Students blockade sociology department

Several sociology students are picketing entrances to their department, citing cutbacks to their student teaching hours ‘without consultation’.

(Update Monday: The physical blockade has been lifted)

The decision to cut 206 hours of the classes where older students, typically PhD students, hold practical workshops and answer questions – was made without any involvement with the Board of Studies or student consultation. Now, the department’s management refuses to enter into a dialogue with the students, leaving them no choice but to protest and occupy the department, the protesters say.

Today Thursday 24 October, researches and professors will be greeted by a large number of students who will deny them access to the Department. Throughout the day older students will take over the academic program and run the participatory workshops.

Poor prioritisation of funds

According to the students, the cuts result in a total saving of DKK 84,000, a small slice of an annual budget of DKK 25 million.

The sociology students say they struggle to comprehend the cuts to the practical workshops that they find very useful.

“It is unnecessary that they cut something that we really enjoy – the workshops with older students are very important to discuss and expand our knowledge and hands-on exercises are more rewarding than lectures,” says the spokesman of the protesters, Frederik Bach.

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