Tag Archives: Occupation

Occupied Universtiy of Helsinki’s press release [fi, en, se]

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Source: Yliopistovaltaus, Angry Students on FB

TIEDOTE VAPAA JULKAISTAVAKSI HETI
PRESS RELEASE IN ENGLISH BELOW
MEDDELANDE PÅ SVENSKA: SE NER

Helsingin yliopiston Porthania-rakennus on vallattu, koska me valtaajat olemme kyllästyneet koulutuksen leikkauksiin ja tutkimuksen jatkuvaan alasajoon ja henkilökunnan sortoon. Valtaus on puoluepoliittisesti sitoutumaton, jonne kaikki koulutusleikkauksia tai kurjistamispolitiikkaa vastustavat ovat tervetulleita. Vaadimme leikkauspolitiikan sijaan: laadukasta tutkimusta, opetusta ja opiskelua. Näitä ei synny ihmisten arkea kurjistamalla, tutkimusrahoitusta näivettämällä ja työpaikkoja lakkauttamalla.

Sinulla on mahdollisuus vaikuttaa osallistumalla valtaukseen. Sivistystä ei voida taata yksityisellä rahoituksella, opetusta heikentämällä ja opiskelijoilta leikkaamalla. Me valtaajat emme halua palata menneisyyteen, vaan löytää ratkaisuja, missä opiskelijoilla ja henkilökunnalla on mahdollisuus parantaa suomalaista sivistystä ja koulutuskulttuuria. Valtaus on tuen osoitus kaikille, jotka kärsivät hallituksen leikkauspolitiikasta.

MITÄ? Porthanian valtaus: kokouksia, työpajoja ja muuta ohjelmaa
MISSÄ? Helsingin yliopisto, Porthania, Yliopistonkatu 3
MILLOIN? NYT! Tällä hetkellä Porthania on vallattu tiistaihin 22.9. asti, jolloin järjestetään suuri yleiskokous klo 12.00, missä päätämme jatkosta.

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ENGLISH

Helsinki university’s Porthania building has been occupied because we occupiers are sick of the government’s cuts, the downgrading of research facilities and oppression of personnel. The occupation is politically unallied and all those who oppose the cuts to education or the governement’s stranglehold on the people are welcome. We demand high quality research and teaching. These cannot be achieved by cutting jobs, making everyday life of people harder due to cuts or by cutting research and its funding.

Here is your chance to influence current events by taking part in the occupation! Wide-ranging general education cannot be guaranteed by cutting from the students, weakening teaching or by private funding. We the occupiers do not wish to return to the past; we seek options for students and staff to improve Finnish education. The occupation is our way of showing support to all those who suffer from current austerity policy.

WHAT? Occupation of Porthania Building; meetings, workshops and entertainment
WHERE? Helsinki university, Porthania, Yliopistonkatu 3
WHEN? Now! At this very moment Porthania is being occupied until Tuesday 22.9. after which a general assembly meeting will be held and we will decide about what follows.

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SVENSKA

Porthania vid Helsingfors Universitet har ockuperats, eftersom vi är trötta på nedskärningar inom utbildning och forskning samt förtryck av personal. Ockupationen är partipolitiskt obunden, alla som motsätter sig nedskärningarna och sparpolitiken är välkomna. Istället för nedskärningarna kräver vi: forskning, undervisning och studier av hög kvalitet. Dessa nås inte genom att försvåra människors vardag, strypa forskningsfinansiering eller säga upp arbetsplatser.

Du har möjligheten att påverka genom att delta i ockupationen. Bildning kan inte garanteras genom privat finansiering, försvagning av undervisning eller genom att ta från de studerande. Vi vill inte gå tillbaka i tiden, vi vill hitta lösningar där studenter och personal har möjlighet att förbättra finsk bildning och utbildningskultur. Ockupationen är ett sätt att visa stöd till alla som lider av regeringens nedskärningspolitik.

VAD? Ocukpationen av Porthania: möten, workshops och annat program
VAR? Helsingfors Universitet. Porthania, Universitetsgatan 3
NÄR? NU! För tillfället är Porthania ockuperat tills tisdag 22.9 då det allmänna mötet klockan 12.00 bestämmer om fortsättning.

Statement from Student Occupation at Helsinki University

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Source: Revolutionary news and Yliopistovaltaus, Angry Students on FB

People fed up with the constant rundown of education and research have occupied the University of Helsinki, Porthania building today. This politically independent occupation is a message from within the university community against austerity politics. At the same time, it is an entry into a broader front against cuts and a show of solidarity with Friday’s union action. The occupation joins us as part of an international university movement that opposes austerity politics and the shift towards market-oriented education.

The unprecedented education cuts, made under the guise of austerity, will drastically undermine universities’ position in society and their role as a pillar of civilization. The announced massive employee cooperation negotiations will be impossible to carry out without destroying the level of research and teaching. The occupiers of Porthania call into question the replacement of decreased state funding with increased commercial cooperation.

The occupiers of Porthania demand the rejection of empty talk about changes and development. Talk of change does not mean anything in itself. The occupiers are not longing for a time gone by, but want to express what kind of change they want to see at the university and in the society. Their message is absolute: quality research, teaching and studying cannot be generated by making everyday life miserable, desiccating research funding or reducing jobs.
Image credit NYT.FI

Image credit NYT.FI

The university community has already suffered from constant funding cuts, structural reforms, staff reductions and curricular reforms during the term of the previous government. These reforms and changes are part of a constant spiral of reforming and developing that has not lead to the improvement of research, studies or the university community. The most distinct change to the societal position of the university was the Universities Act of 2009, which has enabled the centralization of power from the university community to university management and the board. University management at the University of Helsinki has shown an uncritical public response to education cuts. This is unacceptable. Therefore, the people of the university are taking over their own spaces to demonstrate that the autonomy of universities is not for sale.

The occupiers announce that they have had enough. The participants of the occupation invite everyone who opposes education cuts to join the occupation and show their support to the demonstration.

Follow the group Angry Students on Twitter and Facebook
Students are using the hastag #yliopistovaltaus