Students occupy Strathclyde University in wake of RUK fees

Demonstrators last week occupied Strathclyde University overnight in protest at the recent decision to increase tuition fees for rest-of-UK (RUK) students.

Around 30 students from universities across Scotland staged a sit-in protest inside the institution’s Court Senate room.

The move came two days after an announcement students’ from England, Wales and Northern Ireland would face fees of £9,000 per year at Strathclyde from next September, taking the cost of a four-year degree to £27,000 after a cap was imposed.

Strathclyde Police were called to the Collins Building on the Glasgow-based campus in the wake of the decision as protestors followed in the footsteps of fellow students at the likes of Edinburgh and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland – formerly the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (RSAMD) - in voicing anger at the fee hike.

Up to 10 uniformed officers were visible on the scene at the highest point of the protest as security at the university closed the Collins Building in which the suite was located in an effort to prevent numbers swelling.

The neighbouring McCance Building, in which Strathclyde senior management is housed, was also shut off to students for the duration of the occupation which lasted more than 24 hours.

A statement issued by the students said: “We are sending a clear message that for the first time in years, there is a strong, united student movement which will continue to play a role within the struggle against austerity.

“RUK fees are another clear example of universities using a climate of austerity to attack jobs, cut courses and turn universities into money making enterprises.

“This occupation, along with others, intends to demonstrate how strongly the students oppose the commodification of education.”

It is understood a decision was taken by the protestors not to occupy other more prominent buildings on campus to prevent the loss of empathy among affected students.

One Strathclyde student who participated in the protest told The Journal the decision to occupy came in response both to RUK fee levels being set together with cuts to courses implemented at the higher education institution.

University Court, Strathclyde’s ruling body, elected to shelve courses in Community Education, Geography, Sociology and Applied Music in June as part of cost-cutting measures designed to save £750,000 – despite ongoing protests by students and staff.

Ben Wray, a fourth-year Sociology student, said: “The decision to introduce £27,000 fees for rest-of-UK students was an appalling attack on the right to free education and therefore the occupation is part of a Scotland-wide movement of occupations. “Students are here from across Scotland occupying as well to say that we won’t accept the introduction of fees in Scotland.”

University of Strathclyde Students’ Association (USSA) president, Charandeep Singh, refused to officially back the demonstration, albeit insisted elected student representatives played an important role of “facilitating” and “mediating” to allow concerns of protestors to be voiced over the course of the occupation.

He said: “The USSA executive took a decision to play a pro-active role during the occupation to ensure that the senior management team were aware of the issues being raised by students.

“The focus was on the welfare of students ensuring freedom of access throughout the duration of the occupation.”

A Strathclyde spokesman said the impact of the sit-in was localised and the university worked to operate with minimal disruption.