"It is a violation of the right of passage, security and order to block the university gate, and we will not hesitate to hand down expulsions," PU Dean of Student Affairs Ghassan Abdul Khaleq told The Jordan Times on Wednesday.

In 2006, some 15 PU students blocked the university's main gate during a sit-in, an action considered by Abdul Khaleq as a "hostage situation" as scores of people were trapped inside the university.

"First and final warnings were issued to seven of them but no one was expelled," he recalled.

The National Campaign for Defending Students' Rights (Thabahtoona) issued a statement condemning Abdul Khaleq's "threat to expel students for staging a campus sit-in", criticising what they referred to as a "martial law mentality in Jordanian universities".

"We did not threaten to expel protesting students and we are not against the idea of a sit-in," Abdul Khaleq said, noting that the university abides by "the democratic climate and the freedom of expression [in the country]".

Abdul Khaleq said the hike in registration fees, which will be implemented at the beginning of the 2008/2009 academic year, was due to the global increase in prices which has affected most of the Kingdom's commodities.

"The difference in fuel prices cost us JD1 million over the last year," he said, stressing that the university offers free transportation.

A student activist, who preferred to remain unnamed, told The Jordan Times that under the proposed hike, students are forced to pay for transportation through "service fees."

He added that Sunday's sit-in will be "enormous".

Meanwhile, a deal was reached on Wednesday between Petra University students and administration over fee increases, bringing an end to a two-week crisis that included protest marches and sit-ins.

Last week, students organised two sit-ins on campus after the university administration moved to raise tuition by 10 to 15 per cent and introduce new charges such as a JD120 "service fee".

Around 900 students also signed a petition calling on the administration not to increase fees, which included a JD55 increase in bus rates per semester and the introduction of a JD60 parking fee.

In its statement, Thabahtoona said Petra University administration forced students to sign a commitment "not to protest against rising fees".

Protests escalated into marches disrupting classes, according to Dean of Student Affairs Mahmoud Ata.

"They broke into classes forcing students to come out and join them," Ata told The Jordan Times, adding that students also "verbally abused teachers".

Despite the ongoing tension, a deal was reached yesterday over service fees and student conduct.

"The university started to cooperate and understand student demands," student council vice president Ahmad Isis told The Jordan Times.

He praised an administration decision to drop service fees from JD100 to JD50 that can be paid in two instalments.

"Students unable to pay can fill out an application to be exempted from the service fee," Isis added.

He noted that Petra University President Adnan Badran "had no idea about the paper students were forced to sign".

"Today [Wednesday] the commitment was changed; students pledged to hold peaceful demonstrations and the university promised not to take action against protesting students," Isis explained.

The student council vice president condemned the disruption of classes, an act he blamed on "a small group" not representing him or his colleagues.

Isis added that the student council will issue a statement today condemning the incident.

By Thameen Kheetan

© Jordan Times 2008

 

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