<nettime> Middlesex: :The occupation is over, the campaign continues]

["Patrice Riemens" <patrice@xs4all.nl>]

Some more context on the previous post

bwo Sarai Reader List/ Jeebesh


The occupation is over, the campaign continuesPosted on 15 May 2010 by
phallward
http://savemdxphil.com/
At 8pm on Friday 14 May 2010, Middlesex University management served a
High Court injunction to end a twelve-day student occupation of the
Mansion building at Trent Park. The occupation began on Tuesday 4 May,
when Philosophy students gathered to protest the managementâ??s abrupt
decision to close their unique and successful programmes. The
occupation quickly succeeded in focusing remarkable levels of national
and international attention on the scandalous situation at Middlesex.

The injunction came into effect at 8am on Saturday 15 May. The
students finally decided to end their occupation on Saturday afternoon
so as to join a rally, outside the Mansion, in support of the campaign
to save philosophy at Middlesex. During the rally, Tariq Ali and
members of the campaign spoke out forcefully against the managementâ??s
decision to close the programmes, the way this decision was taken, and
the way its consequences and implications have been handled.

Today the University management had a clear choice. They could have
continued a process of negotiation with the students that management
initiated, belatedly and reluctantly, after immense international
pressure, on Thursday 13 May. They could have discussed concrete steps
for the renewal of MA and PhD recruitment. They could have considered,
with their enthusiastic students and staff, options for redesigning
and relaunching the BA programme in Philosophy.

Or else: they could have made an appeal to the High Court in order to
gain the legal power to drive their students out.

True to form, the management has made its decision. Faced with
students who were determined to protect their subject and the future
of humanities teaching at Middlesex, management decided to treat them
like criminals. Rather than talk to them face to face about the
renewal of their programmes, management decided to bully them off the
campus.

Middlesex management has been bullying its staff and students for many
years now. As everyone knows, the power of a bully ends when the
people he intimidates band together and confront him. Middlesex
philosophy students have taken a first step towards such
confrontation: we appeal to other students and staff, at Middlesex and
elsewhere, to join us in this struggle.

This occupation is over; the campaign continues.

To protest the managementâ??s decision to expel the students, please
send a message to the board of governors and members of the University
executive, to the email addresses below; if you are willing for us to
post your letter on our website along with other letters of support,
please BCC it to savemdxphil@gmail.com.

Please check this website(www.savemdxphil.com) for future events and
regular updates.

The Campaign to Save Philosophy at Middlesex
Saturday 15 May 2010
www.savemdxphil.com
savemdxphil@gmail.com


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