University protest movement grows
Marches in 20 cities across France as students and lecturers oppose reforms to teaching and research positions.
BETWEEN 40,000 and 80,000 people took to the streets of 20 cities yesterday over plans to reform the working methods of university lecturer-researchers.
Staff are concerned that the plans of Higher Education Minister Valérie Pécresse will harm research by forcing them to spend too much time teaching.
They are also concerned that a proposed decree on their working status, expected to take effect at the start of the 2009 – 2010 academic year, will give too much power to university presidents to dictate hours and will make them less independent.
Representatives of bodies including union Snesup-FSU and campaigners Sauvons l’Université and Sauvons la Recherche marched with banners saying: “No to the destruction of universities and research.”
Pécresse made modifications to the decree last week as a gesture of appeasement but these are not considered enough by the protestors. She has promised further changes and has nominated a mediator, Claire Bazy-Malaurie, to negotiate with them.
However the minister has insisted that the decree follows on naturally from her law allowing universities to become autonomous so they can manage their own budgets and human resources.
A parliamentary working group has been set up by UMP parliamentary group president Jean-François Copé to re-examine the question independently from the minister.
One of the UMP deputies involved, Daniel Fasquelle, said: “Giving autonomy to universities must not be done in way that is to the detriment of the independence of researchers.”
Resentment in universities has led to strikes by lecturers. They are also protesting against other issues including plans to reforms to methods of training and recruitment of university teaching staff. They are also unhappy about plans to cut 900 posts in higher education this year.
Photo:Afp/Francois Guillot
