Bolton Uni: Reinstate Shana Begum!


Hugh Caffrey , North West Socialist Party secretary

“Minta Minta Minta, Out Out Out!” and “V-C V-C V-C, Out Out Out!” echoed around the University of Bolton (UoB) on Monday as students denounced those responsible for undemocratically banning student union president Shana Begum.

Shana was re-elected with a big majority this year. In a disgraceful move, top management suspended her and imposed a close friend of the vice-chancellor, ‘chief operating officer’ Chris Minta.

Shana is clear why she’s been victimised: “In the past we’ve seen quiet presidents of the student union, but I see it as my job to represent students and lobby the university on their behalf.”

Shana urges everyone to: “bombard the vice-chancellor with emails, contact your union and protest against this. If other universities notice that UoB can do this to me and just kick out student union presidents, what then?”

Socialist Students and Socialist Party members joined the demonstration and are organising support for Shana including in the local trade union movement.

No rules here

University management have apparently broken the law by imposing an unelected university governor onto the union which legally must be run autonomously by students.

Worryingly, Minta is branch secretary for the UCU lecturers’ union at the university! UCU members need to be asking some hard questions about this.

There have also been mischief-making complaints by racist troublemakers in the BNP. Shana is a single mother of Bangladeshi origin.

An extremely heavy police and private-security presence on campus was followed by the university closing down early ahead of Monday’s demonstration with no explanation given to students who questioned this.

Demonstrate on Monday 18 June, 5pm, outside Chancellor’s Mall, followed by public meeting: “How Bolton Students Can Save Our Union”, 6pm, location TBC

Messages of protest to vice-chancellor Dr George Holmes:

01204 903 001; [email protected]; Vice-Chancellor’s office, University of Bolton, Deane Road, Bolton, BL3 5AB

Messages of support to: 07596 460 178; [email protected]