University students, researchers, professors and staff are currently occupying the director’s floor in the building of the university administration of Helsinki University in Finland. This happened as an offshoot of a demonstration against a new draconian “reform” soon to be presented to the Finnish parliament.

The new laws (more below) would change the choice of the governing councils of the university, essentially depriving the universities of autonomy, likely putting non-university board members in key positions (business people and politicians) and importantly, introducing the possibility of charging fees for non-EU students… which in Europe is used as a back-door precedent followed by demanding tuition fees from everyone - the failed free-market model.

Many words were heard in reference to other movements to Greece, France, Italy, India and … and then the news came in that students at New York University (http://takebacknyu.com) are practising direct democracy of the same sort.

Below is the statement from Helsinki.

Solidarity from the University of Helsinki to the occupants at NYU Today on Thursday, February the 19th, we occupied the administration building of our university. This took place after our demonstration against the new Universities Act proposed by the Finnish government. The parliament will decide about the law this Spring. We demand the law to be withdrawn. We want to reform our university from a totally different, more democratic perspective.

We are also protesting against the university leadership which has given its support to the law despite our opposition.

The law we are opposing would significantly increase the influence corporations have on our university and thus our science. We are defending the autonomy of knowledge and the freedom of research. We are also defending the free access to higher education as stated in the Finnish Constitution. We are not defending our university as it is, we want to create autonomous spaces for producing and sharing information.

Our demonstration today was participated by 1500 people. It was organised autonomously by students and university staff, independently of their unions. After the demonstration, a group of more than 100 demonstrators occupied this building. Today we have made our voices heard and we will keep doing so until we win!

We want to send you our solidarity. We share your struggle!

Opiskelijatoiminta
http://opiskelijatoiminta.net/english/

Opiskelijatoiminta is an autonomous student collective at the University of Helsinki.

We want to invite everyone to protest against the new Universities Act, proposed by the Finnish government. The parliament will decide about the law this Spring. We demand the law to be withdrawn: we want to reform our university from totally different points of departure!

NEXT UP:    FRIDAY THE 13TH, MARCH 2009 - DEMONSTRATION IN HELSINKI
Let’s organize walkouts, sit-ins, occupations —> Strike against the new Universities Act!

THIS IS HOW WE LEARN. THIS IS HOW WE FIGHT.Thursday, February 19 2009 @ 01:54 PM CST
Exiled in NYU: A communiqué from New School students within the NYU occupation.

At the dawn of the New School occupation last December, we wrote, “This is only the beginning.”
We weren’t joking.

We are now occupying the halls of NYU alongside their students. With our bodies and barricades, we continue to manifest ourselves as a force of interruption against the enforced passivity of the university.

This occupation arises at a time of economic turmoil. The current crisis of capital is no fluke; it is the result of the real social conditions in which we live. NYU, one of the largest property owners in New York City, is a clear perpetrator of the misery everyone now feels. It has no alibi, only vulnerabilities.

From the insurrection in Greece to the revolts of Eastern Europe, from the university occupations across England to the general uprising in Oakland, something is in air. We can’t name it, but we can all feel it. Uncompromising, our power is growing. What has started as a singular strike against the structure of NYU’s form of domination will become a strike against the general logic of domination.

When we occupy spaces and liberate their use, we appropriate for ourselves the means of our very existence. We find each other here and now, in the midst of conflict and crisis, overturning every role we’re given, annulling every attempt to reconcile.

This is how we learn. This is how we fight.

In Exile,
Students of the New School
Feb 19th, 2009

For more on the NYU Student Occupation, visit the NYU Student Occupation blog “Take Back NYU” go to http://takebacknyu.com

See also the NY Times Feb. 20th article “N.Y.U. Students Continue Occupation to Press Demands.”

LINK HERE for a recap of the recent sit-ins at York University, during the historic 2008-09 CUPE 3903 Strike for Quality and Accessible Education.

http://manunioccupation.wordpress.com

Over 150 University of Manchester students have occupied the main university administration building in a demand for a stronger and more proactive position from the university on the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The students have proposed a set of demands on the university’s Vice Chancellor Alan Gilbert, including a boycott of Israeli goods on campus, support for a day of fundraising with proceeds to the DEC fund, and that the university end research into
manufacturing arms.

Continue Reading »

On Monday December 15, 2008 over 100 York University students, both Undergraduate and Graduate, marched to President and Vice-Chancellor Mamdouh Shoukri’s office on the 9th floor of the South Ross Building with two simple demands. The entrance leading to his office was locked, and so we sat down in front of the doors and agreed to not leave until our demands are met. We sat for 23 nights and 25 days, from December 15 to Friday December 19, 2008, and from Sunday January 4 to Friday January 23, 2009. We are pleased to announce that at 5pm on Thursday January 22, 2009 President Shoukri finally conceded to our demands after 34,440 minutes, or 574 hours, of sitting in his hallway in patient anticipation. Continue Reading »

This letter was sent to President Shoukri this evening.

January 21, 2009

Dear President Shoukri:

As you have certainly noticed, York University was hit by an avalanche on Monday evening. That happens when you upset a bunch of snowflakes bad enough.

This morning you got us back really good, though. You turned out the lights in the hallway outside your office, so now we have to sit in the dark. It’s not that nice to sit in the dark. But then it’s not that nice to live in your hallway either. Continue Reading »

Avalanche Warning Issued for York University

We are each of us a snowflake. Together we can be an avalanche.
(Yes, yes, we are each of us supposed to be a raindrop. But it’s cold out. Have you tried being a raindrop in this weather?)
Tonight is the two-week anniversary of our return to the ninth floor. We’ve been waiting for President Shoukri for 339.25 consecutive hours now, plus the 96 hours we spent in December. Continue Reading »

Re. President and Vice-Chancellor of York University, Mamdouh Shoukri (hereinafter “Shoukri”)

January 16, 2009

Sightings

12:07

Shoukri Sighting Sentinels Willow and Soul Patch spot Shoukri and two unidentified individuals (hereinafter “individuals”) turning from the Vari Link into Ross South. Sentinels Willow and Soul Patch initiate pursuit and engage in the following conversation:

Sentinel Soul Patch: “Are you on your way to meet with the people on the ninth floor?”

Shoukri: “No. They are participating in illegal strike activity.”

Sentinel Willow: “But there are undergrads there also, and they are not there illegally.”

Shoukri: “The undergrads are there in support of the union.”

Sentinel Willow: “So if they support the union, they are engaged in illegal activity?”

Shoukri: “You’re putting words in my mouth.”

Shoukri and individuals reach the elevators and enter. Sentinels Willow and Soul Patch terminate pursuit.

Analysis

This sighting indicates that Shoukri may be receiving advice from former Ontario Premier Mike Harris (hereinafter “Harris”). Much as Harris distinguished “special interest groups” from “taxpayers,” Shoukri distinguishes students representing the interests of students from students representing the interests of the union. It appears as if Shoukri, like Harris, believes individuals cannot belong to more than one category at the same time. See also the January 14, 2009 Shoukri Sighting Report, in which Shoukri demonstrates the same binary reasoning.

The much talked-about and anticipated day of the “President and Vice-Chancellor of York University Mamdouh Shoukri Slumber Party” (Tuesday January 13, 2009) began on a highly auspicious note, as the Esteemed Guest of Honor Shoukri himself was sighted at the South Ross first floor elevators at circa ten o’clock the morning of.

Continue Reading »

Re. President and Vice-Chancellor of York University, Mamdouh Shoukri (hereinafter “Shoukri”)

January 13, 2009. Re. sighting on December 17, 2008.

Sightings: Approx. 13:30
Shoukri Sighting Sentinels Lady Grey and Well Read spot Shoukri in Vari Hall and initiate pursuit. They follow Shoukri to the Ross North elevators and ride the elevator with him to the seventh floor. Inside the elevator, they engage in the following conversation.

Continue Reading »

This letter was sent to President Shoukri on Monday evening.

Monday, January 12

Dear President Shoukri:

We are your students. You are our president. And we’ve been hoping to talk to you about this strike thing that’s cancelled classes for the last ten weeks. We know you’re really busy doing presidential things, but we’re hoping you’ll be able to speak with us soon, because we’ve been waiting outside your office for 13 days now.

True, those days haven’t all been in a row. We took two weeks off to spend the holidays with our families, so we’ve only been here from December 15 to 19 and again from January 4 to today.

But still. That’s a pretty long time, huh?

We’re trying to figure out why that is. We’re thinking that maybe you’re a bit shy. Or maybe you just don’t like formal events. It can be pretty stressful to speak in front of a whole bunch of people, especially when you’re trying to be all presidential and stuff.

We thought you might prefer to get to know your students in a more informal setting first. So we’re inviting you and every member of the York community to our slumber party tomorrow night. We’ve even called it the “Shoukri Slumber Party” in your honour.

We’re going to have popcorn and movies and games. We might even have a pictionary tournament. And we play some pretty intense pictionary. Last time, we had words like “modus operandi,” “comportment,” and “onomatopoeia.” But we can choose easier words if you like.

And the party will be right outside your office, so it’s pretty convenient.

We hope you’ll be able to make it.

Yours in the snuggle,

The Ninth Floor Sitters

The Shoukri Slumber Party

Who:        President Shoukri and all members of the York community
What:       The Shoukri Slumber Party, with popcorn, movies, and games
When:      Tuesday, January 13, 8:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m.
Where:     President Shoukri’s office, ninth floor South Ross
Why:         To encourage President Shoukri to speak with his students in an informal setting