About
SAFE
The Executive
The
Constitution
Campaign
Songs
About
SAFE
SAFE (Students Against Fees in Education) is a non
party-political group of primarily first-year students at
Oxford University vehemently opposed to the Government's
reforms of higher education funding in the UK. We believe
that the legislation was hastily drawn up and that more
consultation with students and universities is needed.
We feel that the up to £1025 tuition fees that students
face and the abolition of the maintenance grant to aid less
well-off students will result in higher education becoming a
privilege for the few. For this reason, Oxford students have
taken part in numerous protests (see other pages of this
site for details) and SAFE will be responsible for
coordinating the mass non-payment of tuition fees in
Michaelmas Term 1999.
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The
Executive
Jon Worth, Merton College - Chair
Responsible for the general organisation of SAFE, contact
with the media and chairing meetings. you want any more
general information about SAFE or the funding situation in
general or would like to know when the next meeting is,
please contact:
jonathan.worth@merton.ox.ac.uk
Tom Bennett, Hertford College - Treasurer
Responsible for overseeing the SAFE bank account and
devising ways of raising
funds for the campaign.Contact:
thomas.bennett@hertford.ox.ac.uk
Eleanor Fletcher, Worcester College - Secretary
Responsible for taking minutes at meetings and making
these available to all on the SAFE e-mail list. Also lets
SAFE know the location and time of future
meetings.Contact:
mary.stevens@hertford.ox.ac.uk
Jon Worth, Merton College - Communications Officer
Responsible for maintaining this website and the SAFE
e-mail list. If you would like to be added to the SAFE list
to receive information about the latest campaign
developments and the times of meetings, please send an
e-mail to:
jonathan.worth@merton.ox.ac.uk
Mary Stevens, Hertford College - Publicity
Representative
Responsibile for publicising SAFE and the campaign in
general, in liason with the Communications Officer.
Contact:
mary.stevens@hertford.ox.ac.uk
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SAFE
Constitution
We are supposed to follow this document, but in reality,
circumstances occasionally dictate that the rules are not
applied.
Preamble:
SAFE is an inter-collegiate assembly created to represent
the individual college committees that are opposed to
tuition fees (CAF Committees) SAFE is a non-party political
body committed to peaceful demonstration, on the purely
single issue of Higher Education Funding.
S.1 Aims and Objectives:
Aim: To look at issues of student funding.
S.1a) Primary aims:
i) Abolition of tuition fees.
ii) Restoration of the maintenance grant.
S.1b) Secondary Aims:
i) Educate on issues and combat apathy amongst students.
ii) Reach out to colleges that are not represented in
SAFE.
iii) Oppose top-up fees.
iv) Liaise with OUSU, Finance and Funding Committee and the
University authorities on behalf of the entire campaign.
S.2 Internal SAFE organisation:
S.2a) Voting rights:
i) Voting rights in SAFE are to be limited to two votes per
college, exercised by two appointed/elected representatives
of the College CAF committee. (Anyone else may attend
meetings, speak, and propose motions.)
ii) Votes are only to be valid if 10 colleges are in
attendance at the meeting.
iii) SAFE elections will be held based on a simple majority
voting system.
S.2b) Executive:
i) Duties of the Chair
Responsible for chairing meetings and organising the holding
of SAFE meetings. Also organising the liaison with Finance
and Funding committee.
ii) Duties of the Secretary
Responsible for taking minutes of meetings and making them
available on the SAFE e-mail list, producing the agenda and
motion sheets, publicising meeting times and venues.
iii) Duties of Communications Officer
Maintaining the e-mail list and web-site
iv) Duties of the Publicity Representative
Publishing press releases, liaison with local and national
media, and with college CAF committee Publicity
representatives.
v) Duties of Treasurer
Overseeing SAFE funds (including the SAFE bank account), and
devising ways of raising capital.
S.2c) Further provisions on Executive:
i) The same person may hold any two executive positions
(excluding secretary) at any one time.
ii) Non-first years may only hold executive positions in
Michaelmas term.
S.3 Elections:
i) Elections to be held in sixth week for the executive
positions for the following term. The newly elected
executive will assume their office on Sunday of 0th week of
that next term
ii) Upon a unanimous vote, elections may be postponed for a
term (at maximum).
S.4 Colleges:
Due to differing circumstances in colleges, individual
college CAF committees will be responsible for their own
organisation of anti-fees/non-payment campaigns.
SAFE will support the actions of College CAF Committees as
long as they comply with this constitution.
S.5 Miscellaneous:
i) This Constitution is binding upon SAFE. Amendment may
only be made if 2/3 of college representatives present at
the meeting, vote in favour of such amendment.
ii) E-mail List rules:
-Title of all messages must contain the word SAFE
-E-mails the list must be constructive in nature, and comply
with OUCS rules
-E-mail list is to be reserved only for minutes and agendas
of meetings; notification of time and venue of meetings, the
latest campaign news (national/college etc.), and also
propositions for the agenda.
-The e-mail list is not a forum for debate. Debate should
occur at SAFE meetings
-Anyone who wishes to join the SAFE e-mail list should
contact the Communications Officer.
-Anyone who breaks these rules may be removed from the SAFE
list at the discretion of the executive.
iii) Motions and agenda discussion points:
-Motions will be restricted to policy changes such as
finance and constitutional amendments.
-Motions and agenda discussion points are to reach secretary
by 7pm, two days in advance of a meeting if possible.
-Motions must be worded in the form 'SAFE notes…. SAFE
believes… SAFE therefore resolves…'
-Emergency motions and other business will be discussed the
meeting. In these circumstances the Chair has discretion of
whether such business is debated.
S.6 Definition
CAF stands for Campaign Against Fees- just in case you were
wondering (!)
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Campaign
Songs
While occupying Examination
Schoolsand at other times when protesters have had nothing
better to do, the following campaign songs have been
written:
GRANT CHEQUES
(to the tune of 'Angels'
by Robbie Williams)
I sit and wait
Education, what will be your fate?
And do we know
The place the money goes
When we pay our fees?
And you must be told
Education, must never be sold
They must abolish fees
We'll bring them to their knees
So all can get degrees
And we'll have grant cheques instead
Chorus
And through it all
We're offered no protection
Until the next election
Whether it's blue or red
So down with Tony Blair
'Cos he's a slimy bastard
Whose promises never lasted
After the polls had closed
Cover him in custard
We'll have our grant cheques instead
So we're prepared
To fight for this cause
With all our might
So Blair watch out
As we're sure to always get support
And as the movement grows
Protesting students in their droves
Get it into your head
We'll have our grant cheques instead
Chorus
© S. Furssedonn, R. Halkett, E. Wood
YESTERDAY
Yesterday
All my triubles seemed so far away
Now my grant seems it's gone away
Oh I believe in yesterday
Suddenly
Uni's not the place it used to be
There's a bank loan hanging over me
Oh I believe in yesterday
Why grants had to go
I don't know
Blair wouldn't say
Fees are surely wrong
Now I long for yesterday
Now we say
Education must be free today
So that people don't get scared away
Oh I believe in yesterday
© The Occupiers, Exam Schools
OH STUDENTS,
STUDENTS
(to the tune of 'Baby One
More Time' by Britney Spears)
Oh students, students
How were we supposed to know
That Blair was to impose fees?
Oh students, students
How could Labour stoop so low?
So now we must fight fees, yeah
Chorus
Hear us, this ain't how it should be
Listen Tony 'cos you need to know now
Oh because these huge debts are just crippling us
Oi Tony now
We must confess
We still believe, still believe
Education must still be kept free
Oh such surprise
They've kicked the students one more time
Oh students, students
Our reasons are oh so clear
Education free for all, yeah
Oh students, students
Why is study quite this dear?
Give us back our grant cheques
Chorus
Oh students, students (x3)
How were we supposed to know?
Oh students, students
How could Labour stoop so low?
And so we stress
That these huge debts
Are crippling us now
Don't forget we still believe
Education must be free
Oh such surprise
They've kicked the students one more time
© Jon Worth
WHY DON'T YOU TAX THE
RICH?
(to the tune of 'Why don't you get a job?' by the
Offspring)
My friend goes to college and he
thinks it's great
He tells me every day.
But Tony Blair's been tearing up the welfare state
Since two year's ago last May.
New Labour's cutting taxes for its wealthy friends,
And making all us students pay.
We've lost our grants and now we have to deal with fees.
Well, my friend, you've got to say:
I won't pay!
I won't pay!
No way-ay-ay!
0h no - why don't you tax the rich?
Say no way!
Say no way!
Say no way-ay-ay!
Oh no - why don't you tax the rich?
My friend goes to uni and she thinks it's great
She tells me every day.
But Tony Blair's still tearing up the welfare state
And telling us we've got to pay.
We save all our money, but it isn't enough
To keep our college bursars at bay.
We get a student loan, but it just isn't enough
Now our grants have been taken away.
CHORUS
I guess it's easy simply robbing the poor -
Oh yeah!
But, hey Tone, students just won't play along
Anymore. . .
I won't give you no money!
I simply won't pay!
Oh no - why don't you tax the rich?
Say no way!
Say no way!
Say no way-ay-ay!
Oh no - why don't you tax the rich?
© Sasha Ismail
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