To the members of SMT
We are shocked by your recent announcement that you intend to make a court application to regain possession of DTH if the GARA occupiers do not leave the building by 8am on Monday 22 July.
We were encouraged by the meetings on June 25th and 26th in which real progress appeared to have been made in terms of addressing the hugely important issues that the occupation has raised in relation to institutional racism at Goldsmiths. We are now dismayed by your use of initimidatory tactics that are bound to be counter-productive.
The forced removal of the occupiers from DTH will cause enormous reputational damage to the College and only reinforce the criticisms made by the occupiers about racism at the highest levels of our institution.
More significantly, by attempting to end the occupation in this way, you are falling scandalously short of the commitment to social justice and fairness that the College prides itself on. That is not your decision to take without considering its impact on all BAME communities – and indeed on all those who work and study – at Goldsmiths.
A huge amount has been achieved in recent months in terms of highlighting and confronting the discrimination experienced by BAME students. Your actions in threatening to end the occupation in this way will throw all this away. We call on you immediately to rescind the threat and to re-open the negotiations that will lead to a dignified and productive conclusion.
Yours
Goldsmiths UCU Executive