Midway through 2012 Latrobe University announced that they were cutting around 600 humanities subjects and sacking 41 full time equivalent staff: In particular the university is gutting linguistics art history, gender sexuality and diversity and religious studies. A peaceful student campaign of civil disobedience ensued. Hundreds of students and staff met, demonstrated and occupied over the course of second semester to protest the gutting of their department. Such opposition to the cuts was met with hostility from the University administration.
The University went out of their way to silence students. They employed extra security guards and deployed them around campus. On a demonstration on Open Day one of these security guards physically assaulted a student. This incident was shown on national television and the security guard was stood down for the day. Students were followed around campus, filmed, photographed and threatened by the University administration. Staff were told they were not allowed to participate in any demonstrations under threat of dismissal. In a stunning display of hypocrisy Vice Chancellor John Dewar claimed that the demonstration on Open Day was “fantastic,” and that the campaign added "colour and movement to life on campus”.
Activists face Expulsion for "organising a demonstration"
And now months later, three students have been served with 'general misconduct' charges from the university - and are under threat of expulsion.
The charges are to do with organising and inciting protest. Victimised student Danica Cheesley says “These accusations are pure inventions of the university designed to silence dissent. Students have every right to engage in peaceful civil disobedience against outrageous attacks on our education. As far as I can see, I have been charged with organising and encouraging students to protest in support of their education."
The 'misconduct' hearings are closed, not subject to natural justice and the students are denied any right to legal representation. 2012 Disabilities officer in the La Trobe Student Union Emma Dook says "This is a kangaroo court. If the university seriously wants to accuse students of assault let them take it to an actual court of justice. At least there you could rely on a serious investigation and some level of public scrutiny."
Students are having a Latrobe Free Speech Defence campaign against these outrageous charges!
A Dangerous Precedent
These 'general misconduct' charges are an attack on the right of students to engage in protests on their campus. It is also an attack on free speech and civil liberties that extends beyond La Trobe University. The denial of the students to the basic right of a fair trial with legal representation threatens to erode essential civil liberties. The clear attempt to victimise students for questioning university policy undermines our democratic rights. If unchallenged the university's attack on the three students at La Trobe has implications for anyone who participates in protests elsewhere.
In particular this is cause for concern to students at other universities and TAFEs also facing cutbacks. Other universities have already been facing similar cuts, such as the ANU and Sydney University. The TAFE sector in Victoria is subject to drastic funding cuts by the state government. Education is under attack. The protests at La Trobe have been the most successful at involving students in taking a stand for their education and gaining media attention, putting university management on the back foot. They have shown the way that students can fight back to defend their education from ever increasing attacks. Students around the country have taken inspiration from these protests.
This is precisely why La Trobe University under vice chancellor John Dewar is keen to silence students and to use the three targeted to make an example of and send a message to all other students not to exercise their right to free speech and engage in protests. Dewar does not want to face more opposition to cuts in the future. Other university managers will also seek to silence dissent against cutbacks on their campuses. So just as La Trobe students have set an example for how to campaign against attacks on their education, the La Trobe vice chancellor is seeking to set an example on how to crush that dissent. We cannot afford to allow this to happen.
It is therefore in the interests of students everywhere to defend the students at La Trobe. An attack on students here is an attack on student rights around the country.
The University went out of their way to silence students. They employed extra security guards and deployed them around campus. On a demonstration on Open Day one of these security guards physically assaulted a student. This incident was shown on national television and the security guard was stood down for the day. Students were followed around campus, filmed, photographed and threatened by the University administration. Staff were told they were not allowed to participate in any demonstrations under threat of dismissal. In a stunning display of hypocrisy Vice Chancellor John Dewar claimed that the demonstration on Open Day was “fantastic,” and that the campaign added "colour and movement to life on campus”.
Activists face Expulsion for "organising a demonstration"
And now months later, three students have been served with 'general misconduct' charges from the university - and are under threat of expulsion.
The charges are to do with organising and inciting protest. Victimised student Danica Cheesley says “These accusations are pure inventions of the university designed to silence dissent. Students have every right to engage in peaceful civil disobedience against outrageous attacks on our education. As far as I can see, I have been charged with organising and encouraging students to protest in support of their education."
The 'misconduct' hearings are closed, not subject to natural justice and the students are denied any right to legal representation. 2012 Disabilities officer in the La Trobe Student Union Emma Dook says "This is a kangaroo court. If the university seriously wants to accuse students of assault let them take it to an actual court of justice. At least there you could rely on a serious investigation and some level of public scrutiny."
Students are having a Latrobe Free Speech Defence campaign against these outrageous charges!
A Dangerous Precedent
These 'general misconduct' charges are an attack on the right of students to engage in protests on their campus. It is also an attack on free speech and civil liberties that extends beyond La Trobe University. The denial of the students to the basic right of a fair trial with legal representation threatens to erode essential civil liberties. The clear attempt to victimise students for questioning university policy undermines our democratic rights. If unchallenged the university's attack on the three students at La Trobe has implications for anyone who participates in protests elsewhere.
In particular this is cause for concern to students at other universities and TAFEs also facing cutbacks. Other universities have already been facing similar cuts, such as the ANU and Sydney University. The TAFE sector in Victoria is subject to drastic funding cuts by the state government. Education is under attack. The protests at La Trobe have been the most successful at involving students in taking a stand for their education and gaining media attention, putting university management on the back foot. They have shown the way that students can fight back to defend their education from ever increasing attacks. Students around the country have taken inspiration from these protests.
This is precisely why La Trobe University under vice chancellor John Dewar is keen to silence students and to use the three targeted to make an example of and send a message to all other students not to exercise their right to free speech and engage in protests. Dewar does not want to face more opposition to cuts in the future. Other university managers will also seek to silence dissent against cutbacks on their campuses. So just as La Trobe students have set an example for how to campaign against attacks on their education, the La Trobe vice chancellor is seeking to set an example on how to crush that dissent. We cannot afford to allow this to happen.
It is therefore in the interests of students everywhere to defend the students at La Trobe. An attack on students here is an attack on student rights around the country.