The American University in Cairo resumes teaching after reaching an agreement ending weeks of student protests, Mohamed Abdel-Baky reports After three weeks of protests by students the American University in Cairo (AUC) has agreed to cut increases in tuition fees from seven to 2.3 per cent, starting next year. The agreement, signed by the AUC administration, also includes greater student participation in budget planning, campus services, governance and administrative reform and disciplinary action. On Monday AUC President Lisa Anderson signed the agreement alongside the head of the Student Union (SU), ending the lockout at the New Cairo campus. "I am quite sure that the AUC will be a better place as we digest the lessons learned and work together to implement the terms of the agreement," said AUC's Provost Medhat Haron. Tuition fee increases have now been capped at 2.3 per cent annually between 2013 and 2016. The seven per cent AUC had attempted to apply will be applicable this year, with students able to pay tuition fees in three interest-free instalments per semester. Details of the university's annual budget will be made available to students and faculty in November. The university administration agreed to include at least five students on the Standing Budget Committee to ensure that student concerns are properly represented. Student representation on the Senate will also be increased. "The administration considers the students key stakeholders in university life, and we welcome and encourage their participation," said Anderson. The agreement came after hundreds of AUC students chained the main gate to the campus, preventing students and faculty staff from entering for 10 consecutive days. The university administration was forced to suspend all classes for several days. Tuition was subsequently resumed for two days through a combination of online courses and tutorials held in faculty housing. "We have reached a point where, if we miss any further teaching days, we will find it impossible to meet our accreditation requirements, so the only option in this case was to cancel the entire fall semester," said Haron. During the press conference Anderson made it clear that the administration will take strict measures against the students who chained the gates. "There will be no impunity for students who participated in the strike. Cases that are currently being reviewed by the Student Disciplinary Committee will be ended, and a special tribunal will be established to consider accusations of violation of university policy by any AUC community member." The tribunal will include faculty, staff, students, alumni, members of the Parents Association and the administration. This is not the first strike at AUC against tuition fee increases. In September 2011 more than 3,000 students staged a nine-day sit-in on campus alongside workers and security guards to protest against both fee increases and low salaries for non-academic staff. SU President Taher El-Moataz Bellah, speaking alongside representatives of the administration, acknowledged the differences that arose among students as well as faculty and staff. "I believe the agreement is the start of a new relationship between the administration and the students. The agreement has established better communication tools to avoid any escalation of protests in the future," he said. Student leader Mohamed Mehdar said that students could have insisted on a zero per cent increase on this year's tuition. Although the Facebook page of protesting students claimed it had gathered 2,000 signatures in support of the decision to chain the gates the tactic alienated many students and faculty. "I think there were other tactics which they could have adopted, staging an open strike on campus for example. Shutting down the gates did not benefit students who will be now obliged to attend classes six days a week in order to make up for those missed," said graduate student Aliaa Mahmoud.
