BY GRANT COLEMAN
PERTH — After nine days of continual protest against planned cuts to courses and staff numbers, students and staff ended their occupation of Murdoch University's Senate building on May 31.
Occupiers condemned vice-chancellor Steven Schwartz's refusal to negotiate, but vowed to step up their campaign in the next semester, which starts in July.
The previous day, 100 staff and students held a vibrant rally featuring street theatre about the death of education and a burning of "McMurdoch" degrees. The protesters then marched to the vice-chancellor's office where they presented him with 10 demands seeking guarantees that due process will be followed in deciding all matters relating to course and staff cuts.
The students and staff also demanded that Schwartz commit to not introducing up-front fees during his term as vice-chancellor, that the chancellor publicly withdraw his labelling of occupiers as "destructive" and that the university publicly condemn the federal government's agenda for the university sector.
Schwartz responded by ending negotiations with the occupation, a move April-Jane Fleming, one of the Senate occupiers and a member of Resistance, described as an attempt to "ride out" students' anger. "It's the last week of semester and he is hoping for a quick end to our campaign", she told Green Left Weekly.
Fleming believes that the occupation won a political victory and has made things much harder for Schwartz. "He will now have to face another semester of public embarrassment and constant student, staff and community demonstrations", she said.
The students used the Senate building as a campaign headquarters, put out posters and leaflets, painted banners, organised speeches to packed lecture theatres, designed web pages and organised daily actions. The largest rally, on May 24, attracted more than 300 students and involved a temporary occupation of the Chancellery.
University staff played a considerable role, some lecturers and tutors using their classes to explain to students why they should support the Senate occupiers and what impact the planned course and staff cuts would have on students' education.
The occupation attracted many students who had never been involved in political activity before. One occupier said she was "trying to be apathetic but couldn't be".
Students have already begun to organise for next semester. A protest is planned at the Senate's next meeting on July 10, and discussions on the demands, strategy and tactics to be used have begun.
The campaign's demands have already become an issue of debate amongst students. Originally, the occupiers put forward six demands: for a halt to course cuts, staff cuts and non-union agreements; for full consultation with staff and students; for Senate recognition that the Academic Council should be the deciding body on all matters relating to the university's academic direction; and for Schwartz's resignation.
At a meeting before the occupation ended, these six demands became the campaign's "principles", replaced by the 10 demands put to Schwartz on May 30 which focus on "due process" and "good governance" and do not call for a halt to course and staff cuts.
Fleming disagrees with the change. "The 10 demands put to Schwartz on May 30 were not intended to become the demands of the whole campaign. They were intended to kick-start negotiations, that's all."
She argues that senior management and the Senate have already shown that they do not care for due process or good governance. "The only time they have been threatened this year was when students took decision-making into their own hands and occupied the Senate building", she said.
"We have one semester to win this campaign or the course cuts will be implemented", Fleming says. "The demands that will put the most pressure on the university management are the original six. Students will not rally for 'due process' but they will for 'no course cuts'."
Fleming believes the student campaigners still have many cards to play. "The vice-chancellor has been shaken by the size and momentum of this campaign", she says. "It took two weeks to mobilise the biggest campaign seen on Murdoch for years. After years of silent frustration, the students have found their voice."