Support Quality and Accessable Education for Western Sydney.
Dear Friend,
We are writing to ask for messages and press in support of the on-going
protest and sit-in at UWS Macarthur. Approximately 100 students have been
staging a peaceful sit-in at UWS Macarthur Bankstown since 1pm on Wednesday
27th October, protesting the deteriorating conditions students and staff
face on campus.
We organized the protest around a set of demands to guarantee a quality and
accessible education for the people of Western Sydney. Our major demands were:
Capping of tutorial sizes.
A guarantee of no staff cuts over the holidays.
A guarantee for the University not to introduce ranges of new fees
including car parking, printing and library fees.
More student consultation on important decisions.
Improved safety and security on campus.
Improved access to computer rooms.
[See attachment for a full list of demands]
The University is claiming that it cannot fund the student demands because
of Liberal Government funding cuts, but students are calling for the
University to do more to cut perks and non-academic spending before cutting
staff or passing the cost onto the students. Some examples of things
students are demanding to be cut to fund the demands are:
$750,000 new senior executive office suite.
A new $50,000 four wheel drive for the financial services director.
The Universities advertising and PR budgets (which portray a false view of
what life at UWS is really like).
As we have said, students have been staging a peaceful protest and
occupation of the Student Center since 1pm Wednesday 27 October, and we are
planning to stay until our demands are met.
Messages of solidarity, press and actions in support of our protest would
be greatly appreciated. People are also invited to come and join our
occupation in building one of UWS Macarthur Bankstown campus (in Milperra).
If you have any questions or comments or messages of support please don t
hesitate to contact us on one of the numbers below.
In Solidarity,
Richard Martino
President Education Officer
UWS Macarthur Students Association
9772 6488 or 0410 437 249
Fax: 02. 9774.3442
e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Nick Harrigan
National Union of Students (NSW)
0414 262 170
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