Contact details for the occupation
Contact details for the university
Dean of Students - R.Imeson - r.imeson@arts.ac.uk
Principle Alister Warman - a.warman@arts.ac.uk
Occupation
Started - 16:00 on Wednesday, 18th February
Ended - 27th February 2009
Where - The main building at the Byam Shaw School of Art, 2 Elthorne Road
Why - Budget cuts and course changes
Demands
1. A reinstatement of the budgets and a return to the tutorial hours as they were for the academic year 2006-2007, when the current Stage 3 students on the BA first enrolled on their course.
2. A reinstatement of the budget for teaching and materials that was cut on the FdA course.
3. A reinstatement of the budget for materials in the different workshops.
4. For all workshops to be open from Monday to Friday for a minimum of 6 hours per day.
5. For studio opening times in 2 Elthorne Road to be brought in line with those of the BA Studios which are open from 7am to 8pm, Monday to Friday.
6. A return to the more economical, direct employment of the students by the Byam Shaw School of Art and a cessation of the outsourcing of school staff in regards of maintenance and cleaning duties.
7. Adequate communication with the student body regarding matters like the allocation of funding and any proposed changes to it.
8. That students be represented by an elected officer for the Byam Shaw site in any forthcoming meetings about the future of their course and be given the right to veto any major changes to the way their course is run, ie. the merging of the BA Fine Art course with the other BA Fine Art course offered at CSM.
9. According monetary compensation of all the already lost hours of tutorials in proportion to the tuition fees with regard to the number of tutorial hours specified in the course handbook given to each of the students when we originally joined the course.
Negotiation
27th February 2009
The occupiers agree terms with the university and end the occupation.
26th February 2009
The occupiers comment that there is a ‘war of words’ going on between them and the university and wonder if a resolution is possible.
The occupiers amend the amended charter and send it back to the university.
24th February 2009
The occupation send a charter to the university.
Jane Rapley, Head of CSM responds to the original demands.
23rd February 2009
- The occupiers issue a press release.
- Minutes of internal meeting of occupiers
- Minutes of meeting with occupiers and Alister Warman (Principal) and Tim Sokolow (Academic Coordinator).
- Resolutions made with Alister Warman
22nd February 2009
Minutes of internal meeting of occupiers
21st February 2009
Meeting with Jane Rapely
19th February 2009
Support
25th February 2009
A tuition fees march through central London stops outside the university and starts to chant ’shame on you’.
Michael Steadman sends a message of support.
Some messages of solidarity
24th February 2009
Staff make a statement of support to occupiers
.
23rd February 2009
Goldsmiths Student Union send a letter of support.
19th February 2009
Rob Owen, of the NUS national executive talks in the occupied space about education in relation to political policy and Richard Braude, a member of climate change discussed protest in relation to philosophical thought.
Community
As with all the occupations a sense of community was fostered at Byam Shaw - but they were very particular on commenting on it - here are some of the things they shared with us:
2th February 2009
Some pictures of communal eating.
