Students occupy Senate House

Over twenty students staged an occupation of Senate House this afternoon in protest against the “marketisation and privatisation” of university.

The group, calling themselves ‘Protect the Public University – Warwick’, entered Senate House at around 4.35pm and locked themselves in the Council Chamber with a padlock.

The group is protesting against “widening inequality within higher education [driven by] the marketisation and privatisation of universities.”

“Institutions that were once for the public good are now being turned over to private, profit-driven interests,” reads a statement released by the group.

The group posted a notice saying that they did not actually want to have to lock themselves in: “We are committed to opening a dialogue by ensuring access to this room,” reads the notice.

“However, given Warwick Security’s previous treatment of occupations held inside, we believe that access to toilet facilities and food supplies will be shut off.

“Thus, we shall provide the keys to the locks if the university provides a written commitment that it will not instruct security to intimidate, obstruct or disrupt this council chamber meeting on the threat to the public university, or our ability to participate in this meeting.”

A security van attended the scene within minutes of the occupation. After giving the students an agreement that they would not block off their toilet facilities and food supplies, two security guards removed the padlock at around 5pm, with the students remaining inside.

Photo: Michael Allen

A spokesperson from the group told the Boar: “The national demonstration [at Sussex University] served as a reminder that students at universities across the country must act now if we are to halt this government’s radical restructuring of higher education.”

The Boar understands that the group intends to remain there indefinitely until their “objectives are publically affirmed” and that the group expresses solidarity with similar campaigns against the marketisation and privatisation of higher education, incuding Sussex Against Privatisation and Defend Education Birmingham.

The group also wishes to make clear that the protest is against the University administration and not against the Students’ Union.

The students inside are being supported by a group of around a dozen students handing out flyers to students, staff and the public in the area around Senate House.

A spokesperson for the University said: ” Such events are quite common at universities and we will keep this one under observation.”

The group’s full statement can be read here.

For an in-depth report, pick up the Boar on Wednesday, and follow @BoarNews for updates.