"We are opposed to the unManchester Polytechnic: City Polytechnic: Simon Students' sit-in fights By Parm Kaur and Dave Scholes They said it couldn't happen at Oxford Polytechnic -but it did, six months after other colleges. Why?
Student numbers have increased apace over the last year, without cor. responding increases in resources. It's only now that students' anger and frustration has been focused into direct action.
Ineffective students' union campaigns over overcrowding, high cantoon prices and lack of library facilties have faled to either motivate students or infkience the management.
But as unrest increased, sudents union leaders were forced to put forward a woak motion calling for occupation. This was strengthened with further demands and a call for the occupation of the Gibbs Building eaching block The occupation was immediate, starting with some 200 students, and sustained by a core of 50. The majority had not previously been involved in student politics, and were mature students and women.
Union support on the campus was NALGO local government workers, NATHE lecturers and porters and cleaners from NUPE fully supported the occupation and its demands. Messages of support were numerous othe colleges. the Oxford East Labour Party and Tony Benn MP.
The occupation lasted a wook, the longest in the polytochnic's history. and ended in an agreennt with no viktimisations. It was also agrood that there would negotiations" between the students" union. director and chair of governors when the occupation was over.
The directors agread to issue a press statement recognising the oc cupation demands as reasonable.
The Shadent Union executive were not behind the occupation voting to and it as early as the first full day of the action. But the occupation must There now exists a group of students committed to ensuring that the demands are fought for. propared to take diroct action again.
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