Three members of ‘The Stirling 13’ have been given additional suspensions and fines after further discipline meetings.
The meetings, which took place last week, resulted in further disciplinary action for three of the thirteen student activists due to previous breaches of the student discipline code.
Two of the students were fined £200 and have had their suspensions extended until the end of the semester. The other student was fined £400 and has been suspended until September 2021.
The thirteen students involved were originally suspended for eight weeks as a result of health and safety violations when fire exits were blocked during the occupation of the Cottrell building’s management offices in December 2019.
A statement from the group Suspended Students of Stirling spoke about the penalties imposed, describing them as “punitive and unreasonable” and criticised the fines being imposed during the Coronavirus crisis.
“In the midst of the havoc being wreaked by Covid-19, Stirling University has decided to return to its unreasonable methods of punishment by not only suspending three of the 13 Stirling students for a period of one semester to one academic year but they have also applied a financial punishment ranging from £200-£400 each and a period of 28 days to pay this.
“With the ongoing economic crisis where people have lost their income or seen it significantly reduced we are disgusted that the university should choose to punish its student activists with further harsh measures – continuing their drastic and draconian assault against peaceful protesters.
“We view the university’s actions as punitive and unreasonable.”
– SUSPENDED STUDENTS OF STIRLING
“We view the university’s actions an punitive and unreasonable, with the intention to suppress student activism and solidarity with our staff who have been engaging in industrial action.
“Any individual wishing to pursue action against the University is welcome to do so but there will be no action taken by the group as a whole.”
The group set up a donation page to raise the money to pay the £800 total of the fines. They managed to raise the amount in less than 24 hours.
The Stirling 13
Mar 9: A rally is held at the main entrance of the uni protesting the suspensions.
May 1: Remaining three occupiers fined and have suspensions extended.
“We are astonished and incredibly grateful for the generosity and solidarity which has been put into action by people today.
“Managing to raise the total of £800 in under 24 hours in support of students being punitively punished for peaceful demonstration highlights the injustice of the university’s actions, and the strength of feeling people have in supporting us.
“We look forward to continuing to pressure the University to improve as well as reflect on its mistakes throughout this process, and thanks to your help we will be able to do this without a financial burden pressing over our heads.”
The other ten suspended students had their eight-week suspensions ended early by the university due to the Coronavirus outbreak.
The University of Stirling does not comment on individual cases of disciplinary matters.
Featured image credit: Suspended Students of Stirling – Facebook
Foolish kids…