Students in University College Cork ended a 52-hour protest on the doorstep of the college president's office late last week after he agreed to consult them on how the university's shortage of classroom space can be solved.
The students camped out at the entrance to the president's office over two nights in cold and wet weather last week. They were protesting at what they claim is poor management of classroom space, which has resulted in tutorials being curtailed and classes being held in a local cinema, a GAA club and above a nearby pub. The protesters say they secured a verbal agreement from the President of the college, Dr Michael Mortell, that the students' union would be consulted in a survey of classroom space which will be carried out over the next three weeks. In the meantime they have suspended their protest to monitor the progress of the survey.
The UCC students were supported at various stages of their protest by students from University College Dublin, Limerick IT, Athlone IT and Galway-Mayo IT.
While the students were heartened by support they received from lecturers and non-academic staff, they found the unbroken protest somewhat of an ordeal.
"We were miserable the first night", Mags Slattery, vice president of UCC students' union, said at the end of the protest. "It was windy and cold and we were taking turns to get a few hours sleep in cars parked in the college grounds. "The second night was more bearable - there were guitars and a singalong. We were getting used to it by then and we were prepared to stay as long as it took".
No attempt was made by the college authorities to remove the students from the entrance to the building, and the atmosphere remained cordial throughout. "We made a point of saying `good morning' to Dr Mortell as he arrived for work every day and he stopped a couple of times to talk to us," Slattery said. "A security guard told us that the president had asked him to say he was concerned that our protest and our 24 foot banner was a fire hazard, but we responded that the overcrowded rooms we were expected to take classes in were a far greater hazard."
The Cork students will now await the college's proposals to deal with the accommodation problem. While they believe that the college has enough room to hold all classes on campus at present if the available space were more efficiently managed, they say the number of students entering UCC will have to be capped next year or the college will need to buy or lease extra buildings.
Meanwhile, following on the student protest during the Cork South Central by-election, thousands of students are to take to the streets again next week - this time in Dublin. Buses from Galway, Mayo, Athlone, Sligo and Letterkenny will bring students to join their colleagues in the capital for a march through the city centre next Thursday.
