Wellington Square Watch:
„für gemäßigten Fortschritt in den Schranken der Gesetze und Universitätsatzungen bzw. -ordnungen.“
Council concedes temporary defeat but is still in denial.
11 June 2024 · For immediate release.
Council today was forced to withdraw its proctors’ charter of unworkable and arbitrary powers and prohibitions. Wellington Square Watch is proud to have formed a small part of the coalition that has now won a partial victory.
But the fight is not over.
Despite the withdrawal, Council’s arrogant and unlettered attitude remains wholly intact. Its misleading response was sent to every student in the guise of ‘information for students’. Council has the right to a propaganda apparatus; it does not have the right to a black propaganda apparatus in the name of the university. It certainly has no right to arrogate to itself the name of the university, when the decision is for Congregation which had not yet even approved the amendments.
Council refuses to acknowledge that anything was wrong with its proposals. We can therefore have no faith that it will listen to the concerns of the community, unless we remain vigilant.
Council continues to insist that, apart from its commendable and well-motivated proposals to improve handling of cases of sexual harassment and assault, its proposals are ‘minor’ and amount merely to ‘re-ordering’. Our analysis reveals this to be nonsense. Council is concealing its authoritarian proctors’ charter behind this worthy cause.
The analysis shows that the proposals could have forced gay students to out themselves, ban publishing research on cheap life-saving drugs if it would lose the university funding for more expensive ones, and remove all safeguards from bans from IT facilities. If Council does not want to be criticised for such such absurdities, it should not propose them in the first place.
As a last resort, Council astutely and humbly observes that the university is ‘subject to UK law’. Statutes that would violate our rights but for the law would not be fit for purpose. They would create a two-tier system of freedom of expression, where those versed in the law and wealthy enough to instruct counsel would only be affected by the wait for justice, while those not so privileged would be subject to an unacceptable chilling effect.
Wellington Square Watch will remain vigilant and redouble its efforts to coöperate with other members of the university with a view to preserving the democratic character of the university.
Wellington Square Watch completely supports the aim of improving handling of cases of sexual assault and harassment. Precisely for that reason, Council’s refusal to understand what is wrong with its initial proposals is dangerous and a disservice to the university. Council must now prove through binding proposals—because its mere promises have now been so devalued—that it does not seek to vandalise our institutions, and that its intentions are honest.
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