CRIM211 students took “desperate measures” and staged a muted protest on Friday, boycotting their 2pm lecture to try to raise awareness of recent tutorial cuts.
A few students attended the lecture anyway, to good-natured boos and cries of “Traitor!” from the protesters.
“Plenty of them probably thought there wouldn’t be a class today or something so they didn’t bother coming. It’s kind of ironic, really,” pointed out one CRIM211 protester. “We’re not attending class to protest against not being able to attend classes.”
Students stood amiably in the Kirk foyer, some holding a banner saying ‘CUTBACK? FIGHT BACK.’
The Victoria University of Wellington academic staff:student ratio has risen from 1:16 in 2008 to 1:18 in 2009, with an increase of English staff:student rations from 1:15 to 1:21.
Some tutors have resigned due to greatly increased workloads coupled with pay cuts, despite the 10 percent increase in fees this year.
There is no official word if the boycott would be a reoccurring fixture.