The academy is under unprecedented threat in the United Kingdom.
The Government is cutting support for teaching in higher education by 80 per cent, and forcing universities to charge up to £9,000 per year. With the median wage in the UK at £22,000, the majority of the UK population will be unable to pay some of the highest fees in the world. The effect will be to deny most students access to higher education.
Most families will be unwilling to shoulder a debt of upwards of £40,000-50,000 per child. A three-year degree plus one year postgraduate certificate of education would mean, for example, debts that would never be paid off by most teachers. We could face the extraordinary situation where parents who had not yet paid off their own student debt would be expected to subsidise their children’s higher education.
The removal of all funding for teaching apart from the STEM (science, technology, engineering and medicine) will make the liberal arts largely the province of the minority from well-off families. The STEM subjects, already in financial difficulties, will struggle to maintain their position among the world’s best.
The discredited neo-liberal business model adopted by many universities will become the norm, establishing financial judgement as the driver of academic decision-making, subverting academic freedom, destroying “dangerous” creativity and stifling innovation. Truly new academic directions, always difficult to establish, will become next to impossible to follow as industrial methods of line management encourage conservative practice.
We, the undersigned, recognise the important role played by students over the past three months, giving us hope for change for the better. Young people, characterised for years as passive and uninterested in politics and society, have shown a willingness to fight for a better future for all. Their courage and perseverance puts the rest of us to shame.
When a generation of young people are denied the right to higher education, we should not be surprised that the proposals are greeted with anger. We welcome that anger. Without it we cannot expect an effective defence of higher education in Britain. We welcome the student occupations and demonstrations in opposition – an opposition to the scrapping of the education maintenance allowance (which offered the opportunity of a second chance at post-16 education) as much as to increased fees and funding cuts in higher education.
We deplore the violence displayed by the state towards those critical of its policies. The videoing of underage children without supervision, mounted charges against unarmed young people, and the use of truncheons to heads and limbs are all designed to deter street protests.
Kettling tactics, such as those used on Westminster Bridge London on 9 December, could lead to a tragedy. As one witness said: “The sides of the bridge were only waist high and all it would have taken was one stumble and somebody could have gone over the side. I am surprised that nobody died there. Most of the injuries I saw were head injuries, I was surprised how much force the police had used.” (Anaesthetist from Aberdeen, quoted in The Observer, 19 December).
Kettling, and other forms of aggressive policing, are designed to stifle dissent. Already there has been the suggestion of using water cannon from Northern Ireland to disperse protesters, a suggestion so far resisted by the Home Secretary. Now there is the further suggestion that demonstrations in the capital city could be banned by the police.
In response to their appeal, we pledge our support to the emerging student movement which is bringing the voice of youth back onto the political stage in ways we have not seen since the 1960s and 1970s. We further recognise that the student movement can only hope to be successful in its aims if it has the full support of intellectuals and workers, particularly those organised in trade unions.
To this end, we pledge our support to all initiatives in defence of full and free access to tertiary education, in defence of academic freedom, and in defence of the academy. We will not let the students stand alone. We commit ourselves to the defence of the long-established right to protest in the streets of the capital city, and in the vicinity of the place from where the attack on education is being organised.
Signed (All in a personal capacity):
Professor Malcolm Povey, president, University of Leeds UCU
Dr Jim Wolfreys, president, King's College London UCU
Tom Hickey, University of Brighton and UCU national executive committee
Professor Noam Chomsky, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Professor Alan Ward, Newcastle University
Dr Stuart Parkinson, executive director, Scientists for Global Responsibility
Dr Philip Webber, chair, Scientists for Global Responsibility
Mike Lammiman, University of Hull UCU
Dr Eliza Darling, Goldsmiths, University of London UCU
Mike Cushman, London School of Economics and Political Science UCU
Dr Gavin Reid, University of Leeds
Cliff Snaith, co-ord secretary , London Metropolitan University UCU
Professor Karl Claxton, University of York
Dr Andreas Werner, Newcastle University
Professor Andrew Sayer, Lancaster University
Professor David Byrne, Durham University
Dr Andrew Shail, Newcastle University
Andrew Stafford, University of Leeds
Dr Anya Lewin, University of Plymouth
Bahadur Najak, Durham University
Dr Brenda Johnston, University of Southampton
Ms Christina Pantazis, University of Bristol
Dr Clare Birchall, University of Kent
Dr Claudia Baldoli, Newcastle University
Dr Daniel Allington, The Open University
Dr David Boothroyd, University of Kent
Dr Deborah Robinson, University of Plymouth
Dr Derek Kirton, University of Kent
E. Stemp, Newcastle University
Dr Esther McIntosh, York St John University
Dr Felicity Laurence, Newcastle University
Dr Geoff Abbott, Newcastle University
Dr Gurminder Bhambra, University of Warwick
Dr Holly Smith, University College London
Dr Iain Ferguson, University of Stirling
Iain Wilkinson, University of Kent
Jennifer Jones, University of the West of Scotland
Dr Jennifer Toomey, Newcastle University
Dr John Croft, Brunel University
Dr John Flanagan, The Open University
Professor John Holmwood, University of Nottingham
John Westmoreland, York College
Dr Jonathan Dean, University of Leeds
Kate Ness, University of Reading
Dr Kate Sang, University of East Anglia
Dr Katherine Lebow, Newcastle University
Professor Kenn Gerdes, Newcastle University
Dr Kenneth Wright, Newcastle University
Kevin McSorley, University of Portsmouth
Laura McMahon, University of Cambridge
Leo Goretti, University of Reading
Lesley McGorrigan, University of Leeds
Dr Louise Livesey, Ruskin College, Oxford
Professor Luke Martell, University of Sussex
Dr Marion Hersh, University of Glasgow
Dr Marci Green, University of Wolverhampton
Marie Morley, University of Bath
Dr Maud Bracke, University of Glasgow
Dr Michael Loughlin, Manchester Metropolitan University
Professor Michael Northcott, University of Edinburgh
Nick Sotirakopoulos, University of Kent
Professor Patrick Ainley, University of Greenwich.
Dr Paul Blackledge, Leeds Metropolitan University
Professor Philip Moriarty, University of Nottingham
Dr Polly Radcliffe, University of Kent
Professor Bob Brecher, University of Brighton
Dr Richard Elliott, Newcastle University
Dr Richard Hull, Newcastle University Business School
Sally Kincaid, Wakefield and District National Union of Teachers
Dr Sarah Amsler, Aston University
Sean Wallis, University College London
Dr Simon Bradford, Brunel University
Professor William Outhwaite, Newcastle University
Yaron Golan
Dr James Procter, Newcastle University
Daniel Lyles
Dr Tony Stead, Royal Holloway College London
Terry Wrigley, University of Edinburgh (Retired)
Dr Alejandro Colas, Birkbeck, University of London
Angela M Bah, University of Brighton
Julia Winckler, University of Brighton
Jane Challenger, University of Brighton
Jenny Robertson, University of Brighton
Sheila Cullen, University of Brighton
Mark Abel, University of Brighton
Dr Anita Rupprecht, University of Brighton
Dr Victoria Margree, University of Brighton
Dr Lesley Whitworth, University of Brighton
Leo Santos-Shaw, University of Brighton
Sue Gollifer, University of Brighton
Louise Bristow, University of Brighton
Andy Knott, University of Brighton
Dr Peter Jackson, University of Brighton
Sue Tribe, University of Brighton
Dr Jelena Timotijevic, University of Brighton
Graham Sharp, University of Brighton
Dr Paula Wilcox, University of Brighton
Richard Royce, University of Brighton
Janet Elizabeth, University of Brighton
Dr Lucy Robinson, University of Sussex
Dr Monica Mclean, University of Nottingham
Professor Mick Dunford, University of Sussex
Dimitris Seremetis, University of the Aegean, Chios-Greece
Helen Thanopoulou, University of the Aegean,
Dr Christie Carson, Royal Holloway, University of London
Professor ( Emeritus ) Alan Jenkins, Oxford Brookes University
Dr Les Levidow, The Open University
Dr Bruce Baker, Royal Holloway, University of London
Dr Giacomo Benedetto, Royal Holloway, University of London
Dr Jacob Leigh, Royal Holloway, University of London
Dr David Williams, Royal Holloway, University of London
Dr Dimitrios Dalakoglou, University of Sussex
Professor Ron Barnett, Institute of Education, University of London
Professor Richard Hatcher, Birmingham City University
Professor Duska Rosenberg, Royal Holloway, University of London
Professor Nikos Theotokas, Panteion University, Athens
Professor Eugenios Angelopoulos, National Technical University of Athens
Professor Dina Vaiou, National Technical University of Athens
Giota Touloumi, Athens University Medical School
Dr Rania Astrinaki, Panteion University, Athens
Gerasimos Makris, Panteion University, Athens
Yanis Maistros, National Tech University of Athens
Professor David James, University of the West of England
Dr Anna Apostolidou, University College London
Dr Angeliki Spiropoulou, Peloponnese University, Greece
Dr Christos Dermentzopoulos, University of Ioannina
Dr Michalis Spourdalakis, University of Athens
Dr Konstantinos Kavoulakos, University of Crete
Dr Kalwant Bhopal, University of Southampton
Professor Richard Seaford, University of Exeter
Dr Cathy Bergin, University of Brighton
Dr Patricia McManus, University of Brighton
Dr Ian McDonald, University of Brighton
Professor Rebecca Kay, University of Glasgow
Professor Gill Jones, Keele University
Dr Andreas Lyberatos, Institute for Mediterranean Studies/ FORTH
Susan Kelly, Goldsmiths, University of London
Alberto Toscano, Goldsmiths, University of London
Dr Vicky Obied, Goldsmiths, University of London
Des Freedman, Goldsmiths, University of London
Victoria Redclift, London School of Economics and Political Science
Dr Giorgos Tsimouris, Panteion University, Athens
Professor Dimitra Gefou-Madianou, Panteion University , Athens
Johannes Wilm, Goldsmiths, University of London
John Drury, University of Sussex
Dr Anastasia Marinopoulou, Open University, Greece
Vangelis Papadimitropoulos
Professor Skevos Papaioannou, University of Crete
Professor Procopis Papastratis, Panteion University, Athens
Professor Geoff Eley, University of Michigan
Ryan Hickey, London School of Economics and Political Scicence
Dr Branwen Jones, Goldsmiths, University of London
Dr Christina Scharff, King's College London
Dr Katya Georgieva, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
Dr David Harper, University of East London
Dr Benno Teschke, University of Sussex
Dr Nikola Kosmatopoulos, Zurich University
Dr Judith Bovensiepen, Musée du Quai Branly and University of Kent
Dr Kay Dickinson, Goldsmiths, University of London
Professor David Mcclements, University of Massachusetts
Dr Clare Kelly, Goldsmiths, University of London
Sandra Kerr
Marion Engrand-O’Hara, Royal Holloway International
Rob French, University of Sussex
Sarah Rigg, University of Sussex
Dr Vicky Harman, Royal Holloway, University of London
David Procter
Dr Barry Heselwood, University of Leeds
Jill Edwards, University of Leeds
Dr Peter Luetchford, University of Sussex
Professor Katrina Honeyman, University of Leeds
Elizabeth Clear, University College London
Dr John Grahame, University of Leeds
Dr Vic Gammon, University of Newcastle
Dr Marcelo de Miranda, University of Leeds
Rachel Myers, University of Leeds
Dr Ian Macdonald, University of Leeds
Kiff Bamford, Leeds Metropolitan University
Professor Steven French, University of Leeds
Professor Jane Plastow, University of Leeds
Professor Raymond Bush, University of Leeds
David Pattinson, University of Leeds
Dr Joanna Drugan, University of Leeds
David Rudling, University of Sussex
Dr Jennifer Perez, University of Leeds
Colin Clark, University of Sussex
Lorna Warren, University of Sheffield
Andrea Haworth, University of Leeds
Chrysi Papaioannou, King's College London
Mark Campbell, London Metropolitan University
Catherine Potter, University of Leeds
Professor Nick Couldry, Goldsmiths, University of London
Dr Simon Hall, University of Leeds
Susan Eamer, University of Sussex
Dr Benjamin Fincham, University of Sussex
Lois Lee, University of Cambridge
Dr Georgios Agelopoulos, University of Macedonia, Greece
Dr Sofia Avgitidou, University of Western Macedonia, Greece
Dr Ben Bollig, University of Leeds
Paul Scorer, Leeds Metropolitan University
Dr Sandra J Williams, University of Brighton
Dr Lucy Donaldson, University of Reading
Dr Stephen Bullivant, St Mary's University College, Twickenham
Stevienna De Saille, University of Leeds
Maruta Herding, University of Cambridge
James Dickins, University of Leeds
Dr Lucie Middlemiss, University of Leeds
Dr David Bond, University of Leeds
Maureen Pinder, University of Leeds
Dr Alex Nunn, Leeds Metropolitan University
Costas Tsakirides, Leeds Metropolitan University
Dr Bridgette Rickett, Leeds Metropolitan University
Matthew Caygill, Leeds Metropolitan University
Angela Grier, Leeds Metropolitan University
Dr Kristen Kreider, Royal Holloway, University of London
Dr Suet Ho, University of Bristol
Anna Seabourne, University of Leeds
Jo Hassall, Leeds Metropolitan University
Tim Briggs, Leeds Metropolitan University
Professor Gargi Bhattacharyya, Aston University
Michael Totten, Leeds Metropolitan University
Dr Jenny Tennant Jackson, Leeds Metropolitan University
Barry Winter, Leeds Metropolitan University
Janet Poveda, Leeds Metropolitan University
Lisa Samson, Leeds Metropolitan University
Dr James Cussens, University of York
Dr Nicole Whitworth, Leeds Metropolitan University
Dr Ian Gibson, University of Huddersfield
Dr Deirdre Osborne, Goldsmiths, University of London
Erika Laredo, Leeds Metropolitan University
Dr John Schwarzmantel, University of Leeds
Professor Richard Wistreich, Royal Northern College of Music
Dr Pavlos Pantazis, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece
John Baxter, The Open University
Steve Mardy, Leeds Metropolitan University
Mark Slater, University of Sussex
Professor Valerie Hey, University of Sussex
Dr Claire Chambers, University of Leeds
Professor Laskaris Nikolaos, National Technical University of Athens
Dr Elizabeth Hull, School of Oriental and African Studies, University
Rob Rattray, Leeds Trinity University College
Dr Priyamvada Gopal, University of Cambridge
Dr Berry Groisman, University of Cambridge
Andrew Chitty, University of Sussex
Bruce Beckles, University of Cambridge
Professor Miriam David, Institute of Education, University of London
Dr Hugues Azérad, University of Cambridge
Steve Berry, Royal Northern College of Music
Dr Christopher Warnes, University of Cambridge
Dr Adam Stewart-Wallace, St John's College, University of Cambridge
Dr Michael Hrebeniak, University of Cambridge
Dr Sinéad Mattar, University of Cambridge
J. Prynne, University of Cambridge
Professor William Brooks, University of York
Dr Jane Ginsborg, Royal Northern College of Music
Dr George Nicholson, University of Sheffield
Dr Maximilian Gwiazda, University of Cambridge
Dr Andreas. Werner, University of Newcastle
Linda Lawrence, Harrogate College
Dr Jason Scott-Warren, University of Cambridge
Ingbert Floyd, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Professor Philippa Browning, University of Manchester
Dr Simon Keegan-Phipps, University of Sheffield
Professor Jonathan Long, Carnegie Research Institute, Leeds Metropolitan University
Dr Alec Grierson, Leeds Metropolitan University
Dr Andrew Killick, University of Sheffield
Micheline McNamara, Leeds Metropolitan University
Dr Eva Keller, University of Zurich, Switzerland
Dr Geoff Williams, University College London
Dr Mara Fuertes-Gutierrez, Leeds Metropolitan University
269 signatories