Student Campaign Result: Library To Have Longer Working Hours

Discord and differing moods are now predominant among Kyiv Polytechnic Institute’s 40,000 students. Several hundred of those chipping away at the rock of knowledge chose to leave their classrooms to publicly protest what they claim are flagrant violations of student rights by the administration and worsening dormitory living conditions.

The protesters claim the administration’s desire to increase enrollment opportunities cannot justify the existing practice of transgressing the minimum room per-student accommodation standard. At present, every eighteen-meter dorm room is packed with four rather than three students, meaning that the tenants cannot have adequate living and working conditions. In addition, the crowding has been accompanied by raising the rent 1.5 times (24 hryvnias a month since November 2002). The protesters also demanded that the KPI Library have longer working hours (this, in a way, relates to their principal demand), clearer regulations binding on the university security detail. The protesters claimed that the security guards on campus have been abusing their authority, “straightening out” those never even trying to disturb the peace. They wanted effective measures to be taken to start and carry out repairs in the dormitories, secure adequate consumer services on the campus, and set up cultural and public catering facilities, making them perform in accordance with “modern standard, offering inexpensive and quality food and other services.”

At first, it all started as a small column of protesting students marching under slogans like Overpopulation Obstructs Study, We Want Quality Repairs, I Have to Write Notes Sitting On the Floor, accompanied by sympathizers among the onlookers, shouting “We’re with you!” or “I’d join you if they paid me.” Approaching the rector’s office, their ranks had grown. Rector Mykhailo Zhurovsky suggested that they hold a constructive conference in the main building and the protesters agreed. Rector Zhurovsky told them that the unfortunate changes were explained by the fact that (a) the student body did not surpass the design limit (the university infrastructure allows for just 40,000 students); (b) the alma mater was not obligated by law to secure 100% dorm accommodations for students living outside Kyiv. In other words, increasing the dorm population was an act of good will (Prof. Zhurovsky said it had been agreed with the bodies of student self-government and that the latter, in turn, had discussed the matter with the students who had approved it). It was meant to “solve the problems with dormitory accommodations.” As for the rent increase, it had to be done because of KPI’s “complicated financial situation, along with arrears on payments for electricity and central heating.” In response the activists among the protesters asked about the foreign students having far better living conditions and whether this was explained by foreign students paying considerably higher rent. The rector resolutely objected, saying there was no difference between the situations, noting that some of the university’s 23 dorms had been excluded from the KPI housing facilities for sanitary reasons (one had been transferred to the typography faculty for it could finance its renovation only, using off-budget funds). The rector admitted that some of the premises had been leased out to private individuals “at this financially trying period” and noted that a university program had been worked out to “gradually return them.” The program also envisioned the construction of mansards at ten dorms (some 1,500 beds) and another building. In response to accusations of misusing state budget appropriations for the university, Prof. Zhurovsky suggested that those majoring in economics among the protesting students form a delegation to participate in the processing of the university’s books and records, so they could see for themselves why the rent had to be raised, adding that “our accounts and reports are accessible to all.”

The protesters were obviously not satisfied by what they heard from the rector, for he had actually agreed to only one of the demands: from now one the library would have longer working hours.