Hugh Brady 'really glad' to speak with student protestors

Ed Southgate -

Vice-Chancellor Hugh Brady has spoken with a representative from UCU and two students following the rally this morning during the ongoing strike action.

The students said the atmosphere was 'welcoming', and the meeting ended with the students receiving a round of applause. This prompted those who spoke with the Vice-Chancellor to believe the senior team were 'really glad that there were students there talking'.


One of the students who spoke with Hugh Brady gives a summary to fellow protestors (Epirgram / Olly Santoro)

In the meeting, it is understood that Hugh Brady said that his tweet on Friday was 'meant as a reopening of negotiations'.

One protestor who spoke with the Vice-Chancellor said that the only precondition Brady would put on negotiations is that they 'come to an agreed long-term solution not a short-term one'.

It is understood that Hugh Brady said his tweet on Friday was 'meant as a reopening of negotiations'

He confirmed to students that, unless there was any bad behaviour or violence amongst the protestors, there would be no disciplinary action.

Responding to a protestor who asked 'how loud were we', the woman who spoke with Brady said: 'You could hear the music. You could hear everything'.

She added: 'It was a little bit of an intimidating situation. There were about 50 seats with members and lecturers'.

Despite this, she said: 'The lecturers responded really well' as did 'most of the Senior Team, apart from one grumpy guy at the end'.

The 'grumpy' man in question apparently did not say anything the entire meeting, and 'just had a sour face on him the whole time'.

The talks lasted approximately 20 minutes.

The protestors said everything that they wanted to say, according to this protestor who spoke with the Vice-Chancellor (Epigram / Olly Santoro)

Student protestors were seen running into the Wills Memorial Building today to protest, making noise and chanting.

Epigram understands that they went straight up to the offices where the Senate meeting was being held. The area was lined with security.

Following the large amount of noise created, Robin Geller, Registrar and Chief Operating Officer at the University, came out and announced that Vice-Chancellor Hugh Brady is prepared to talk to 'three elected members', meaning two students and one UCU representative.

Robin Geller told protestors: 'There is a meeting of Senate taking place at the moment. He is the chair of it and he will continue to chair that meeting, but if you would like to send a couple of representatives in to speak to Senate, and to do what you are doing here which is having your voices heard, he'd be very happy to have that happen.'

The University secretary talks to protestors, offering the opportunity to speak with Hugh Brady (Epigram / Olly Santoro)

University security added a warning to protestors: 'Anyone who pushed my officers will not be allowed through that door, and we know who those are'.

Whilst waiting for the talks to end, the protestors start a disco in the Wills Memorial Building (Epigram / Olly Santoro)

Senate is the formal academic decision-making body of the University. As part of the ongoing strikes over staff pensions, Bristol UCU organised a picket line outside the Wills Memorial building - where the meeting takes place - which began at 2PM.

(Featured image: Epigram / Olly Santoro)

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