18 protesters arrested in demonstration against UT’s job-cutting plan
Eighteen students were arrested on Wednesday afternoon after they refused to leave the office area of the University of Texas president.
Several students started the sit-in outside of Bill Powers’ office about 3:30 p.m. and were warned three times by the dean of students’ office to leave by 5 p.m. or face criminal trespass charges, UT officials said. Those that refused were arrested and transported to Travis County Jail.
The students were protesting a shared-services plan that would eliminate 500 staff positions, mostly through attrition, by consolidating finance, personnel, information technology and purchasing functions. It is estimated to save the university up to $40 million per year.
More than 100 faculty members signed a letter to Powers this month urging the university to abandon the plan. The letter questioned the potential for cost savings and argued that more staff members are needed, not fewer of them.
More at http://www.statesman.com/news/news/crime-law/18-protesters-arrested-in-demonstration-against-ut/nfgdm/ .
