El Zanaty Blasts Suspension

Nezar El Zanaty, AUC’s Student Union (SU) Vice-President, has called his suspension and denial of access to the university an “unlawful” measure taken by the university’s administration.

The decision to suspend him came after his involvement in today’s protests and campus gate closures.

El Zanaty, along with over 15 AUC students seen as the organizers of the protests against AUC tuition hikes, was sent an e-mail by the student disciplinary committee communicating their suspension with no duration or deadlines until an investigation is completed.

El Zanaty stressed that his involvement in the protests was as a regular student and not as an SU representative.

The SU made it clear that it did not take part in or support the gate closures.

The SU issued a statement through Facebook yesterday saying that it will continue to work at the issue of tuition increase pursuing, “all legal ways including a case in front of the state council.”

However, according to the statement, the SU would not, “support any act that demonstrates unjust infringement to the rights, liberties and freedom of choice of other students and members of AUC community.”

Mohamed Hassan, known on campus as ‘Antak,’ a prominent AUC activist, was also suspended after his involvement.

Both El Zanaty and Antak describe their suspension as unlawful.

“A hearing should have taken place first,” Antak said.

He also added that he will go back to campus tomorrow and stand once more at the gates, encouraging students not to enter.

“The students who were suspended are very popular on campus,” he said, “The administration made a huge mistake.”

However, El Zanaty did not say what is going to be his next action.

For about three hours today, starting eight o’clock in the morning, a number of students protested the seven percent tuition increase by blocking all entrances to campus. They chained the gates, parked cars in front of them and stood in the way of students who wished to enter.

However, most faculty and staff were allowed in smoothly, but many cancelled class due to the low student turnout.

The gates were opened finally for all vehicles and students around 11 o’clock after the increasing dissatisfaction of students who wanted to enter the campus.

Brian MacDougall, vice president for administration, told The Caravan earlier today that organizers of the protest will be suspended because, “they obstructed access to the university campus in a way unsafe and unacceptable.”

The administration issued a campus-wide press release in which it described the gate closures as, “a direct violation of university policy,” and added that, “The University’s Freedom of Expression policy protects the rights of all members of the community to express their views without infringing on the rights of others.”

Antak, along with representatives of the SU, met with the entire university cabinet today, with the exception of President Lisa Anderson who was not present, and discussed the protests.

During the meeting, the students insisted on introducing tuition caps and revising this year’s seven percent tuition increase.

“Either reduce the seven per cent or cancel it,” Ali Osman, an SU representative, said, “It also cannot increase in the future.”

Osman also said that the administration agreed during the meeting to communicate the students’ demands to the Board of Trustees.

However, MacDougall told The Caravan that the university’s budget for the year 2013 was approved last May by the board of trustees and that it’s in action and cannot be changed.

Back then, the student movement submitted a proposal to the board with their demands, but it was refused.

“It will not be practical to think that the university is going to take away its budget in a year that has already started,” he said.

“The seven percent increase has already been implemented and students have paid their tuition,” MacDougall added.

In addition, he explained that, the university can study options for the upcoming years.

He commented on the tuition cap model saying that it should be fair to all students and “should guarantee that future students don’t pay a disproportionate share of an increase for the benefit of other [already enrolled] students, there has to be a balance.”

According to AUC’s budget plan, the seven percent increase will continue for the next three years.

The university budget is currently at a deficit of three million dollars, and according to the plan that was announced in a public meeting last week, this deficit is to be maintained this year and decreased after until a breakeven is reached in three years time.