Bearing in mind Warwick’s unprecedented alliance with Monash University, which involves or will involve exchange programmes, a joint PhD, joint staff appointments, a joint undergraduate research conference and sports competitions;
Acknowledging that at Monash University:
a) Students and staff have been removed from University Council, on the premises that businesses don’t have customers or employees on the board,
b) Faculty Boards have been reduced to advisory status, further disenfranchising students and staff,
c) In spite of over £30 million in cuts, casualisation and dismissal of university staff, rising class sizes and cuts to the number of modules offered; Monash University has approved £60 million in 2013 alone for campus redevelopment, while paying its Vice-Chancellor, Ed Byrne, over £700,000, over twice what Nigel Thrift is paid as Vice-Chancellor of Warwick,
d) The Student Association (equivalent to our Student Union) was offered funding on the condition that they would not criticize the University’s decisions, according to a video by Monash student newspaper, Lot’s Wife;
Believing that we cannot remain indifferent to this situation,
We, the undersigned students and staff of the University of Warwick –
1. Condemn Monash University’s administration for their decisions.
2. Express unreserved solidarity with the students and staff of Monash University.
3. Endorse the Student General Meeting taking place on May 1st at Monash’s Clayton Campus.
4. Call upon Warwick University and Warwick SU to issue a statement on these issues.