Students organise against attack on arts school
By Alex Bainbridge
HOBART — The Tasmania University Union (TUU) has organised a campaign to protect the university's art school from "rationalisation".
The administration is considering closing the course in video, relocating the ceramics course to Launceston and introducing up-front levies. The video course is one of the most popular in the school.
Hundreds of students rallied in Hobart on September 3 to protest against the changes. The rally was broadcast live to the world via a video hook-up to the internet.
The issue was also taken up at the August 26 education national day of action events in Launceston.
Federal Labor MHR Duncan Kerr is reported to have said that student anger should be directed at the federal government because funding cuts had forced the university administration into a corner.
Hobart Resistance organiser Kamala Emanuel told Green Left Weekly that while she agreed with Labor that the Coalition's attacks should be vigorously opposed, "the university administration should not be let off the hook — they are the ones implementing these cutbacks".
Anyone interested in getting involved in the campaign should contact Gilbert Astorga or Helen Van den Bosch at the TUU, phone 6226 2852.