The CVBs: not our allies

The CVBs are not our allies in the fight against the far-right budget cuts, at best, they are bystanders, waiting until it becomes clear who comes out on top, research and education or the far-right. For that reason, 0.7 is sad to announce that from here on out we will no longer view or treat the university boards as allies in our fight for a democratic academia and against the threat of a far-right government. This includes that we no longer see them as allies in our fight against the budget cuts. We consider them unfaithful, compromised, and part of the problem rather than solution, for 3 reasons: 1. They are already enacting the budget cuts (Leiden, Utrecht, URC, Twente, open Universiteit), 2. They are limiting the right to protest, and are eager to have their own staff and students arrested when they protest genocide and warmongering (Peter Paul Verbeek, Radboud), 3. They are deliberately ambiguous about the coming strikes (UU, Radboud). As 0.7 we have always communicated that we understand the proposed budget cuts as the ascend into far right nationalism, similar to that of other countries, and that the fight against the far-right needs to be based on solidarity, and democratic values. We believe that in this anti-fascist resistance, the CVBs of our universities, are sadly not our allies. We can’t pretend any longer that they won’t sell us out, once we need to rely on our allies. Time will prove us right, no doubt. We remain faithful to the coalition, to a free academia, the right to protest, and to solidarity and inclusion of all. The teachers, the workers, the displaced, to the brave.

0.7 in Not our allies (Zeropointseven.nl)