PaRCha - JNU - AISA material - 2012 ID-30763
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Again, for the first time in JNU, the JNUSU organised school-level Brainstorming Sessions with students and faculty, towards a broad academic rejuvenation in JNU. Before the BoS meetings, these brainstorming sessions created a platform where common students (not just elected representatives) and faculty members could discuss serious academic issues in a transparent, non-hierarchical, democratic manner. Various issues, like the need to introduce new courses, reasons for high drop-out rates, and the need to democratise the classroom atmosphere were brought up, and a broad consensus on these issues was painstakingly built. As a result, when JNUSU councillors brought up these issues in the BoS meetings, they were even supported by some faculty members, who saw merit in the students arguments and demands. As a consequence, several new courses are in the process of being introduced. .
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An OPEN HOUSE on Translation Of Basic Academic Texts was organised with experts in the area, towards addressing the language barrier in academics for the first time in JNU. .
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Vigilance in the Admission process: As a result of JNUSUs timely interventions, the JNU administration released second lists this year, in order to fulfill reservations and the intake mandated by JNUs Academic Council. .
Fighting Administrative High-handedness and Attempts at Fee-hike and User Charges: Administrative attempts to impose fee hikes and user charges in Mahanadi and Yamuna were robustly resisted and pushed back. JNUSU also repeatedly intervened and protested against the authoritarian behavior of various hostel wardens in Yamuna, Koyna and Shipra and in a united struggle with the residents of Yamuna forced the exit of the Yamuna hostel warden. .
School-level achievements: JNUSU pushed for academic rejuvenation, introduction of new courses and democratisation of academics. After JNUSUs intervention, the process for instituting new courses and lecture modules has been instituted. .
In SSS, a new lecture module on gender is being considered. SIS has agreed to introduce a new course on Global Southern Theories and History of International Relations from the third world perspective. Digitisation of the library and an Online Database in SIS is being put in place. .
The process of increasing the number of optional courses offered by SSS and SIS has been initiated. In SAA too, a workshop for research methodology will be organised, and new optional and compulsory courses were introduced this semester. New faculty recruitments, which was one of the important demands of the student community, has started. .
In SLL&CS, the issue of disintegration of the BA/MA programme has been reopened after JNUSUs intervention. JNUSU also opposed and successfully stopped the proposal of compulsory attendance, and this was not allowed to be passed at the BoS. Kalrav and the schools wall magazine was revived. Regarding improvement in infrastructure, new water coolers and computers have been installed in SSS, SIS as well as SL, and the SIS common room has been opened. .
Towards ensuring workers rights: JNUSU had to repeatedly intervene to ensure a range of demands. 16 safai karamcharis working with Garima were terminated by the administration; JNUSU immediately intervened and ensured that all of them were taken back. Moreover, JNUSU had to repeatedly intervene to ensure that arrears due to workers (from salary increments announced in April 2011 and November 2011) were paid to them. Contractors had been dilly-dallying these payments for months together, and JNUSU finally managed to ensure workers arrears only a couple of months back. JNUSU has also raised the issue of legally mandated ESI/PF payments for all workers employed in JNU. .
Intervention with the UGC: JNUSU articulated these issues of social inclusion, democratisation of decision-making bodies, financial assistance and campus democracy at every possible forum. When the UGC sought participation and comments in a meeting on its document Guidelines for Students Entitlements and Obligations, .
JNUSU was the only students union or students body to provide a detailed critique, rebutting the underlying philosophy, as well as specific provisions of the UGC note. The document submitted by JNUSU, which articulated demands for enhanced financial assistance, translation of texts, democratic participation of students in decision-making bodies, and right to student union elections, became the rallying point for all student representatives from various national organisations who attended the meeting. This document, which has been unanimously endorsed by these student representatives, is now an established rejoinder to the UGC note prepared by various Vice Chancellors. .
Solidarity with students and people's struggles: JNUSU has never seen JNU as an island, far removed from the social and political realities of the world surrounding us. During April this year, when the students in two of Delhis campuses (IP university and IGNOU) have been agitating against anti-student administrative policies the JNUSU representatives visited the two campuses regularly and participated in the struggle. JNUSU organized active support and solidarity to Rohingya refugees from Burma, to the workers of the Maruti plant in Manesar, to the struggling people in Koodamkulam, and against the recent racially motivated threats and attacks against people from the north-east. JNUSU also collected relied funds for flood-hit people of Assam. .
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PaRCha - JNU - AISA material - 2012 ID-30763
.
.
Again, for the first time in JNU, the JNUSU organised school-level Brainstorming Sessions with students and faculty, towards a broad academic rejuvenation in JNU. Before the BoS meetings, these brainstorming sessions created a platform where common students (not just elected representatives) and faculty members could discuss serious academic issues in a transparent, non-hierarchical, democratic manner. Various issues, like the need to introduce new courses, reasons for high drop-out rates, and the need to democratise the classroom atmosphere were brought up, and a broad consensus on these issues was painstakingly built. As a result, when JNUSU councillors brought up these issues in the BoS meetings, they were even supported by some faculty members, who saw merit in the students arguments and demands. As a consequence, several new courses are in the process of being introduced. .
.
.
An OPEN HOUSE on Translation Of Basic Academic Texts was organised with experts in the area, towards addressing the language barrier in academics for the first time in JNU. .
.
.
Vigilance in the Admission process: As a result of JNUSUs timely interventions, the JNU administration released second lists this year, in order to fulfill reservations and the intake mandated by JNUs Academic Council. .
Fighting Administrative High-handedness and Attempts at Fee-hike and User Charges: Administrative attempts to impose fee hikes and user charges in Mahanadi and Yamuna were robustly resisted and pushed back. JNUSU also repeatedly intervened and protested against the authoritarian behavior of various hostel wardens in Yamuna, Koyna and Shipra and in a united struggle with the residents of Yamuna forced the exit of the Yamuna hostel warden. .
School-level achievements: JNUSU pushed for academic rejuvenation, introduction of new courses and democratisation of academics. After JNUSUs intervention, the process for instituting new courses and lecture modules has been instituted. .
In SSS, a new lecture module on gender is being considered. SIS has agreed to introduce a new course on Global Southern Theories and History of International Relations from the third world perspective. Digitisation of the library and an Online Database in SIS is being put in place. .
The process of increasing the number of optional courses offered by SSS and SIS has been initiated. In SAA too, a workshop for research methodology will be organised, and new optional and compulsory courses were introduced this semester. New faculty recruitments, which was one of the important demands of the student community, has started. .
In SLL&CS, the issue of disintegration of the BA/MA programme has been reopened after JNUSUs intervention. JNUSU also opposed and successfully stopped the proposal of compulsory attendance, and this was not allowed to be passed at the BoS. Kalrav and the schools wall magazine was revived. Regarding improvement in infrastructure, new water coolers and computers have been installed in SSS, SIS as well as SL, and the SIS common room has been opened. .
Towards ensuring workers rights: JNUSU had to repeatedly intervene to ensure a range of demands. 16 safai karamcharis working with Garima were terminated by the administration; JNUSU immediately intervened and ensured that all of them were taken back. Moreover, JNUSU had to repeatedly intervene to ensure that arrears due to workers (from salary increments announced in April 2011 and November 2011) were paid to them. Contractors had been dilly-dallying these payments for months together, and JNUSU finally managed to ensure workers arrears only a couple of months back. JNUSU has also raised the issue of legally mandated ESI/PF payments for all workers employed in JNU. .
Intervention with the UGC: JNUSU articulated these issues of social inclusion, democratisation of decision-making bodies, financial assistance and campus democracy at every possible forum. When the UGC sought participation and comments in a meeting on its document Guidelines for Students Entitlements and Obligations, .
JNUSU was the only students union or students body to provide a detailed critique, rebutting the underlying philosophy, as well as specific provisions of the UGC note. The document submitted by JNUSU, which articulated demands for enhanced financial assistance, translation of texts, democratic participation of students in decision-making bodies, and right to student union elections, became the rallying point for all student representatives from various national organisations who attended the meeting. This document, which has been unanimously endorsed by these student representatives, is now an established rejoinder to the UGC note prepared by various Vice Chancellors. .
Solidarity with students and people's struggles: JNUSU has never seen JNU as an island, far removed from the social and political realities of the world surrounding us. During April this year, when the students in two of Delhis campuses (IP university and IGNOU) have been agitating against anti-student administrative policies the JNUSU representatives visited the two campuses regularly and participated in the struggle. JNUSU organized active support and solidarity to Rohingya refugees from Burma, to the workers of the Maruti plant in Manesar, to the struggling people in Koodamkulam, and against the recent racially motivated threats and attacks against people from the north-east. JNUSU also collected relied funds for flood-hit people of Assam. .
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