Roundtable: Rehabilitate the University Residence Antony is necessary and possible! The report Proceedings of the Round Table held December 4, 2009 at Jussieu
Rehabilitate the University Residence Antony is necessary and possible!
The student housing in Ile de France? Only 3% of students can access it (barely 1 / 3 of scholarship students). Finding accommodation is a nightmare for most students, reminded the UNEF and stay in the parents, particularly in disadvantaged areas, often far away from universities, forced several hours of daily transportation to get to college, recalled a sociologist OVE (Observatory of Student Life). La Mutuelle des Etudiants (LMDE) highlighted the health issues: one gripe about the food to pay the rent in effect and the number of students who eat only one meal per day increases. More and more students are unable to make ends meet, said a nurse academic and when they are homeless, they are not allowed in emergency shelters in the SAMU Social. As for sleeping in halls provided they were closed for reasons of "pecuniary" is therefore the street for students with insufficient resources
delay in student housing is enormous
Unlike what said the Minister Pécresse, delay construction and rehabilitation to the plan tabled by MP JP Anciaux in 2004 has not caught up: it is 25 500 units now on the 72 000 expected by the end of this year. How then decide to remove 550 rooms at the Residence of Antony to destroy and clear the way for a real estate transaction? Students of the RUA spoke and highlighted the unacceptable conditions in which students were "removed" from their room and severe consequences for many of them today. The technical debate and policy choices
Druot Frederick, architect, pointed out how, in principle, it is best to avoid demolition and question the "standards" that serve as a pretext to destroy. It was recalled that this residence is very well located geographically in relation to transport and universities. AUR included more disabled rooms, which were closed. Simon Hughes, engineer, confirmed that the building "C", whose demolition is planned from 2010, was technical rehabilitation, that does not negate the formal technical report, concealed for months. The destruction of half of the RUA is a political choice, not a technical necessity. Moreover,
speakers stressed the huge financial scandal that would be the destruction of Building C instead of a rehabilitation-renovation and absurdity economic, social and academic that will be "compensation" hypothetical, other than on the website of the RUA.
The absence of decision-makers invited was noticed: as Minister of Higher Education and Research, Valérie Pécresse, the President of CG92, Patrick Devedjian and CAHB, owner of the disputed today refused RUA debate. Present Philippe Kaltenbach, County Councillor PS who represented the President of the Region, Jean-Paul Huchon, Patrick Hyaric (PCF), MEP from the Left Front, Guy Bonneau, Counsellor Regional (The Greens), Pascale Néouannic CACRPG Regional Advisor (Left Party) and Antoine Dupin Regional Advisor for the modem. All have expressed their desire that the student housing and the rehabilitation of the RUA is a priority (the Regional Plan of student housing has been voted in favor). The decision is recorded in the 2010 Budget of the Region the sum of 20 million euros for the RUA was hailed as a breakthrough in the Region, it is now getting from the state.
Jean Baptiste Prevost, president of the UNEF concluded by highlighting investment of the UNEF in this case and in future mobilizations and willingness to give voice to all politicians on the subject as part of the campaign for regional elections.
An evening that reinforced a little more than those who act on student housing.
Communiqué AARU and the collective "give a future to the RUA"
is the consensus of participants at the roundtable on "Social housing students in Ile-de-France" held Dec. 4 at Jussieu by the UNEF, the Association of Friends of the RUA (AARU) and the collective "To give a future to the RUA), which was attended by nearly 200 people, including a majority of students were able to share with stakeholders.