Absence of public space at Gzowski - corporatization protest planned
April 5, 2005
A rally and speak-out is being held to create public space at Gzowski College and to express discontent with privatization and corporatization of public space on campus.
Another Show of Solidarity - Mass Mobilization Rally and Sit-in to Take Back Student/Public Space. Bata Podium - 2pm – on Thursday April 7th 2005. PETERBOROUGH, ONT. – On Thursday, April 7th, 2005 at 2pm, Trent Students, Faculty, Staff and Community Members will be gathering once again outside the Bata Podium for another powerful demonstration in support of student and public common space at Trent University. There will be a rally and speak-out outside the Bata Library followed by a march through campus and then a study sit-in to create public space at Gzowski College. A large number of students are expected to join the demonstration to express their discontent with privatization and corporatization of public space on campus. With the widely-attended march and sit-in at Gzowski College Cafeteria in November 2004 with over 100 students organized by Trent Action, concerns were expressed regarding Aramark and the University’s creation of a de facto private property cafeteria accessible only to those with economic privilege. It has now been almost 6 months since the concerns were voiced and nothing appears to have been done. Although a Gzowski Cafeteria Review Committee was set up by the College to examine the issue, it was a slow moving process, and in the mean time, neither Aramark nor the University did anything to construct a temporary solution that would create a more inclusive environment. Many students feel that while the original student committee opted for a buffet-meal plan, the administration is accountable for the problem of restricted public space at Gzowski and is responsible for implementing an effective and efficient change to the current unacceptable error by the University. In attempts to appease the Trent community, students were told that a commons area would be appearing in Enweying in the second term of the 2004-2005 school year, which has still not materialized. Further to the issue, Gzowski College has become a target of corporate and private interests, particularly with recent suggestions to allow Starbucks coffee service to run outside the cafeteria. Over the past few weeks, Trent Action and the OPIRG Fair Trade Group have been working together to oppose Starbucks on campus. “A corporate coffee service would not be necessary if steps were taken to ensure adequate student/community space (i.e.. common rooms) at Gzowski/Enweying,” reaffirms Sarah Lamble, a Trent alumnus and teaching assistant with the Politics Department. “Open, accessible student/community space is vital to the healthy functioning of the university at large. Space that is saturated by corporate interests, does not, in my opinion, meet the criteria of public space.” The administration has continued to discourage student-run initiatives, instead favouring corporate interests on campus. Many students are committed to fight against this continual corporatization and privatization that has increasingly threatened student and public space on the university's campus. Sara Swerdlyk, a Native Studies major similarly shares a number of concerns with the new college dedicated to First Nations people, “Enweying is aanishnabe for ‘the way we speak together’ - this is obviously not congruent with a private dining hall, increasing corporate presence or lack of student space. I strongly believe that public student space free from corporate presence is essential for a thriving, healthy university campus and quality education. We must ensure that space within Trent is accessible to all so that we can continue an active and inclusive dialogue with each other.” With these unresolved issues over the year regarding the new college and the commercialization of the campus, Trent Action wrote a letter last week to several administrative personnel demanding answers to this unacceptable situation at Trent, and further requesting a detailed outline of the administration’s plans with regards to the cafeteria. However, the responses have been less than adequate. For these reasons, students and community members are once again preparing for another show of solidarity. The mass mobilization rally and study sit-in organized by Trent Action for Thursday constitutes 5 important demands and statements to the administration - 1. The immediate opening of Gzowski Cafeteria to students and public 2. Create student and public common space in Enweying (Gzowski College) 3. Oppose Starbucks on campus 4. Oppose corporatization and privatization of campus 5. Reaffirm University’s commitment to the College System. For further information: Amardeep Kaur Trent Action liaison, member and concerned student activist Email: amardeepkaur@trentu.ca Phone: 741-7814 Patrick Clark OPIRG Fair Trade Group Liaison and member of Trent Action Email: patrickclark@trentu.ca Phone: 741-0545 Sarena Santilly Concerned Gzowski Student and member of Trent Action Email: sarenasantilly@trentu.ca Phone: 741-4864 Sara Swerdlyk Member of Trent Action Email: saraswerdlyk@yahoo.ca Phone: 742-7621 Sarah Lamble Trent Alumnus, Teaching Assistant, and member of Trent Action Email: slamble@cogeco.ca About Trent Action Trent Action is a network of students, faculty, staff and alumni of Trent University. We unite with a common vision of the spirit of Trent University's interdisciplinary tradition, collegial system, and public education and we are facing the battle against University's lack of transparency, privatization of campus, and continual corporatization and centralization. Trent Action organizes dissent and student initiatives on various issues surrounding the broader Trent community. Website: www.TrentAction.ca Email: trentaction@hotmail.com |
