Support the London Met Occupation!

My alma mater London Metropolitan University has just announced it’s going to institute 70% cuts to its courses, ripping the heart out of the university in precisely the ‘market is everything’ manner the students themselves warned us about in their demonstrations against the ConDems’ higher education policies. From the Guardian:

from September 2012, it will reduce its 577 different course arrangements to around 160, shutting history, philosophy, Caribbean studies, theatre studies, trade union studies, dance, parts of multimedia and performing arts. Closures to modern languages are under discussion. It will also move away from semester length to year-long modules of 30 teaching weeks, with more core learning in the early years of an undergraduate programme.

Gillies says the idea is to replace the “smorgasboard” approach of students picking from a huge range of courses to something more focused. Employability will be key – “our strapline does have the words ‘building careers’” – and services such as learning support will be decentralised.

Students at North Campus have taken matters into their own hands:

I couldn’t support them more. London Met is holding a teach-in tomorrow, and the students are in need of your practical support. If you oppose the ConDems’ decimation of higher education in this country even partly as much as I do, give them a hand.