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Durham Rent Freeze!
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There is no obligation to live in in first year at Cuths - the university do not have a complete monopoly, but the various colleges do (I think that since the colleges are technically independent legal bodies they might be counted as 13 monopolies and a single open society.)
socialist cook
I find it sad, but not unpredictable that this is now going to be ignored by a lot of students because of the socialist student takeover of the cause.
I agree, I really think the socialist student society (or whatever it is called) should back off. Or else the cause is in danger of being dismissed as just being politically motivated
If anyone would like to know more about Socialist Students - http://www.socialiststudents.org.uk/index.php
I agree with some of their ideas, but not others. I mean, £6.50 minimum wage? Not going to happen. And they come across as quite authoritarian. No platform for fascists, but grab every possible platform for socialists. They don't seem to like that the protest is a free association of students without official leaders, ie them.
Still, they are potentially useful allies, and hopefully we can settle all differences at the meeting tonight and just get on with it.
I agree with some of their ideas, but not others. I mean, £6.50 minimum wage? Not going to happen. And they come across as quite authoritarian. No platform for fascists, but grab every possible platform for socialists. They don't seem to like that the protest is a free association of students without official leaders, ie them.
Still, they are potentially useful allies, and hopefully we can settle all differences at the meeting tonight and just get on with it.
salgueira
If anyone would like to know more about Socialist Students - http://www.socialiststudents.org.uk/index.php
I agree with some of their ideas, but not others. I mean, £6.50 minimum wage? Not going to happen. And they come across as quite authoritarian. No platform for fascists, but grab every possible platform for socialists. They don't seem to like that the protest is a free association of students without official leaders, ie them.
Still, they are potentially useful allies, and hopefully we can settle all differences at the meeting tonight and just get on with it.
I agree with some of their ideas, but not others. I mean, £6.50 minimum wage? Not going to happen. And they come across as quite authoritarian. No platform for fascists, but grab every possible platform for socialists. They don't seem to like that the protest is a free association of students without official leaders, ie them.
Still, they are potentially useful allies, and hopefully we can settle all differences at the meeting tonight and just get on with it.
The NUS doesn´t give a platform to fascists either mind. But I disagree with both the NUS and the SWS on this point because I think all viewpoints should be heard even if they are vile and barmy.
I remember my politics teacher at A Level always used to say the only thing the Socialist Workers are any good for is providing posters.... which is true. So as long as you´ve only got them making posters then you should be fine-but if they´re taking over the cause it´s a different matter.
The NUS doesn´t give a platform to fascists either mind. But I disagree with both the NUS and the SWS on this point because I think all viewpoints should be heard even if they are vile and barmy.
I believe that Voltaire was paraphrased as saying "I do not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it".
and an eloquent satirist...
Does anybody know what went on in the meeting last night in Cuths then?
Did anyone from here go?
I'm only asking as the facebook group of which I am a member, hasn't been updated since the weekend.
Did anyone from here go?
I'm only asking as the facebook group of which I am a member, hasn't been updated since the weekend.
socialist cook
Does anybody know what went on in the meeting last night in Cuths then?
Did anyone from here go?
I'm only asking as the facebook group of which I am a member, hasn't been updated since the weekend.
Did anyone from here go?
I'm only asking as the facebook group of which I am a member, hasn't been updated since the weekend.
14 people went, 7 of whom were from Butler and 7 of whom were Socialist Students.
I'll say what I can remember, although I didn't take notes so not all may be correct/in the right order.
- Socialist students issue - seems to be sorted out. There are not going to be any more posters advertising their role in the campaign & they are taking part as students, not as socialists. They also have brought a very nice megaphone. (by the way, I'm not sure they HAVE 7 members - there were two or three at the meeting I think.)
- Turnout was not great. Questions raised about how much interest there is in the movement/maybe Durham students ARE as apathetic as all that. So we are going to have an awareness campaign, sticking up posters, handing out flyers, targeting big colleges like Hild Bede that as yet have not played a big role in this.
- First thing we need to do is get our hands on the university budget. It was suggested that this can be done through the Freedom of Information act, although that is going to be investigated as we weren't sure whether university accounts were open to that, being private (as opposed to public money).
- Issue needs to be raised with JCR presidents, tutors, staff throughout the uni. In particular we need to try to get JCR presidents on board & not antagonise them by telling them what a bad job they did in witholding info about the rent rises. Also look at changing college constitutions so that JCR presidents MUST consult their JCRs about this kind of issue. And try to get 'students' ability to pay' added to the list of considerations when discussing rent rises.
- Rent strike - entirely withholding rent is actually illegal, liable to get people kicked out of uni. Holding money back until the final day before the payment deadline is a possibility, that's legal & deprives them of the interest on our money, although the main people it will affect are the lower down college admin staff & not the high-ranking university administrators.
- We may have lost this one, in that 0% is looking unfeasible, but we're prepared for the future. Any subsequent increase in rent above inflation next year, year after etc and we're able to demand WHY the rent is going up above rising costs (and particularly since they're getting £3000 a head from Freshers now in tuition alone - where is all the money going?). By then we should be able to scrutinise the budget & suggest spending cuts alternative to what the university is suggesting - basically we need to provide another plan of how to sort out their financial mess so that students in years to come are not bearing the brunt of this.
- Socialist students issue - seems to be sorted out. There are not going to be any more posters advertising their role in the campaign & they are taking part as students, not as socialists. They also have brought a very nice megaphone. (by the way, I'm not sure they HAVE 7 members - there were two or three at the meeting I think.)
- Turnout was not great. Questions raised about how much interest there is in the movement/maybe Durham students ARE as apathetic as all that. So we are going to have an awareness campaign, sticking up posters, handing out flyers, targeting big colleges like Hild Bede that as yet have not played a big role in this.
- First thing we need to do is get our hands on the university budget. It was suggested that this can be done through the Freedom of Information act, although that is going to be investigated as we weren't sure whether university accounts were open to that, being private (as opposed to public money).
- Issue needs to be raised with JCR presidents, tutors, staff throughout the uni. In particular we need to try to get JCR presidents on board & not antagonise them by telling them what a bad job they did in witholding info about the rent rises. Also look at changing college constitutions so that JCR presidents MUST consult their JCRs about this kind of issue. And try to get 'students' ability to pay' added to the list of considerations when discussing rent rises.
- Rent strike - entirely withholding rent is actually illegal, liable to get people kicked out of uni. Holding money back until the final day before the payment deadline is a possibility, that's legal & deprives them of the interest on our money, although the main people it will affect are the lower down college admin staff & not the high-ranking university administrators.
- We may have lost this one, in that 0% is looking unfeasible, but we're prepared for the future. Any subsequent increase in rent above inflation next year, year after etc and we're able to demand WHY the rent is going up above rising costs (and particularly since they're getting £3000 a head from Freshers now in tuition alone - where is all the money going?). By then we should be able to scrutinise the budget & suggest spending cuts alternative to what the university is suggesting - basically we need to provide another plan of how to sort out their financial mess so that students in years to come are not bearing the brunt of this.
Mattmoy_2000
I think that since the colleges are technically independent legal bodies
No they aren't*. Johns and Chads are distinct bodies, the rest (yes, including Cuths) are parts of the central university ("maintained colleges", to use the vernacular). You're thinking of Oxbridge, where the colleges actually are legally independent bodies.
*this has been mentioned on here before (several times), I'm sure you can find decent references corroborating the point if you dig up the older posts so I won't bother digging them up again.
salgueira
- First thing we need to do is get our hands on the university budget. It was suggested that this can be done through the Freedom of Information act, although that is going to be investigated as we weren't sure whether university accounts were open to that, being private (as opposed to public money).
You mean http://www.dur.ac.uk/treasurer/financial_statements/ ?
edit: trimmed down a bit
salgueira
I'll say what I can remember, although I didn't take notes so not all may be correct/in the right order.
(by the way, I'm not sure they HAVE 7 members - there were two or three at the meeting I think.)
- Turnout was not great. Questions raised about how much interest there is in the movement/maybe Durham students ARE as apathetic as all that. So we are going to have an awareness campaign, sticking up posters, handing out flyers, targeting big colleges like Hild Bede that as yet have not played a big role in this.
- Rent strike - entirely withholding rent is actually illegal, liable to get people kicked out of uni. Holding money back until the final day before the payment deadline is a possibility, that's legal & deprives them of the interest on our money, although the main people it will affect are the lower down college admin staff & not the high-ranking university administrators.
- We may have lost this one, in that 0% is looking unfeasible, but we're prepared for the future. Any subsequent increase in rent above inflation next year, year after etc and we're able to demand WHY the rent is going up above rising costs (and particularly since they're getting £3000 a head from Freshers now in tuition alone - where is all the money going?). By then we should be able to scrutinise the budget & suggest spending cuts alternative to what the university is suggesting - basically we need to provide another plan of how to sort out their financial mess so that students in years to come are not bearing the brunt of this.
(by the way, I'm not sure they HAVE 7 members - there were two or three at the meeting I think.)
- Turnout was not great. Questions raised about how much interest there is in the movement/maybe Durham students ARE as apathetic as all that. So we are going to have an awareness campaign, sticking up posters, handing out flyers, targeting big colleges like Hild Bede that as yet have not played a big role in this.
- Rent strike - entirely withholding rent is actually illegal, liable to get people kicked out of uni. Holding money back until the final day before the payment deadline is a possibility, that's legal & deprives them of the interest on our money, although the main people it will affect are the lower down college admin staff & not the high-ranking university administrators.
- We may have lost this one, in that 0% is looking unfeasible, but we're prepared for the future. Any subsequent increase in rent above inflation next year, year after etc and we're able to demand WHY the rent is going up above rising costs (and particularly since they're getting £3000 a head from Freshers now in tuition alone - where is all the money going?). By then we should be able to scrutinise the budget & suggest spending cuts alternative to what the university is suggesting - basically we need to provide another plan of how to sort out their financial mess so that students in years to come are not bearing the brunt of this.
First off your point about there not being seven socialist student members made me laugh. I'm sure you're right there.
If the turnout was not great, then it contributes to the sneaking feeling that the momentum of the campaign is over now that the University has had their meeting. I think most students would have thought that it would be a one trick pony to be honest, centred around the protest last week. Yes you can try and leaflet Hild and Bede(incidentally the college with the highest percentage of private school educated students, not that means much but I just wanted to get it in as I'm a Hatfielder and everyone thinks I'm immediately a rah.
) but to be honest I don't think it's going to do that good, as the student attention is now going to see the protest as a done and dusted thing with nothing more to do.Are you sure witholding rent is illegal? I remember last year getting to a point where my housemates and I were thinking about witholding rent from our landlord as he wanted to put it up straight away, and contravene our contracts. One of my boyfriend's mates(who is so switched on about these types of matters) told me that the law would actually be on our side because he was contravening our contract, so we were legally to allowed to withold our money. We didn't mind, but we argued with the landlord and he kept the rent at the still extortionate price of £65 per week(We were the most expensive house on the street). I don't know if we could do that with the University, since are they technically landlords or not?
As long as some students remember this past this year, then that's got to be a good thing that the campaign has achieved.
No they aren't*. Johns and Chads are distinct bodies, the rest (yes, including Cuths) are parts of the central university ("maintained colleges", to use the vernacular). You're thinking of Oxbridge, where the colleges actually are legally independent bodies.
They are independent when it comes to accommodation though, which is what I meant - their members might all pay in to the same rent pot, but they each still have a monopoly over the entire of their undergraduate firstyears housing. Technically, no person in Castle (the only one I know for sure) is allowed to live out without written permission from the college. Of course, this is automatically given to all secondyears and up, but I'd be very surprised if they let a firstyear do so.
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