Free education/Free University of Sheffield/Occupied: INOX Dine, Sheffield SU

The Free University of Sheffield Statement

(3/12/14)

This afternoon we have gone into occupation as part of a nationwide movement against tuition fees, and in favour of free education.

In the UK today we are forced to endure a system in which you are either put off higher education by the prospect of paying £9,000 fees a year, or accept the burden of an amount of debt that you will likely never be able to pay off. We think that this is totally unacceptable and morally abhorrent, and argue that education is a universal human right that should not merely be reserved for the wealthy elite, or for those willing to sell themselves to the banks.

As such, we are issuing the following three demands to the management of the University of Sheffield: 1. Lobby the government to scrap tuition fees 2. Give all members of staff that are employed directly or indirectly by the university a living wage in line with the national standard (as set Loughborough University and the Living Wage Foundation) 3. Halt the privatisation of the services that maintain the university, and in particular the Students' Union

In order to make this point, we have chosen to occupy the Inox Dine restaurant. Inox is designed purely to generate private profit, and is almost universally loathed (by those who know it exists). It is clear that Inox is not intended to improve the student experience; its prices are extortionate and it advertises business lunches and champagne, and yet for some reason it is located in the Students' Union building. We can think of no place on campus that is more painfully representative of the neoliberal degradation of our university, and of education in general.

Rather than merely occupying this space, however, we intend to regenerate it into what it should be, and transform it into a place of learning. For the duration of this occupation, let Inox Dine be known as the Free University of Sheffield. We will be opening up this space to students, academic and non-academic staff, and members of the public to come and take part in organising and attending workshops. These can be anything from practical to academic, and political to apolitical, insofar as they conform to our dedication to providing an education that is non-hierarchical, collectively and directly democratically run, and universally safe and accessible. In doing so, we hope to prove, if only within a limited time and space, that education can be free, and much more equitably run.

If management seek to destroy this occupation, let all bear witness to the fact that they have nothing to do with the genuine provision of education, and are instead its plunderers.

You are warmly invited to join us!

Solidarity to all who believe in an education that is free and fair.

The Free University of Sheffield. Dec 3rd, 2014