Spine-less 

Lancaster’s Student-Staff Solidarity Bulletin | “The only strike bulletin so spicy it will self-combust 30 
seconds after reading” | No. 1, 28th November 2019 
 
 
institutionally sexist, abusive, and  students at two other universities 
S​taff and students stood in  exploitative. 
We are plenty competent 
already in occupation - Warwick, over 
Palestine, and Manchester, over the 
solidarity on the picket line for the 
third day in a row on Wednesday  enough to produce our own words  climate emergency. 
27th November.  without the SWP speaking for us.  Spine-less ​extends full 
The three picket locations were    solidarity to those students taking part 
well-attended. The Sports Centre  Andy Schofield and BAE  in occupations and would support any 
enjoyed some live music from the  Lancaster’s dubious relationship with  similar action at Lancaster. 
Picket Band, including a rousing  arms manufacturer BAE Systems has   
rendition of ‘Solidarity Forever’. A  been well-documented and  Students’ Union update 
sixth-former from Lancaster Youth for  well-protested.  Voting is open in LUSU cross-campus 
Environment also came down to tell  At Birmingham, Prof  and JCR elections, as well as in two 
picketers about the climate strike on  Schofield signed a ‘strategic agreement’  referendums. Students can vote at 
Friday.  with BAE. He said the agreement was  lancastersu.co.uk/vote. ​Spine-less 
A solitary security guard kept  “key to delivering our strategy.”  endorses a ‘No’ to selling the 
watch over the Sports Centre picket for  Those concerned about the  Sugarhouse, a ‘Yes’ to a democratic 
most of the morning. Prof Sharon  subordination of higher education to  Trustee Board, and a vote to put 
Huttly, Pro-VC for Education and EDI,  industrial capitalism, which demands an  Andrew Williams #1 for NUS Delegate. 
was also spotted in conversation with a  approved educational product, will not  Spine-less ​understands that 
couple picket supervisors at one point.  be heartened by this fact. Perhaps UCU  comrades Jude Rowley and Oliver 
That was followed by a  should invest in a copy of ​Warwick  Robinson have been rejected for the 
teach-out on racism at the Gregson.  University Ltd​ for Prof Schofield as a  position of (unelected) student trustee 
This was a thought-provoking session  welcoming gift?  on the Trustee Board. We wait with 
and it was very interesting to hear about    trepidation to see who has managed to 
the work of the Race Equality Network  Into the archives  secure the position that could be crucial 
and Why is my curriculum white?  One of the recurring questions at the  in determining the future of LUSU. 
Spine-less​ was dubious of  teach-outs so far has been “how did we   
some aspects of the presentation,  get here?”  Upcoming events 
however. The third video in the  Spine-less ​would like to point  Every day of the strike there is a picket 
‘transracialism’ segment, featuring a  those asking, firstly, to two places  line from 7.30am to 10am-ish. UCU 
18-year-old black man who believed he  online: subtext (lancaster.ac.uk/subtext)  members meetings are from 1pm to 
was a 35-year-old white man, presented  covers everything since 2005 while  1.30pm in the Gregson Centre, followed 
as fact, was from an episode of the  inkytext  by a teach-out from 1.30pm to 3pm. 
comedy show ​Atlanta​, written by  (maths.lancs.ac.uk/~rowlings/Inkytext)   
Donald Glover.  covers 1993 to 2000.  Lancaster Global Climate Strike — 
Spine-less​ also objects to the  Older stuff can be found in  Friday 29th, 11am, Market Square, LA1 
suggestion that UCU’s self-ID policy  physical form at the University Archive,  1JG 
for race is somehow insidious or  and can be accessed by arrangement   
revolutionary. How else do you  with the honorary archivist Marion  Public Seminar on the Democratic 
determine someone’s race other than by  McClintock. McClintock’s books,  Movement in Hong Kong​ — ​ ​ Saturday 
asking them? Some possible answers  Shaping the Future​ and ​Quest for  30th, 1pm - 4pm, Frankland Lecture 
are barely worth thinking of.  Innovation​, both in the Library, can also  Theatre 
Nonetheless, the discussion  provide insight into historic changes.   
was fruitful and hopefully productive  She can be contacted at  Losing Game​ Rhythm and Blues 
for some members of the audience.  m.mcclintock@lancaster.ac.uk.  Band Support the Strike Fund​ ​— 
    Saturday 30th, 8pm, Gregson Centre, 
Why Spine-less?  Student occupations  LA1 3PY 
Some of the students on the picket line  University students have gone into   
were disappointed to be handed a strike  occupation in support of the national   
bulletin from the Socialist Workers  UCU strikes at two universities: 
Party (SWP), an organisation that is  Strathclyde and Edinburgh. They join 

contributions etc. to a.d.williams1@lancaster.ac.uk

Watch this space! Plenty more 
solidarity to come until the 4th 
December. 

contributions etc. to a.d.williams1@lancaster.ac.uk