Details of achievements!

Sorry that we have been very quiet on here.... We have all continued to be very busy organising a victory rally, and publicising our victory around our campus.
We were completely amazed at our achievements, especially considering our initial reponse from the Vice Chancellor who claimed that the University was not in a financial position to offer scholarships, and was rather negative in considering links with the Islamic Univerity in Gaza.

Anyway... here is the news you have all been waiting for...

1. The Vice Chancellor has issued the following statement which will be printed in all of UELs publications to promote the DEC collection day:

UEL strongly supports the statement issued by Universities UK on behalf of its member institutions, calling for an end to the conflict in and beyond Gaza. We are particularly aware that many of the civilian casualties have occurred in educational establishments. Higher education is a force for understanding, tolerance and mutual respect across the world. Civilian casualties in higher educational institutions strike at the heart of the values which higher education does so much to promote, including the right to education as enshrined in the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

2. UEL holds not investements in Israeli Companies, instead it has only cash deposits in banks. The Finance Commitee welcomes the proposal of an 'ethical investment' policy and shall consider such a proposal at it's next meeting in 2 weeks time.

3. UEL is to set up a humanitarian scholarship scheme for students in areas affected by conflict throughout the world, which results in their human right to education being denied to them. This would comprise the funding of scholarships, including payment of programme fees and of residential fees, for six students on a yearly basis, commencing next academic year. In the first year of operation, three of these scholarships will be exculsively offered to students in Gaza.

4. All individual schools within UEL are encouraged to develop academic collaboration with individual schools within the Islamic University of Gaza. We shall be supporting schools here and providing them with the necessary information on how to go about such partnerships.

5. Surplus equipment from UEL shall be sent to the Islamic University of Gaza when there is appropriate equiment available.

6. UEL shall be holding an official DEC collection day on the 19th March - to be fully promoted, endorsed, and facilitated by the University.The DEC appeal shall be screened in a lecture theatre throughout the day.

7. Free access was granted to the student occupiers, and we can confirm that no reprisals have been taken against any students involved.

We applaud the University for agreeing to our demands, and we look forward to continuing to raise awareness about the history of Palestine around campus. For the UEL Stop the War Society this is only the beginning of our campaigns!

We encourage all UEL students who have supported our actions to join the UEL StWS, and attend our weekly meetings at 4.pm every Wednesday.

Thanks again to all our supporters, you too have played an important role in what was achieved. And to all those who said we couldn't make a difference - ask the 6 students who shall arrive to study here in September. Without our bold actions they would have such opportunities!

Love always,

UEL student occupiers