NCAD Students Oppose Move to UCD

dublin | rights, freedoms and repression | press release Wednesday October 26, 2005 20:52 by Nessa Darcy - NCAD Students' Union ncadsu at gmail dot com 100 Thomas Street Dublin 8 0879970415

Silent protest against proposed move to Belfield

NCAD students will hold a silent protest on Thursday 27th October at 12 pm to express their anger at decisions being made behind their backs about the future of the college.

STUDENTS OF NCAD OUTRAGED BY TALKS OF MOVING TO BELFIELD

The students of the National College of Art and Design will hold a silent demonstration in the college at 12 pm on Thursday 27th October (tomorrow) to express our disappointment and anger at the recent news regarding the future of our college. It was first revealed to us on Thursday 20th October, by an anonymous source, that An Bord of NCAD are strongly considering the possibility of relocating the college to the Belfield campus of UCD.

An Bord are discussing the move with the governing authority of UCD as an alternative to the redevelopment of NCAD's Thomas Street campus. Sufficient funding and space are not currently available for the long-term redevelopment of the college at its present location. The Belfield site would offer the potential for new and improved facilities, but the vast majority of students believe that these would not be worth the loss of the college's unique city centre home.

At the moment the college is surrounded by a diverse range of cultural influences and amenities, and sources of art materials. The students feel that the move would lead to cultural starvation and the vibrant and creative atmosphere of NCAD would be diluted into the anonymous masses of UCD. Students are skeptical of An Bord's claims that the college would remain permanently autonomous if the move were to go ahead.

The economy and social atmosphere of the Liberties area would also suffer from the loss of NCAD. Many local businesses rely on income from the students and the college is involved in several community projects in the neighbourhood. An article further outlining the details of the situation was published in the Sunday Times on October 23rd.

Students will meet at 12 pm in the concourse in NCAD for a silent demonstration outside the Noel Sheridan Hall, where a staff information session on the UCD issue will take place at 12.30 pm. Protestors should wear black clothing and carry posters displaying reasons why they believe the college should not be relocated to UCD. Journalists, photographers and sympathetic members of the public are invited to join us.

Contact Students' Union President Nessa Darcy - 087 997 0415
or Vice President Ben McDonald - 087 747 2016
or ../mailto:ncadsu@gmail.com