Contact details for the occupation
Visit their website
Visit their facebook page.
Email: plymouthunioccupation@gmail.com
Contact details for the university
The Dean of Students, Dr Anita Jellings
Email anita.jellings@plymouth.ac.uk
Occupation
Started - 23rd February 2009 (5pm)
Ended - 26th February 2009
Where - Room 202 in the Smeaton building, in the centre of University of Plymouth campus
Why - in solidarity with the people of Gaza
Demands
Their demands are:
1. That the University of Plymouth issue a statement condemning the recent and continuing atrocities perpetrated by Israel in the Gaza strip. The University should officially denounce the attacks on civilians, the systematic obstruction of humanitarian aid and the targeting of academic institutions, hospitals, places of worship and international peace keeping facilities.
2. That the University of Plymouth cease to invest directly or indirectly in companies complicit in human rights abuses in the Gaza strip and internationally.
3. That no Israeli goods or goods produced by companies that have directly funded the State of Israel be sold on campus.
4. That the University of Plymouth provide complete financial scholarships for six students from Gaza University which has been bombed by the Israeli military.
5. That any surplus educational resources available to the University of Plymouth are provided to Gaza University and that the shipping of these resources be fully paid for by the University of Plymouth.
6. That there be no legal, financial, or academic measures taken against anyone involved in or supporting the occupation. All those involved will be guaranteed free movement in and out of the occupied space, with open access to electricity and internet.
We await your response to organise a formal meeting between delegates of our occupation and with university management to negotiate these demands.
Success
27th February 2009
The occupiers post up their achievements which are:
- The University of Plymouth will set up a humanitarian scholarships scheme, for students that for reasons of war, natural disaster or other calamity, are unable to continue to study at their home university. This will be a yearly recurring scheme, and the first 6 scholarships will be offered specifically to students of University of Gaza for the next academic year.
- The University of Plymouth will work with the other 30+ occupied universities to send aid and surplus materials to Gaza as a collective.
- Delegates from the occupation along with members of the Students’ Union will put forward their case for an ethical investment plan (something that the University of Plymouth currently does not have) in six weeks time. This will include ending links with BAE Systems and an on-campus boycott of Israeli goods.
- There will be no legal, financial, or academic measures taken against anyone involved in or supporting the occupation.
Negotiation
26th February 2009
The occupiers receive letter from Vice Chancellor Wendy Purcell and after discussions they agree to end the occupation. The letter confirms that the humanitarian scholarships will be made available to students from Gaza.
After receiving anther statement from the university - very similar to the first but now signed by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, the studentsreplied thanking the university for its ’signed agreement to offer surplus resources to Gaza University’ but expressing concern that the university hadn’t released a statement concerning the situation in Gaza and their ‘lack of public disaffiliation with BAE System’. They also ask for a commitment to fund a specific number of scholarships and to offer those for the next academic year to students in Gaza.
25th February 2009
The occupiers write back to the VC. They state they will not leave the occupied room but will not disturb lectures that take place there (lectures have been relocated). they ask the VC to ask the Chief Executive’s Group to produce a statement on Israel’s human rights violations. They ask that the university dicssu its indirect investments and activities with BAE Systems at the next Sustainability Group meeting. They welcome the suggestion that the university could provide surplus teaching materials to students at the University of Gaza.
24th February 2009
The Dean of Students, Dr Anita Jellings, met with Adam Whittaker from the Solidarity with Gaza group, on Tuesday 24 February, at the request of the group. Students’ Union Vice President Alison Smith was also present. Wittaker outlined the demands of the occupation and an informal summery of what the Dean said has been drawn up. She said that the university is ‘developing an ethical investment policy’ and willing to ‘consider the request to provide a number of scholarships for students from Gaza University’.
23rd February 2009
The students occupy Room 202 in the Smeaton building. Security are ‘particularly kind and understanding’. The occupiers publish a press release.
Repercussions/Intimidation
None - students were promised they would not face repercussions for their occupation.
