Liberal Arts Students Vote to Strike

The Liberal Arts Students (LAS) voted to strike against austerity at a general assembly Tuesday afternoon. The strike will take place from April 1 to April 2.

They join the Fine Arts Student Alliance, the Undergraduate Students of Philosophy Association, and the Sociology and Anthropology Graduate Student Association in passing a strike motion.

The new mandate will be enforced by ‘hard’ picket-lines, which means liberal arts students will link arms to physically prevent students and professors from entering the building. In addition, teach-ins and other workshops will be arranged during those days to educate about the effects of austerity.

“I’m happy we had such a big turnout, and it passed with such a clear majority,” said Amanda Siino, VP Social of LAS. “I feel there will be more unity with the approach of the strike in the way that we dealt with [the assembly].”

Aloyse Muller, the VP External of LAS, says he proposed a two-day strike because it will be “enforceable.” A member of the Political Science Student Association as well, Muller proposed at their March 9 general assembly to have a weeklong strike. That decision was postponed for a special general assembly this upcoming Monday.

Two more student associations are voting to strike this week. The Geography Undergraduate Student Society is holding a general assembly Wednesday at 4:15, while the School of Community and Public Affairs Student Association will hold its assembly Thursday at 5:30.