Occupational Hazard
The occupation of our university's exam schools in protest against top-up fees was a refreshing challenge to the apathetic reputation of this student generation. Yet, as can often be the case with such demonstrations, to call it representative of the student body would be a massive exaggeration. Approximately 150 members of the university were involved - a mere one per cent of Oxford students. Ironically, a popular excuse of students who sympathise with protesters yet abstain from action is often a lack of time and a different set of priorities, one of which is likely to be academic pressure. This particular protest therefore saw a crucial clash of interests, as many students were prevented from attending important lectures. Whilst we recognise that the occupiers made all efforts to allow lectures to proceed, it was inevitable that the university would use the opportunity to discredit the protest by cancelling them. Although a day of academia is arguably worth sacrificing for the sake of future generations' university careers - and indeed, this restriction of access to learning was itself something of an irony - it questions the importance of the idealistic views of a minority. We admire the intentions of those who have bravely held firm until the last minutes of this campaign, but if relatively small groups of demonstrators want to make a statement, they would do well to harness the energy of fellow students, rather than irritate them.
29th Jan 2004