Media Yarn

Defend Jobs, Defend Education

The past few weeks at school I could not help but notice the security guard standing near the entrance turnstiles. I thought to myself- were they always there or did I just not have my morning coffee yet? As I headed towards the cafe cue I grabbed the thin school newsletter and read the front page article:

“Two members of the ‘Oppose’ group could face disciplinary action after staging a two-day sit-in at the London College of Communication over course closures and staff cuts. Louis Hartnoll, a third-year BA Creative Advertising student faces a possible three-day suspension, while LCC graduate Joana Pinto risks losing her alumni status.”

Now that sticker on the back of the bathroom stall makes sense “School Sit-in this Friday.” So I go from pay cuts, to job cuts, and now school cuts?! I can’t catch a break. As I read further I found that the University Union has not been told that up to 100 universities in London are planning to make collective “redundancies.” I was not sure what that term meant at first but learned that not only would jobs be cut but it also means 1) bigger class and seminar sizes for students 2) greater workloads for staff who remain 3) university staff on the dole rather than helping people to  learn.There are a lot of angry journalist majors at LCC and I wouldn’t want to be one to cross them!

I have not been keeping up with what has been going on with US education systems but I assume this is a worldwide epidemic. If you are in the UK and want to help or learn more: http://www.ucu.org.uk/defendeducation