Management back-tracks over student suspensions

Last Wednesday 10 March, six students formerly suspended from the University of Sussex had their penalisations modified so as to permit them to continue with their academic studies.

The students, dubbed ‘The Sussex Six’, were initially suspended on Friday 5 March by Vice-Chancellor Michael Farthing. They each received a letter from the university stating they had been “positively identified” by management as “leading participants” of the Stop the Cuts rally and occupation of Sussex House earlier that week.
Farthing imposed the suspensions with immediate effect under Statute V.4, which states: “I have the power to suspend or exclude a student.”

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Major breakthrough for ‘Save Linguistics’

There has been a major advance in the intense ‘Save Linguistics’ Campaign, providing another flash of hope for those desperate to reverse the University’s decision to withdraw the prestigious degree programme. Read more

Course cuts continue

Following the impending closure of Linguistics and cuts to Archaeology courses, it has recently been announced that the new degree programme, Engineering for Society, will also be axed after current students on the programme complete the course. Read more

Smash EDO May Day protests

Hundreds of people from all over the country met in Brighton on May Day, 4 May, to protest against war, capitalism and the arms trade. The protest was organised by the Smash EDO movement, which for years has been campaigning against the EDO/ITT arms factory based in Moulsecoomb. Read more

Recession Budget-busting brilliance

Chancellor Alistair Darling’s ‘Recession Budget’ has filled many in the media with wall-to-wall gloom and anger. Unemployment and national debt are soaring while the Chancellor predicted the economy will shrink a further 3.5% this year. However, the economic turmoil could give our personal budgets an unforeseen boost; student debts may begin to pay themselves back. Read more

Brown’s Green Days…

The Badger has uncovered an article written by Prime Minster Gordon Brown almost 40 years ago as a student at the University of Edinburgh. Originally published in Edinburgh University’s student newspaper, The Student, in 1971, the article entitled “The Empty Pipe-Dreams” is a striking critique of student politics, opening with the damning line “Pipes and promises mixed uneasily this week with the realities of Student power.” Read more

Spate of thefts in Sussex library

The University of Sussex library was the scene of a spate of thefts over the Easter holidays. In a series of thefts a number of laptops, mobile phones and wallets were stolen. The incidents took place in the library in the week before Easter in which students were working hard on dissertations and essays. All of the items were stolen when individuals left their desks leaving their possessions unguarded. Read more

Lemon bus wins Dandelion Award

The Big Lemon Bus that travels between the University of Sussex and Brighton, has won the Dandelion Award that “recognises the extraordinary efforts of businesses throughout the UK to improve their own and others’ performance on issues surrounding sustainability.” The Dandelion marks the first award for “The Big Lemon,” which is the brainchild of Tom Druitt, one of a new wave of “ecoprenuers.” Read more

Imperial College to build campus abroad

Imperial College London is planning a new overseas campus in Qatar or Abu Dhabi, a region in the Persian Gulf. UK universities have a long-standing tradition of offering foreign students distance-learning options for pursuing UK qualifications while remaining in their home countries. Now Imperial College London is taking the initiative, a giant leap forward.  The university’s new rector, Sir Roy Anderson, is discussing plans to set up a campus overseas. Read more

Facebook induced failure

Facebook: the latest tool used by students mastering the fine art of procrastination. Be it essays, coursework or revision, a quick check (or larger dose) of Facebook is generally considered a preferable alternative to continuing with work. But while it may seem simply a frivolous and inconsequential distraction, recent studies suggest that regular use of the famous social networking site is to the detriment of students’ academic performance. Read more

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