College and University Students End 5-Week Strike
Most college and university students agreed Monday evening to end their five week strike, returning to class after the Shavuot holiday.
By Hana Levi Julian
First Publish: 5/22/2007, 10:30 AM
College and university students will be returning to their classrooms Thursday after the holiday of Shavuot.
The National Union of Israeli Students approved a compromise deal with the Prime Minister’s Office in a 62 percent majority vote.
Tuition fees will be frozen for one year and the findings of the Shochat Committee will not be presented to the government for approval until first being discussed with representatives of the student union. In addition, the government will return billions of shekels to higher education institutions over a four-year period in what is tantamount to restoration of budget cuts over the past several years.
The leaders of the student union were forced to meet under tight security to review the proposal. Hundreds of their constituents were chanting outside the building, urging the union to continue the strike. Student leader Etai Shonstein had to be escorted under heavy guard after the students accepted the accord. Some students said they would not accept the agreement.
Other students have been calling for an end to the strike in scattered protests around the country, usually small and quiet. Tel Aviv University students decided several days ago they would end their participation in the demonstrations, saying the ongoing walkout was no longer serving its purpose.
The semester will be extended by one month in order to allow the students to make up the studies they missed.
The National Union of Israeli Students approved a compromise deal with the Prime Minister’s Office in a 62 percent majority vote.
Tuition fees will be frozen for one year and the findings of the Shochat Committee will not be presented to the government for approval until first being discussed with representatives of the student union. In addition, the government will return billions of shekels to higher education institutions over a four-year period in what is tantamount to restoration of budget cuts over the past several years.
The leaders of the student union were forced to meet under tight security to review the proposal. Hundreds of their constituents were chanting outside the building, urging the union to continue the strike. Student leader Etai Shonstein had to be escorted under heavy guard after the students accepted the accord. Some students said they would not accept the agreement.
Other students have been calling for an end to the strike in scattered protests around the country, usually small and quiet. Tel Aviv University students decided several days ago they would end their participation in the demonstrations, saying the ongoing walkout was no longer serving its purpose.
The semester will be extended by one month in order to allow the students to make up the studies they missed.