 'Reclaim the Uni'. They were calling for an end to staff cutbacks, contact hours cuts and the commodification of higher education.
The protest, the largest seen on campus for years, has been the cumulation of a growing sense of frustration amongst students at large tutorial sizes, poor library facilities and lack of access to academics.
One of the protest organizers said that the Arthur Lewis building was targeted as it is seen as a symbol of the University's attitude towards its students.
After a three hours occupation, the protestors produced a list of demands that were to be presented to University Management the next day. However, when a small group of campaigners went to find the Vice Chancellor, they were told he was 'unavailable'.
The campaign attracted significant attention from onlookers, as drums and a portable sound system were used produce a carnival atmosphere. Party poppers accompanied chants of "Education is a right, not a privilege" and "They say cut back, we say fight back."
Blanch placards were handed out at the beginning of the march, so that students could decorate them with their personal gripes with the University. Slogans scrawled on the placards included "Let me see my tutor" and "I love Shelia Rowbotham."
Rowbotham, a Manchester lecturer who has allegedly been forced to take early retirement, joined the protest in the Arthur Lewis building.
She told Student Direct that the protest reminded her of her youth when she occupied London School of Economics. "I agree with many of the demands the students are making. It is important that people are thinking about their education."
Robbie Gillett, one of the key members of Reclaim the Uni and next year's Communications Officer commented: "The university have consistently shrugged off student complaints with responses of 'We'll look into it,' and 'This is a management issue.' Today's occupation showed the depth of student anger and that we will not be ignored."
The University were unwilling to comment specifically on the protest. However, Alan Gilbert, the Vice Chancellor, responded to the Student Direct investigation that found the teaching received by Social Science students had be radically cut in recent years.
He said: "The simple fact is that decades of diminishing per capita investment in undergraduate learning in the UK is having the slow, inevitable consequences for the quality of student learning that were bound to develop in a system that has gone on doing the best it can…while class sizes burgeon and student/staff ratios deteriorate.
"We are determined to re-personalise the student learning experience, and provide all students with the kind of one-to-one learning that has become increasingly notable by its absence."
A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police commented: "Greater Manchester Police respects the democratic right of anyone to protest peacefully. However, although GMP was given prior warning of this protest, officers were not given accurate information about the intended route which meant extra officers had to be deployed to safely manage the protest.
"There are currently no reports of any major disturbances or trouble as a result of the protest. The demonstration did cause some disruption to traffic in the area."
The protests left the building peacefully, sweeping the floor behind them.
The campaign has generated significant press interest, with reports in Times Higher Education, Manchester Evening News and Channel M amongst others.
Demands made to the University
1. The President / Vice-Chancellor (VC) will write a monthly column for Student Direct, that will also be published on the University of Manchester Student Union (UMSU) website.
2. The President / VC will also be interviewed by Student Direct, using questions sent in by students, once a semester.
3. The current public Q&A session that the President / VC takes part in once a semester will be publicised to staff and students by the University. All staff are welcome to attend.
4. Student and staff must have representation on all steering panels, including building design. Staff and students must have input into the selection of the new President / VC.
5. All 1st year course welcoming lectures must include a talk on avenues of student participation in University decision-making processes and explain what the '2015 Vision' and 'Capital Plan' will mean practically.
6. A minimum cap of twelve hours per week must be introduced for face-to-face contact hours. Courses with more contact time must not use this as a reason to cut hours.
7. Online and Distance Learning are only to supplement this cap – they are not a substitute for contact time. Core modules must have non-online learning alternative options so as to be accessible to all students. The personal tutor system should ensure that all students have a one-to-one contact at University. Students must have good access to health and disability support staff.
8. An end to staff cutbacks now. An end to dependence on temporarily contracted staff.
9. Stop investment in and from unethical industries, including the arms trade. Investments must be made transparent and open to staff/student discussion. The Freedom of Information Act must be respected.
10. The resources of recently closed libraries must be re-instated. In future, new library buildings should be built before the old ones are closed.
11. Increase in use of University-based talent, such as in-sourcing from the architecture department. This increases student participation in University decision making.
12. The University will join students and staff in our fight for a free education. The President / VC will be open in their support for a free education.
Vox Pops: Why are you protesting?
Mike Tighe, 2nd year Philosophy:
“I’m here to stand up to the continued privatisation of our university and to stand up for student rights.
Knowledge is something that has been passed down from the start of time, and to start charging for it and making it privatised as some form of commodity is nothing short of absolutely criminal!”
Oliver Kean, 3rd year History:
“I’m protesting to stop cuts in education. It’s time to end the neoliberal grip on education and other public services in the UK. It’s gone too far.”
Claire Smith, 3rd year Sociology:
“It’s disgraceful that they’re spending money on things that are useless to students, such as shiny new buildings, when what we need is more computers and staff.
I’m also here to stand up for undervalued members of our department, such as Sheila Rowbotham, the world famous feminist who has been mistreated by this University.”
Suzanna Brett, 2nd year Social Anthropology:
“I think the University’s preoccupation with research and raising money is at the expense of the quality of our education.
The main issue I have personally is the cuts in contact hours, but lots of other people here today have many other varying reasons for protesting.
Hopefully with the turnout today the University will realise just how many people are bothered about these things.”
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