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| Angry young men and women |
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| Wednesday, 05 December 2007 | |
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As many students returned to the crowded amphitheatres, a number of die-hard protestors still piled up chairs and tables and padlocked themselves inside the faculties. Every day, heated meetings discussed the pros and cons of Valérie Pécresse’s reform against the need to get on with the academic year. For many, the second consideration outweighed the first because striking for more than five weeks a year invalidates that year of study. The main student gripes against the reform are: • The five million euros allocated to subsidised student accomodation amounts in theory to 40 centimes extra per head. •Handing over the control of its own finances to each university, with reliance on funding from private enterprise, will it is feared lead to ‘two-speed’ universities, favouring the science subjects to the detriment of social sciences and the arts. It will also leave the direction of research too vulnerable to market forces and vested interests. The academic principle will be at risk. • Cutting student representation in decision-making processes by half or more, with far greater powers devolving to the rector himself, will exclude them from their say in who is hired and fired, at every level, from professors to maintenance staff. At Rennes II, the President organised an online vote certified correct by a huissier – an officer of the court. The result was a vote of 41% of the students entitled to vote and a majority of 4,113 against a blockade, 1,477 in favour and 391 undecided. The President of the University has now said he will not accept any further obstruction of university life and will if necessary himself physically keep the university clear with the help of staff and other students. After the vote, a group of 40 students, of which a majority were not at that university, were ejected by police. Rennes was a centre for the student movement against de Villepin’s CPE youth employment contract.  “The absolute power of the rectors is most concerning, and there are grave doubts that French companies will be willing to finance universities. The concept is alien to the French mentality, unlike in the US where alumni finance their alma maters. If they do, we are very concerned that corporate interests will mean less funding for the humanities. “Having to stop the blockages and strikes so as not be invalidated from the academic year takes away our one bargaining power.” |
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