Monday 26 January 2009

Update: Chairman Issues Statement

The Chairman of the Law Faculty issued a statement to Cambridge Gaza Solidarity in person at 11:30am. The validity of the statement was agreed to by senior members of the university. The terms of the statement are as follows:

1. That we are disrupting academic life.

2. That since bringing food into the Faculty constitutes a health and safety problem, we are forbidden to bring food to the Law Faculty.

3. That we are in breach of matriculation requirements in regards to the need to obey reasonable demands.

4. That there is concern about the presence of non-University members in the Faculty, and that the University now withdraws license for them to be here.

5. That the Senior and Junior Proctors will arrive at 2pm to take a new roll of people present. This roll is to be passed on to the colleges.

The Chairman was not ready to enter into dialogue with us about the statement. We particularly felt it was of pressing importance to address the second point of the statement – that we are forbidden from bringing food into the Faculty – as this seems an infringement on our right to protest peacefully and stands to compromise our wellbeing.

Furthermore, we have already provided the University with a list of names and feel there is no need to produce another such list. As a compromise, we have voted and decided that we will provide the University with a list of the colleges of those present.

We thus do not feel that this statement is a productive move forward in the negotiation process, and feel that the statement largely constitutes an intimidation tactic on the part of the University.

We can only repeat our call to enter into proper negotiations with the University.

16 comments:

  1. Factual correction on point 5 - the list of names is apparently not intended to be given to universities, but rather senior tutors told that students from their college are "not studying full time" without names yet being given. Thus the thing about taking colleges rather than names.

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  2. thats what you get when you mess with an expert in civil liberties you gutless twerps.

    they're going to haul your collective asses before a university tribunal before you can say solidarity

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  3. Sorry to hear this guys, we send our support, keep going, we'll get there!
    Warwick

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  4. Keep it rocking people, much love and endless respect. These demands are a joke. You can win!

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  5. "edward said..."


    how ironic!

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  6. omg, edward, if that *is* your real name...

    all we want is equality and peace and love, why can't you understand?

    if only you would open your mind you would see that our cause is entirely legitimate and not at all a waste of time for the faculty staff, students, lecturers, security staff, proctors, and most of all ourselves.

    we shouldn't be blamed for our feelings and we are trying to communicate the beauty and strength of our passion through the media of song, poetry and regular democratic debate, as we hope you appreciate. ffs, we are bringing a bit of life to this grey cold faculty. you should be grateful that we are here.

    besides, it's not like we're contravening university regulations.......

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  7. I can't quite decide if nigel-s meant that as a parody or not.

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  8. "nigel-s". we all have too much time.

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  9. Some new photos from the occupation:
    http://flickr.com/photos/manossi/sets/72157612915037026/

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  10. Keep going and don't let them intimidate you. They should be grateful to have some free thinkers in the university instead of the boring little nerds we've got used to lately.

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  11. Poor babies.

    The right to protest peacefully does not include the right to occupy private property.

    And the faculty chairman doesnn't sound like a pushover, sorry.

    Still, being sent down is a small price to pay isn't it?

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  12. Indeed, Chris.

    "We shall, we shall not be moved! We sh... what's that, Prof. Feldman??? Quick, does someone know where the back door is?"

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