Over the last 20 months, unprecedented attacks on the higher education system in Australia have struck at the very core of publicly funded education and have propelled many students into action. The occupation of the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) is but the latest example of such action.

The occupation and other actions associated with it have had some success in reaching out to students. The twice weekly demonstrations mobilised 200-300 students, and RMIT students have been drawn into the running of the vigil and the occupation support team.

Support from the staff has been even more striking by calling for a two-hour stop-work for September 8 in support of the student campaign. Additionally donations from the staff have flowed in.

Finally on September 8, the students finished its 19 days occupation of the RMIT's finance department, successfully forcing the university management to agree to a referendum on the introduction of up-front fees of 12.5% for over-quota undergraduate places for 1998.

The university also agreed to a number of other demands, like not to lay charges against anyone involved in the occupation. Also there will be no costs for accessing the Internet for RMIT students or staff. Charging for Internet access had been proposed earlier this year. Lastly the university promised that there will be no increase in post-graduate or international student fees until the year 2000.

"The great victory we have won today is a testament to the dedication of all those who have worked so long and hard for nearly three weeks," said Jackie Lynch, National Education Officer of the National Union of Students on September 8. "This is an important victory in the ongoing campaign against fees."

However, the numbers at the demonstrations have been weak in comparison with other student demonstrations in Melbourne. Mostly due to the lack of mobilisation of students from other campuses and indicating that the movement as a whole is weak. In particular, it is due to the decline at Melbourne University.

The RMIT campaign has been successful not just because 200 students gained control of a finance department, but because of a patient building of sentiment amongst students and staff in opposition to the RMIT council introducing fees. The occupation provided a spur to many students who had already been convinced.

Crucial to the RMIT campaign has been its clear, concrete and well-publicised demands, oriented to mobilising students with the clear aim of forcing the council to recommit the decision to introduce up-front fees.

Subsequently the staff and student ballot on up-front fees overwhelmingly rejected the university's decision.

Some 10,000 of the 13,000 voters answered "no" to the question "Do you agree with the University Council decision to permit full-fee local undergraduate students at RMIT?".

This sends a very clear message to university administrations nation-wide and to the federal government.

Already Vice-Chancellor David Beanland dispersed any expectations that the referendum results would be upheld at the next meeting of the University Council. "I never promised that the council would heed the referendum results", said Professor Beanland, addressing a meeting of staff.

He made it clear that the university had no intention of reversing its decision to introduce up-front fees, claiming, "If we don't respond to the opportunity to expand the number of students through full-fee paying places, the option is to shed up to an additional 140 staff, which will reduce the quality of education".

Beanland failed to mention the university's operating surplus of $53 million, or the various expensive "redecoration" projects designed to increase the appeal of the university to potential up-front fee-paying students.

The council's determination to ignore the growing opposition to up-front fees is widely seen as a basis for more action by staff and students and undermine the RMITs credibility.

Contact:
National Union of Students - Australia
PO Box 14278
Melbourne City Mail Centre
Melbourne, VIC 8001, Australia
email: nus@nus.asn.au

This article is based on material supplied by Green Left Weekly
greenleft@peg.apc.org