New England students occupy 'underhanded' university
BY ANDREW DEVENISH-MEARES
ARMIDALE — Students occupied the administration building at the University of New England (UNE) here on May 18 to protest against cuts to subjects and services, and against university decision-making procedures they describe as "underhanded".
The university announced on May 8 its intention to stop offering modern Greek and all but first-year Italian subjects. It also announced the closure of UNE's fire brigade and the transfer of its responsibilities to the Armidale Fire Station, which could result in a doubling of response times to alarms at the university.
It was also revealed that a new traffic and parking policy, expected since January, would be discussed in secret by a university council standing committee before being decided on by a university council meeting in Brisbane.
The university's executive director for business and administration, Graeme Dennehy, promised the occupying students that he would meet with a delegation of students and staff to discuss a resolution to the dispute.
Students have decided to continue their occupation until management agrees to a demand that the traffic and parking policy be presented to a full meeting of the university council in Armidale.