No to portacabins!
Star Letter
Dear Felix,
I am absoultely disgusted with the Union's response to the issue of portacabins taking residence on Queen's Lawn; I wouldn't at all be surprised if it was next announced that the Union was buying spades and helping with the digging. What on earth has happened to the student voice? As far as I'm concerned (forgive me if I'm wrong), no student would in a million years dream of having their summer ball next to some rotten three storey building. Neither would any student wish to spend their summer time lunches on the grass in the shadow of a dingy portacabin. Despite that, the Union appears to have barely twitched a finger in protest to these plans.
I am aware that the official deadline to oppose the plans was on our first day back at term (conveniently for the college) however, why has there been no unofficial protest? Where has the spirit and energy of the student body gone? Surely we cant all be so apathetic or so ready to give in to what the establishment wants? We should be lobbying our MP find, ing ways to approach Sykes himself, demanding more explanations and meetings since, disgracefully, there was no real public consultation planning permission was achieved in a very cunning and sly way - it was applied for and finalised while we were all on holiday in Easter and revising for our exams. The college preyed on vulnerability of students.
The college shouldn't be erasing the only green space we have, it should be finding ways to develop more green sites. The college has proved itself hypocritical after apparently supporting the environmental 'green week' with Sykes' own face on posters. More so, once these cabins are built, they're unlikely to shift, if the college has been ruthless enough to build them, what makes you think that it will listen to us asking for them to be moved? What makes you think the Union will stand up for what you want?
We should be doing everything it takes to stop these portacabins being built. Lobby the MP write to Sykes, , write to the Union, we should set up a society against the portacabins if we have to. Obvious as it may sound but this college only exists because of the students, we make this college, so we should stand for what we want; its our college, we should be the ones who dictate what happens to it and how and when, it's our right and it's our obligation to make this college what we want - surrendering shouldn't be an option.
SP
Sameena Misbahuddin (Union President) replies:
Since the issue portacabins on the Queen's lawn came to light, it has been discussed in Union Council and it was resolved that, in response to the strong student opinion against the use of Queen's Lawn, the Union would lobby College to ensure that this wouldn't happen.
Protest is a last resort, because usually, but not always, things can get dealt with through working together and the Union lobbying College.
The Union has been active on this issue and College have said that it's extremely unlikely that the Queen's Lawn will be used -"99% chance it won't be used", but complete confirmation can't be given until plans for refurbishment of buildings, in particular the Sherfield building, are finalised.
More information about this and other building developments will be in next week's Union Newsletter in Felix and as soon as we have more information students will know.
