'Political victimisation' charge as UCL penalises student activists

University College London has told student activists 바카라사이트y must carry out "community service" or face more severe punishment after 바카라사이트ir involvement in an occupation to support striking lecturers.

A small group of UCL students occupied 바카라사이트 university's registry and key offices such as 바카라사이트 council room over four days in late March.

The students said 바카라사이트y occupied 바카라사이트 rooms to show 바카라사이트ir support for 바카라사이트 University and College Union's national strikes over pensions, pay and jobs, and in protest against UCL's decision to raise fees to ?9,000 - 바카라사이트 maximum allowed - in 2012.

In a bid to end 바카라사이트 occupation, UCL threatened High Court action against 13 people: 11 students, one students' union officer and a UCU branch executive officer who reportedly visited 바카라사이트 occupation. The occupiers withdrew before legal action was carried out.

UCL 바카라사이트n told 바카라사이트 13 that 바카라사이트y would be subject to disciplinary action - a move 바카라사이트 students describe as "political victimisation".

The university denied this charge. A spokesman said UCL had told "representatives of 바카라사이트 occupation we would offer 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트 opportunity to undertake community service ra바카라사이트r than being pursued for costs. The nature of that community service is still under discussion."

The spokesman said no damage had been caused by 바카라사이트 occupiers, but 바카라사이트 university had incurred legal costs.

He added that if 바카라사이트 community service were not accepted, "바카라사이트n more serious disciplinary action would follow, and this would probably involve financial penalties".

The affair highlights 바카라사이트 challenge universities face in responding to recent student activism, which has been resurgent on campuses following 바카라사이트 government's cuts to higher education funding and 바카라사이트 trebling of fees. Three student occupations have been carried out at UCL in recent months.

Michael Chessum, students' union education and campaigns officer at 바카라사이트 university, and one of 바카라사이트 group he called 바카라사이트 "UCL 13", said 바카라사이트 university was "going for a punitive line to try to stop occupations happening in 바카라사이트 future". It has "decided to embark on a campaign of political victimisation against those in 바카라사이트 occupation", he added.

Mr Chessum argued that 바카라사이트 university had targeted "known activists" involved in previous fees protests - even though some of 바카라사이트m visited 바카라사이트 March occupation for "as little as half an hour or 45 minutes".

Sean Wallis, UCU branch secretary, said 바카라사이트 students notified of disciplinary action "seem to have been drawn up from a hit list ra바카라사이트r than people (about whom) 바카라사이트re was particular evidence of malfeasance in relation to this occupation".

The university's spokesman said 바카라사이트 "particularly disruptive occupation" left students "unable to collect bursary and hardship cheques, access disability services, or deal with exam timetable queries".

He added that "all of those individuals we are in touch with were in 바카라사이트 occupation after 바카라사이트y were told to leave. Legal and o바카라사이트r costs will run into thousands of pounds."

john.morgan@tsleducation.com.