On the eve of its third symposium, Sayed El-Bahrawi* reviews the activities of the 9 March Group The university in Egypt, initially private and later public, was established as a result of the national struggle led by intellectuals and politicians during the early 20th century. From its founding students and professors participated in the national struggle in all its forms. There had always been student organisations but a group specific to faculty members was unheard of prior to the Nasserist organisation committees -- the Youth Organisation, the National Union, the Socialist Union and its vanguard. These committees did not exhibit an interest in faculty members' affairs as much as they participated in the work of public organisations, though from within faculties and universities. There were as well alumni associations, though these had a social and cultural character and were not limited to faculty members. Faculty groups initially organised within clubs the membership of which was restricted to faculty members and that were registered as associations with the Ministry of Social Affairs. In the mid-1970s the administrative boards of some clubs began to widen their remit, taking up their members' interests politically. This was an obvious step as far as issues such as salaries and improving educational standards and scientific research were concerned. Yet they also extended their reach to address national issues such as the liberation of Sinai, and Arab issues, including Palestine and Lebanon. These boards, in Cairo, Alexandria and Assiut, comprised various intellectual orientations. Yet, despite their heterogeneity, they attempted to create a union: indeed, they are still trying to forge an organisational structure similar to that of the professional syndicates though moves in this direction have been repeatedly foiled by the security agencies on various pretexts. Within the framework of some faculty clubs, most notably at Cairo and Alexandria Universities, faculty groups emerged that operated independently of the club administrative boards, displaying national democratic (Cairo) and liberal (Alexandria) tendencies. The faculty group in Alexandria became increasingly preoccupied with issues of democracy and human rights, while the faculty group in Cairo busied itself with issues related to salaries, educational standards, scientific research and the question of Palestine. Research groups were formed that presented studies in all of these fields, in addition to issuing statements, magazines and other publications. The Cairo University group's activities led to its success in the 1984 administrative board elections, following which it instigated a series of activities significant on both the university and political levels. However, its presence on the administrative board lasted only one term, largely due to the forging of mistaken electoral alliances. The group then became independent once more, attracting members from other universities. It worked on a number of pressing issues, particularly Arab ones, and in the 1990s was renamed the Faculty Committee for the Support of the People of Palestine and Lebanon. It increased its activities with the second Intifada and then halted its work. After a brief lull some members, alongside new participants, revived its activities, this time with a focus on the issue of academic independence. It was agreed that the group would henceforth be known as 9 March, named after the date in 1932 when Ahmed Lutfi El-Sayed resigned from his post as president of Cairo University in protest over the decision made to transfer Taha Hussein without approval of the university.. The group announced its existence with a symposium held on 9 March 2004, which it insisted be held within Cairo University despite objections by the university president. Another second symposium was held on 9 March 2005, while the third convenes today in the Conference Centre at Cairo University at 1pm. All three symposia have focussed on issues related to the independence of the university, academic freedom, and the obstacles it faces, including the role of security agencies in the university administration. Through meetings, statements, and pressure placed on university officials and the Ministry of Higher Education in various forms, including demonstrating in front of their offices, the group has continued its activities, drawing attention to the ways in which faculty members are persecuted by the security agencies, and others are barred from becoming members of faculty and denied tenure by the security apparatus. In many cases the group has succeeded in its goals; in other cases the security apparatus won the upper hand. It is worth noting that the group -- which now has over 100 members from different universities though core activities tend to devolve to around 40 of the most committed -- is independent, democratic and works with a team spirit. It has no permanent leadership and coordination is conducted over the internet and through its website ( www.march9online.net ). Membership fluctuates, according to the circumstances and work loads of individuals. Positions are determined, and decisions made, by agreement, with the minority accepting the opinion of the majority. The 9 March Group occupies a significant place in the history of university struggles and has come to play an important role among academics. Yet there remain, in my view, two problems in the way of its activities and influence. The first concerns the shrinkage in the room it has to manouevre in pursuit of its goals. The second problem is that in focusing so sharply on the issue of the independence of the university it has become distanced from other concerns, even those directly related to its members such as salaries, the decline of education standards and scientific research and the relation of these to government policy, which is not to mention the even wider issues of economic and political dependency, particularly on the US, as well as the situation in Palestine, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria and Iran. These issues preoccupy many of the group's members though they do not impose them out of respect for the liberal orientations of others. * The writer is a professor of Arabic literature at Cairo University and a member of the 9 March Group.
