Porters’ lodges to reopen
THE UNIVERSITY has announced its intention to reopen closed porters lodges on campus, bringing portering back to the October 2006 service benchmark. The announcement comes in the wake of a number of campaigns by both students and academics, as well as an open letter circulated by Nouse bearing more than 1,400 signatures.
In a letter dated February 15 Keith Lilley, Director of Facilities Management, laid out his intention to “return to a 24-hour portering service in Wentworth, Vanbrugh and Derwent.”
All three have had their lodges closed since January 21. The letter also confirms the intentions to shift Langwith from the 24-hour footing it has been on for the duration of the porters crisis back to being open “7am to 10pm Monday to Friday, and 8am to 10pm Saturday/Sunday.”
Lilley’s letter has been treated with cautious optimism by JCRC chairs. Jamie Tyler, Chair of Derwent JCRC, commented that “Lilley’s intentions seem genuine but you can’t believe it until it’s actually happened.”
He added that JCRCs would “keep fighting the cause to make sure “the lodges reopen.” Langwith JCRC Chair, Won Youn, was philosophical about the cut in hours at his college saying “It’s a shame that it’s only going to be a day porter, but the University has to cut costs don’t they? We’ll continue to fight on but there’s only so much we can do.”
The announcement is a sign of success for the multi-pronged campaign from campus groups to force management to restore portering. The campaign included Nouse’s open letter, widespread graffiti on campus and a mass YUSU poster campaign. However, management has thus far refused to comment on the demand made by Nouse’s open letter that an investigation be held into the causes of the crisis, and that those responsible be held accountable.
John Grogan, MP for Selby, Hugh Bayley, MP for the City of York, and Iain Duncan-Smith, MP for Chingford and Woodford Green and former Conservative Party leader, have all made their concerns known to the University. All three received a prompt response, while the open letter carrying 14,00 signatures, including those of numerous senior University academics, remains unanswered.
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