Flash Mob
October 7, 2009
A 'Flash Mob' of up to 1,000 DIT students assembled in front of the Department of Finance today to highlight the perilous situation currently facing them. Due to the Government enforced embargo on renewal of staff contracts in the Institute students are now facing a lower quality of service than can be accepted.Students' Union President Tracey Flinter read a copy of the letter she received from the Minister of Finance, Brain Lenihan. She then addressed students to make them fully aware of the situation facing them, and what they could do about it. Watch the video here. Photos from the event can be seen here.
Here is a transcript of the letter handed to the Department of Finance:
SAVAGE CUTBACKS ARE RUINING
OUR COUNTRY’S FUTURE
The knowledge economy, the smart economy, the green economy…..we all recognise that Ireland’s return to prosperity will depend on innovation, experience and excellence.
Students attending college today will play a key part in our economic recovery. However, the petty, pennypinching decisions that are being imposed now are putting that future at risk.
DIT is Ireland’s largest third-level institute. Over 22,000 students from all backgrounds and ages attend DIT campuses. Today at 1.30pm we’ll be demonstrating outside the Department of Finance.
We’ve one of the highest number of students who work to pay their way through college. We’ve one of the highest number of students of disadvantaged backgrounds at our college. We’re not here today looking for handouts, increases or bailouts. We’re just demanding that the basic staffing levels needed to run the college are provided.
Since we returned to college in recent weeks savage staff cutbacks have undermined the quality of education at DIT. Here are just some of the effects:
Our library opening hours have been cut and in turn this affects all 22,000 of our students from full-time to part-time to masters level. We have never had long library opening hours but this year DIT will have less Library opening hours than any other third level institute in the country due to staffing cut backs.
Lab technicians have not been reemployed resulting in the closure of labs for a large number of students on all sites. For insurance purposes classes are being canceled and also some students are not allowed to continue with their course as they can not use the specific equipment.
Class teaching hours on a number of our science courses have decreased with students receiving classes every two weeks instead of every week. A number of classes are not being run. This has resulted in students seeking to withdraw from DIT and get their capitation fee refunded.
There has been a larger intake of students this year resulting in severe overcrowding, even though the lack of space for students was highlighted last year.
We have one General Science course which from last year increased its their intake from 40 students last year to 170 this year. Now there is no class room that caters for this large number of students resulting in them using our "Gleeson Hall Theatre" building. This building is not built for academic use, with poor lighting and no desks or whiteboards.
Equipment rooms have been forced to close as there are is no staff member available to sign in and out this specialised equipment. Essentially this means that practical classes have to cease which in turn that many theory classes can not continue.
Student services have been affected with the loss of one of our Disability Officers, also we have lost a receptionist in our Health Center in Linen Hall with the hours being cut back due to lack of administration for both the Doctor and nurses.
Tutorials/Work Shops have not taken place for the past four weeks, with one specific first year class studying Prelim Engineering asking serious and legitimate questions about their progression and the integrity of the course.
Bakery and Laboratories rooms have been closed down due to health and safety. Rooms were not being cleaned and rubbish not being disposed of correctly due to general operative staff being let go. This is happening all over the institute.
At present we have had to close the FIT 2 GO CLUB (Fitness gym) facility in Bolton Street due to staffing shortages.
The FIT 2 GO CLUB in Kevin Street is currently operating, until October 13th with a skeleton staff of one – and is open for approximately 25% of previous opening hours. Only one facility (either the pool or the gym) can be open at one time due to supervision requirements. This means a severely restricted timetable, which has led a number of our members to seeking reimbursement of their membership fees.
These are just some of the savage effects these cutbacks are having. The quality of education at DIT is under threat. Part-time and temporary staff are being thrown on the dole with dire consequences. We aren’t demanding more resources. All we are demanding is that the Government provides the basic staffing levels we’ve managed with up until now. If we’re part of the solution to our economic woes why don’t’ you give us the tools to start the job?
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Comments (4)
media
Kev St - Oct 08, 2009 4:06 PM
should you send this letter into The Irish Times or similar to at least alert the media to the savage cutbacks!
good work on the protest guys!!! :D
New paper
Fearghal - Oct 12, 2009 6:53 PM
i agree you should send this to all the national papers, radio and TV stations.
Wouldn't fees help?
Student - Oct 13, 2009 2:35 PM
Just a thought here; We have been protesting against the reintroduction of fees for 3rd level education but why not propose that fees be introduced on a means test basis? That way, the people who can afford these fees are contributing towards bettering college facilities and resources.
We cannot demand money that simply isn't there. Although it should not be our responsibility to bail out the people who have failed us, maybe it is time to just do what we can for the greater good of 3rd level institutes and education.
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