Byam Shaw occupation wins with charter for Art

In the wake of the wave of occupations for Gaza, Byam Shaw Art College occupiers win their demands. More soon at the Byam Shaw People's University blog
The Charter

1. Workshops

The University will make every effort to find staff to enable a return to 5 day access; the Digital Workshop will be opened 5 days a week from 10am till 5pm and cover will be found to enable access to the Printmaking workshop on Mondays in addition to its current opening. This is to be implemented by 20th April 2009.



2. 2 Elthorne Road

Studio opening times will be reviewed to provide appropriate equitable access.

In practice this means 9am - 8pm on Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs and 9am - 6pm Friday.

On occasions when ‘Byam Bar’ takes place on a Thursday in 2 Elthorne Road, and all BA Fine Art students attend, Elthorne Studios will close by 6pm. This is to be implemented by 20th April 2009.



3. Communication between CSM and Students at Byam Shaw

Better communication at College and local level will be provided. The Head of College will attend an all student meeting before the 20th March 2009 to discuss the ‘vision’ for the future and explain the overall budget and the budget setting process.



4. Revalidation of courses

Byam Shaw Alumni and Student Representatives will be involved in the revalidation consultation of the BA Fine Art course from this point onwards. At University-wide level, at the summer term meeting of the Arts London Academic Standards and Development Committee (ASDC) decisions will be taken with input from the Students’ Union and their Representatives on the best way to extend students’ opportunities to participate in the development of courses and their documents in a timely fashion – through informal discussion and formal structures for course development.



5. Changes in course provision from handbook materials

The University will introduce an earlier cycle of budget building and dissemination to Colleges and Courses, with the target that this year, budget transmission to CSM (and other Colleges) will take place 2-3 weeks earlier in spring/summer 2009 than in past years. This will enable any proposed changes in course resourcing to be considered well before implementation by the appropriate committees, with student representatives present and able to respond with their views and input to decisions. The Students’ Union will channel any complaints from Representatives who do not feel properly engaged in this process directly to senior staff at the University, who will commit to acting swiftly to rebalance the debates at course level.



6. The provision of cleaning and estates services at Byam Shaw

The University of the Arts London/Central Saint Martins will ensure students receive outstanding payment for cleaning services as soon as possible (based on students’ submission of information to the Principal of Byam Shaw), this is to be finalised by 20th March 2009.

The University will provide, by the 20th March 2009, any and all information available on the costs of Byam Shaw maintenance and cleaning before and after ring-fencing.

Student Representatives’ feedback and involvement will be prioritised, and influence the final decision in the estates in-house model evaluation process which is due by April 2009. The return to an in-house facilities model. will not be excluded from the possible future provision at Byam Shaw.

The opportunities for students to work within the University of the Arts London, including Byam Shaw students involvement with any cleaning contractor will be championed.



7. Shortfall in tutorial hours for existing Byam Shaw students

Based on a suggested stimulus ‘package’ to be assembled by the Byam Shaw Student Representatives in the following days, the University will provide support in terms of contact hours leading up to degree shows as a compromise/injection to cope with cuts in teaching budget and hours. This ‘package’ will be assembled and agreed between the school principal and the group, its financial elements confirmed before 20th March 2009, and will not have to be refunded at a later date.


8. Ensuring the strength of the Student Voice/Student Representatives

The Students’ Union in partnership with the University will pilot a project in the academic year 2009/2010 working on increasing participation and democratic management of its committees. The resources for this will be built into the University’s 2009/10 funding arrangement for the SU and a project which Arts London Deans are also mounting in this area, and any pre-agreed expenses incurred by the SU in progressing this project will be separately funded. The emphasis will be on moving towards the scenario of providing Student Representatives with the equivalent of a “vote, but not a veto”.



9. Senior Staff and high level finance for the University

The Students’ Union will analyse financial data publicly available on senior management pay – as published in the University’s Annual Accounts – and will consider its wider relevance. If there is difficulty in interpreting this data, the University’s Finance Department will be available to provide officers of the SU with appropriate support and guidance.



10. “Byam Shaw School of Art”

Throughout the revalidation process, maintaining the distinctiveness of Fine Art provision at Byam Shaw will be fully addressed. The name of the “Byam Shaw School of Art” and the association of the School name with relevant courses here, the site in Archway and its characteristic student population, a range of programmes in Fine Art, the leading role that practicing staff play, the workshops and other learning facilities offering students continued engagement, are key characteristics that all contribute to the identity of Byam Shaw School of Art, which will continue to be core provision of courses here. The results of the revalidation process will reinforce the future direction of fine art education within Byam Shaw School of Art.



11. Student Representation

In line with the Students’ Union Governance review, local Byam Shaw representative elections will be held as soon as possible, and the input of the representatives formally recognised by the Students’ Union structures.

The results of the revalidation processes should ensure the distinct provision of Fine Art at Byam Shaw, including the maintenance of the main Byam Shaw School of Art, the site at Archway and its Fine Art community.


Signed

Alister Warman, Principal of Byam Shaw School of Art


Will Bridge, Deputy Rector, On Behalf of the University of the Arts London

Jane Rapley, Head of College, CSM, On behalf of Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design

Kit Friend, Campaigns & Communication, Officer On behalf of the Students’ Union of the University of the Arts London

Tarek Salhany & Laura Lenander, Elected Representatives of the Occupation, On behalf of the Students of Byam Shaw