Why fighting cuts is legitimate? What are the alternatives to cuts?

Many different universities lately have been on strike or have been threatening to go on strikes to fight cuts (Sussex, Leeds). What the government is saying is that there should be some cuts to avoid a debt that would be detrimental for the next generations. What the government is not saying is that those debts have been contracted mainly to bail out banks that were temporarily insolvent. These loans to the banks were contracted from other banks and financial institutions.

As in Greece the financial system is causing  the government to contemplate implementing restrictive policies in terms of spending to allow the loans to be reimbursed and reduce their debt to GDP ratio. The power, banks, the financial system and other financial institutions (hedge funds for example) have, is huge and it seems to the ordinary citizens that there is nothing that we can really do about it. That is the main achievement of the neoliberalism doctrine for the last thirty years, we hardly believe in a world that would be possible outside this over capitalised system we live in. Let me make it clear, it does not have to be like that, it does not have to be a system where citizens have to pay for their governments failure in letting (or pushing) the financial system grow like it did. It can be different, we can, united, fight against a power that is held in the hands of a few and create a financial system that would serve humanity and not the opposite. The Icelandics are correct in voting against the referendum that would have obliged them into paying 12000 euros per household for the failure of the Icelandic Bank, Icesave.

There are many alternatives.

The Scottish Funding Body for Higher Education announced on Friday the 26^th of February that there would be a small increase in the funding for Scottish universities, this increase will mean that there would be less funds available per students. The university can do different things to cope with that. They can either increase the number of students per class, or cuts on different parts of the universities such as catering, cleaning or other non “front line” services. Both would be detrimental for the education students receive at the university. They can also pump money from their large assets as the university “is over 500 years old and I believe it has never been stronger.” Secretary of the University, Steve Cannon e-mail sent to all members of staff on the 13^th of October 2009. Moreover, they could support the students' and staff's fight against those cuts. United we can think, propose, create, alternatives solutions.

Come along on Tuesday the 16^th for a public meeting in Fraser Noble 3 at 6pm, come to the demonstration on Wednesday the 17^th in Elphinstone Lawn from 2pm.

We, the Aberdeen Defend Education Campaign, give notice of the temporary suspension of our occupation pending the outcome of the upcoming University Court session.   We are proud to have been the first university student occupation against the education cuts in Scotland.
Earlier today representatives of our organisation met with Professor Sir Duncan Rice as a result of our ongoing campaign and occupation.
While we are not entirely satisfied with the memorandum received from the current Principal, it does however directly address our points, and gives strong guidance to the Court that they should support the spirit of our demands.

During our occupation we have received support from across the Student population as well as wide support from UCU, Unison, UCATT, NUS, Unite, EIS, NUT, NUJ as well as numerous universities; we would also like to thank university staff and security for their treatment of us. We would like to make it clear that the lecturers have our full support with regards to the possible upcoming industrial action, and we would like to thank the staff for their ongoing support, particularly those who signed our open letter.

We are delighted to learn of the breaking news that the suspension of the “Sussex six” by the University of Sussex has been overturned.

We will continue to raise awareness of these pressing issues on the Campus and beyond. We will lobby the governors of the University in the run-up to the upcoming Court session as well as engaging in more direct action deemed necessary. Anticipate the launch of our ‘PINK CAMPAIGN’ supporting our aims very shortly.

We have made a clear and strong statement and encourage further involvement in supporting these goals. we would ask students at institutions where budget cuts are likely or in effect to act in a similar way and act with other groups knowing that they are not alone. We hope that all the anti-cut groups will unite and work together in order to fight this. We are calling for a meeting to be held next week for a national coordination of students in Scotland to organise actions at the Scottish level.