We at Common Ground just love it when people come together to make change. So we thought we’d give a shout-out to the new student Campaign ‘Class Act’.
“Once the access work finishes and we arrive at Oxford, the support too often ends.”
Oxford students Jaycie Carter and Eden Bailey submitted a motion to OUSU (the Oxford University Students’ Union) to set up a committee “open to all OUSU’s student members who self-identify as working class, low income, state comprehensive school educated, or a first-generation student.” It was passed by an overwhelming majority.
As Jaycie Carter told Oxford student-newspaper, Cherwell: “Currently, the needs of students represented by the Class Act campaign—working class, low income, state comprehensive school educated and first generation students—are neither adequately discussed nor addressed by the University or by our colleges.
“Once the access work finishes and we arrive at Oxford, the support too often ends. Our campaign aims to bring about much-needed change by representing these students, campaigning on their issues and providing them with support networks and community.”
Eden Bailey, who seconded the motion, pictured campaigning against the NSS. Don’t sign that by the way, finalists, it’s used to justify raising fees.
Eden Bailey, who seconded the motion, is the OUSU VP for Access and Academic Affairs. She will be chairing the debate on class, race and access at the symposium.
Eden told Cherwell: “There is important work to be done across UK universities, particularly those in the Russell Group, in ensuring that all students feel truly welcome and are fully supported at university, regardless of their background.
“Over 70 per cent of students who identified as working class agreed with the statement ‘your class was a barrier when integrating at university.”
The motion cited the recent Educating All report, which surveyed students at top Russell Group universities, finding that “over 70 per cent of students who identified as working class agreed with the statement ‘your class was a barrier when integrating at university.'”
Common Ground would like to thank Jaycie and Eden for their work in supporting working-class students at Oxford. You are both LEGENDS!
If you are a working-class student at Oxford who wants to get involved, the first campaign meeting is this Monday (1st May) 7:30pm at OUSU.
See more from the Cherwell’s article here.
Common Ground Oxford 