By Tim E. Stewart
NEWCASTLE — An end to the Austudy loans scheme, more funding for universities, an increase in child-care facilities and better public transport were demands made by 80 students at a September 23 sit-in at the Newcastle University Chancellory.
The protest heard of communications tutorials without rooms, a graphic design course taught in "temporary" buildings and an Austudy recipient forced to borrow money to move house.
Organised by the Committee Against Cuts and supported by Resistance, the rally and sit-in followed the collection of 800 signatures on petitions demanding better conditions. They were not, however, supported by either the Students Representative Council or the National Union of Students.
One former SRC president spoke of the increasingly "corporate" nature of the body, partly due to changed university regulations. Only the SRC environment officer attended the protest.
With a monopoly on catering, the University Union made $6.5 million from staff and students last year. Students were also angered to discover recently that $5.4 million had been spent on the Chancellory building.
It was pointed out that the University had blocked all forms of communications for students. Posters are not allowed on campus, and there is only one representative for 14,000 students on the University Council.
A university representative said following the sit-in that students had exercised their democratic right to be heard. He did not mention that security staff had taken photographs of protesting students, had accessed car registration records, or that federal police were on call.