Universities

Workers' Liberty students

Student activists in Workers' Liberty argue for working class socialist ideas and campaign on issues like freedom of movement, anti-racism, workers' rights, international solidarity and free movement. More about us and our meetings see our Facebook events page or our instagram . See articles on students and universities .

"Pro-life" and the Manchester protests

Hundreds of students have joined protests against the establishment of a “pro-life” (anti-abortion-rights) society at Manchester University. The society was established in January, to “create a pro-life culture on campus, engage students on life issues and promote respect for the dignity of human life from conception.” A petition aimed at removing the society has over 18,000 signatures, with concerns raised about the original all-male committee making decisions regarding female bodies and medical rights. Students are right to protest anti-choice groups on campuses and student unions should do...

Goldsmiths UCU ballots against cuts

Members of the University and College Union (UCU) at Goldsmiths, University of London have begun a ballot for industrial action to fight a devastating programme of cuts which threatens 130 full-time equivalent posts, in reality, up to a third of all academic jobs. Such cuts will leave the college unrecognisable. It may not even survive. The cuts, laughably called “transformation” by the college bosses, have been caused by a shortfall in student numbers and what they call the “decline of certain subjects” — the arts and humanities on which Goldsmiths built its reputation. The responsibility for...

Students organise against cuts

University bosses across the country are making serious cuts, but students and university workers are fighting back. Universities charge international students extortionate rates, and have come to rely on those inflated tuition fees. The Tories have recently strengthened the hostile environment, abolishing visas for dependants of international postgraduate students. This has particularly affected Nigerian students . So some universities have not enough high-fee-paying students. University and College Union (UCU) members at Aberdeen will strike for six days in March after threats to the Foreign...

David Miller’s world

David Miller, a former Professor of Political Sociology at Bristol University, whose recent Employment Tribunal has brought much comment, believes that Zionism is more powerful than any state in the world: “The sovereignty of every nation in the world is undermined by the Zionist movement’s activities.” The Zionist movement, he claims, is seeking world domination: “The enemy we face is trying to impose its will all over the world.” There is an ongoing “attempt by the Israelis to impose their will all over the world, and that’s what we should recognise.” Miller jumps back and forth between...

Academic freedom battle remains

Former sociology professor David Miller has won an employment tribunal case about his sacking by Bristol University in October 2021. Miller is a high-profile “absolute anti-Zionist” who considers himself left-wing. The decision has been hailed by some as a victory for academic freedom. Bristol University said it sacked Miller because of his treatment of students, not because of his views. At the time we wrote that those could be good grounds to sack him; we couldn’t say whether the university’s case was sufficient, since it had given no details. We despised Miller’s views but were against him...

IWGB protests at City University

On 24 November members of the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain (IWGB) and supporters occupied the foyers of two buildings at City University in London to demand justice for members who work as night cleaners there. Three workers have been victimised after a wider group registered a collective grievance about issues of mistreatment and overwork with the university’s subcontractor, Julius Rutherfoord Ltd. One worker (Bianca) has been sacked, one (Maria) disciplined and one (Ana Maria) physically attacked, by the son of the manager the grievance was against. Updates and links on twitter...

Rents crunch hits students

Report after report has pointed to a rapid rise in rents for students, and poor levels of maintenance. Universities have added to the housing crisis, with a move to private providers rather than in-house accommodation, so direct control over rents is removed. In any case, university-owned accommodation rents have risen more than maintenance support. A report from the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) on ten university cities found rents up 14.6% 2021-22 to 2023-4, and private sector rents up 19%. Meanwhile the maximum student maintenance loan in England rose 5.2%. In 2023-4 in England...

Against suspensions, for discussion

The Socialist Appeal society at University College London (UCL) was suspended on 11 October for its “Intifada until Victory” posters, and on 19 October organised a joint demonstration with UCL Socialist Alternative, both protesting against the university’s crackdown. Socialist Alternative were not prevented from holding their meeting (as it was held off-campus), but the advertisement for it on the university’s website was removed, on grounds (as with Socialist Appeal) of “inciting violence”. Protestors also heard about the suspension pending investigation by SOAS university, nearby, of four...

For free speech, against nonsense

On Wednesday 11 October, the Marxist Student Society (the student organisation for Socialist Appeal) was suspended by the administration at University College London, pending investigation. The suspension came after the society refused to take down posters for an event that evening on Gaza. The posters used the IMT’s new slogan, “Intifada Until Victory”, which the university administration claimed could be seen as “inciting violence”. At SOAS University in London, worse: individual students suspended after a demonstration on 9 October (Palestine Society, not IMT). Whatever we think of the IMT...

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