Around one hundred students assembled in Wadham’s front quad today to protest against rent increases.
The ‘sit-in’ was part of a rent campaign organised by the college’s Student Union President, Leonora Sagan. She claims that students have not received fair representation in rent negotiation.
Sagan, who spoke over a megaphone to assembled undergraduates during the sit-in, claimed that there had been a 46% rent increase in the past six years.
Addressing the crowd, she said, “the rent increase is far out of line with national interest rates.”
Wadham SU President Leonora Sagan claimed that the college had ignored her request for student representation in rent discussions.
Students chanted slogans including Union anthem ‘Solidarity Forever’ at the protest, which ran for over an hour on Thursday lunchtime. One third year at the event called for “a rent revolution.”
The increase in rent for Wadhamites in the academic year 2008-2009 remains at 4%.
Che Ramsden, a first year English student, agreed with the SU President.
Ramsden described the rent increases as “absolutely ridiculous”.
“It is an access issue, as students have to rely on money other than student loans to pay battels,” she added.
Third year historian Robin Clyfan complained that Wadham had failed to justify the rent increases.
He said, “there has been no reasonable explanation for the increases.”
Wadham Warden Sir Neil Chalmers went to view the protest. He denied any suggestion that students had not been consulted.
“We have had extensive discussions with students over a long period of time,” he said.
“Our governing body has come to a decision about next year’s rent that is fair both for this generation of students and for future generations.”
