University of Warwick Students' Union

On Tuesday 19 November 2019, a collective of students known as Warwick Occupy led an occupation of three rooms in Warwick SUHQ for 30 days to protest allegations of institutional racism within Warwick SU. The collective were made up of several liberation groups and societies on campus including Warwick Anti -Racism Society, Warwick Anti-Sexism society, Warwick Pride and Warwick Labour. Months earlier, A letter sent from the Unison Warwick branch secretary on behalf of ten staff members claimed that the SU "has racism flourishing at its very heart".[8]

The initial protests that sparked the occupation began when retired Israeli Defense Force Colonel Eyal Dror was invited by the Warwick Jewish Israeli Society and Stand With Us UK to speak on campus. The event took place on 19 November, less than a week after at least 32 Palestinians were killed in Israeli air raids in Gaza led by the Israel Defence Force. Both the university and the students’ union ignored a statement with more than 250 signatures calling for the cancellation of the event. During the colonel’s talk, protestors linked arms and the protest eventually culminated in the occupation of three rooms in the SU headquarters.

On Thursday 19 December 2019, Day 30 of the occupation, Warwick Students' Union released a statement in which they acknowledged and apologised for their failings to battle institutional racism, and a further document titled On Warwick Occupy and Reconciliation' was also released in which they replied and conceded to all of Warwick Occupy's demands. The collective thus de-occupied the student union that day.[9] [10]

As of 10 January 2020 Warwick University is yet to formally acknowledge the occupation or the demands Warwick Occupy made pertaining them. [11]

In the Autumn of 2011, Warwick Students' Union passed policy against tuition fees which stated its position in defence of free education.[12]

In October 2014, a campaign group emerged, called Warwick for Free Education. The group rose to prominence after a sit-in at the University's Senate House was broken up by the police, who had been called in to deal with an assault of a university staff member. The police were accused of using excessive force, and video footage appears to a show a police officer using CS spray on students.[13] This led to an investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission.[14] In July 2015, one protester was found guilty of common assault, while another was found guilty of causing fear and provoking violence.[15]

In response to his handling of the situation and other issues, Warwick Students' Union passed a Vote of No Confidence against Nigel Thrift, Vice-Chancellor of the University.[16] A two-hour panel debate was held on the student protests, at which Thrift faced further criticism for calling students yobs.[17] University Registrar, Ken Sloan, said that Thrift's response was "very human" claiming that Thrift had been victim to a student campaign of targeted intimidation, and had been verbally abused and spat at near his home.[17] The Warwick for Free Education Campaign group denied any association with such attacks but claimed they "further highlight the widespread dissatisfaction and anger towards Nigel Thrift and his behaviour as VC".[18]

On 8 July 2015, the university committed to divesting from fossil fuels, and placing its investments elsewhere when an opportunity becomes available. This came in the wake of a successful student campaign, and union referendum at which 65% of voters supported divestment. At the time of the decision, the university held no direct investments in any of the 200 largest fossil fuel companies, but did hold indirect investments, which it pledged to eliminate.[19]

The Union South building underwent a £11 million refurbishment in spring 2008, which was completed in January 2010. The new facilities included a club and gig venue, The Copper Rooms, a pub, The Dirty Duck, a sandwich bar, The Bread Oven, a drinks bar, The Terrace Bar, a tea room, Curiositea, branches of Santander and Barclays banks, a pharmacy, a travel agent, spaces for societies and a pool room.[21]