Students picket Sydney University Senate

BY STEPH MAWSON
& KAROL FLOREK

SYDNEY — On July 7, student activists picketed and disrupted a Sydney University Senate meeting. The meeting was to vote on a motion to support the federal government's tertiary education "reforms", and to unequivocally adopt them next year if they are passed by the federal parliament.

Despite learning of the meeting only two days before, 50 students with drums, whistles and saucepans blocked the senators' entry. The senate was forced to relocate the meeting. There was a dash to beat the police to the new venue and 20 students gained entrance. As a struggle between students and police occurred outside, the students inside the meeting argued their case and won some support; some left-wing senators agreed to walk out in solidarity with the students.

Although the students were eventually ejected by police, the senate meeting was cancelled. The victory was marred, however, by the news that the senate met in secret at 7am the following morning and passed the motion nine votes to eight, making Sydney University the first university to adopt the "reforms".

Sydney University students are planning further protests.

From Green Left Weekly, July 23, 2003.

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From GLW issue 546