Oppose 70% hike in 3rd level fees

by me Mon Jul 29, 2002 16:50 campaignforfreeeducation at yahoogroups dot com

Here are the minutes. If there are any disagreements or whatever don't
hesitiate to email me or call me (085 7238161).
Paul (the Millie!)

Minutes of Meeting of College Students on Sat. 27th July in Conway’s.

Attendance:

Finghín Kelly
Noel Hogan (Deputy President of USI)
Brendan Meskill
Rebecca Moynihan
Daithi Mac Seilbh
Ross Higgins (Deputy President of UCD SU)
Donal Lyons
James Redmond
Connor McGowan
Mark Grehan
Colm Jordan (President of USI)
Paul Dillon
Dan Finn
Paul Murphy

Purpose of Meeting: To discuss building opposition to the increase in
college registration fees.

Agreed:

1. To organise a united campaign of as many students as possible around the
central demand of “No fees”, with a secondary demand of “A living grant” –
there should be no financial barrier to attending third level education.

2. The campaign should be a proper campaign in that it should run over a
period of time with a number of actions, escalating at all times. The key
point of the campaign is clearly when the students are back in college,
before that events should be designed simply to maximise publicity and
attempt to raise student consciousness about the issue.

3. A campaign of mass non-payment, whilst ideal, is unrealistic and
unachievable given the current mood of students, and would simply result in
the isolation and victimisation of a number of students.

4. Despite some initial disagreements from Colm Jordan and Noel Hogan, it
was agreed to set up a broad campaigning group called “Campaign for Free
Education”, open to all who agree with the key demands, to act as an
umbrella group for the campaign. This body would be open to USI, affiliated
and non-affiliated local Students’ Unions, and other organizations,
including political ones. To this end, it was agreed that James Redmond
would collect email addresses of all present and set up a Yahoo Group called
the “Campaign for Free Education”, to enable us to discuss it further and
send an email to the British CFE to announce our presence and ask for more
information about their organisation. We should also look into setting up a
website. Structures of the organisation will be discussed later.

5. To approach other students around the country to make this a true
national campaign. Agreed to contact any sister political societies in
colleges around the country, and to get in touch with the Galway students
who met on July 24th about the same issue.

6. To attend the USI protest against the increase in the fees taking place
at 1.45 p.m. on the Boardwalk beside the Liffey on Tues. 30th July.

7. To meet again in a fortnight, on Sat. 10th August at 3pm upstairs in
Conway’s and to try to get some of the Galway students along.

8. Paul Murphy (Chair) to write up the minutes and distribute them via the
internet.

Ideas for the campaign were also discussed. Some of the suggestions were:

1. To organise a situation whereby the Education Minister was followed
around the country in an effort to be present wherever there was media focus
on him.

2. To organise some action on the day the Leaving Cert. Results come out
given that there would be massive media publicity. It’s also very relevant
because we will gain support not by moaning about how poor students are but
by making points about access to education. CJ raised some difficulty with
the idea, in that it an opportunity for USI to encourage people to go to
college, rather than perhaps scaring them away with stories of how expensive
college is. It was also suggested that the day the offers come out might be
a better day, given that it has more to do with access to education than the
results.

------------------------------------

by Se Fri Jul 26, 2002 16:14

Sorry to break the news to you Terry but the SWP are no longer in UCD. All the UCD members left. There is now a society called Socialist Alternative that comprises of most ex-SWPers. Their UCD comrades were sick of the lack of democracy etc in the SWP

by Finghin - Socialist Youth UCD Thu Jul 25, 2002 16:07

I think some action should be taken in the next couple of weeks or so. But the attendence will not be large and will basically the students involved in political groups an not much more. So for that reason we should also try to organise a much larger demo in September and hopefully get the USI and SUs to back it.

by terry - swp Thu Jul 25, 2002 09:51

myles, i'm in the swp and going to coll,ege these increases affect me. SO SHUT THE FUCK UP ur a idiot.
Sp fella you are right however, we cannot wait for the SU to lead the campaign. The Gov always waits till summer to announce this sort of thing when students are dispersed so the campaign should start with a picket no matter how small on the ministers house or education dept. If it starts now the ball is rolling. No point in waiting till september.

by Myles Wed Jul 24, 2002 17:15

Oh shit the SWP is already jumping on the bandwagon.

by Finghin - Socialist Youth UCD Wed Jul 24, 2002 15:17 finghink at hotmail dot com

I think it is important that we do not be tempted into making minimum demands on this issue. Colm Jordan on the Radio this morning seemed to accept the inevitability of increases in registration fees. It is the attitude of the USI and the other careerists in other SUs that we should put up with this, maybe have a demo and then trust them to pursuade the government not to increase it again or at lease increase the grant. This is a disgracefull position from the USI. We need to demand the abolition of all fees (tuition,registration & examination) for all. We should also demand truely free education with a living grant and massive public investment in student accomadation. In reality these demands can be fought far more easily if we reclaim our unions back and kick out the carrerist rump of the 5 main parties out of our unions and fight for a democratic militant union,that willact in the interests of students.

by terry - swp Wed Jul 24, 2002 12:21

students got a 5% increase in the grant a whole 3 euros

by Terry - swp Wed Jul 24, 2002 11:08

This meeting is a good idea, one problem with it can it possibly be moved to a tuesday night if there is a follow up meeting.
I'm going back to ucd next year(argh!)and would like to help so if possible could there be a notice up on imc