Staff at the National College of Art and Design issued a letter of support to students after they staged a mass sit-in at the college yesterday.
Staff at the National College of Art and Design issued a letter of support to students after they staged a mass sit-in at the college yesterday.
Some 40 staff members signed the letter of solidarity addressed to the students.
The letter stated that the staff members “fully support the student concerns about management of funding, resources and student numbers”.
NCAD students launched a student action campaign after the college received €104 million in funding that went unaccounted for.
Student numbers are also on the rise, meanwhile the undergraduate courses have been decreased from 4 years to 3.
Last Friday, over 400 students hand-delivered letter of demands to the college’s director, Declan McGonagle.
He was due to meet with the students yesterday to discuss their concerns, but cancelled one hour before the meeting was scheduled to take place.
Students then occupied the college’s board room and staff room in protest.
Many staff members were also present at the occupation.
It is important to note that the majority of the senior management play no part in the teaching or day-to-day runnings of the college.
The letter goes on to say, “the reputation of the college is endangered by the actions of Senior Management, who have presided over a situation which incrementally places the operation and reputation of the college in peril”.
Students are also receiving support from trade union SIPTU, artist Jesse Jones and literary critic Terry Eagleton.
Laura Colgan
Photo Credit: NCAD Student Action
Leave a Reply