Reactions to the Removal of Cinema and Sculpture Majors at Tehran University; Continuation of the Government's 'Taliban-like' Approach

Iranian media, citing images from this year's national university entrance exam booklet, reported the removal of the Sculpture and Cinema majors from Tehran's University of Art. Students attributed this decision to the prominent presence of art university students in the protests of 2022. The 'Didban Iran' website noted that the University of Art has not yet provided an explanation regarding the removal of the 'Sculpture' and 'Cinema' codes or the admission process for these majors, and the announcements from the National Organization for Educational Testing did not mention the removal of these codes. However, the 'Jahan San'at' newspaper considered this event indicative of the continuation of the 'Taliban-like' approach of President Ebrahim Raisi's government, mentioning that the 'Theater' major was also removed from the Sooreh Art School in September 2021. The newspaper sought the opinion of social pathologist Alireza Sharifi Yazdi, who stated that the consequences of removing the Cinema and Sculpture majors would affect society as a whole. Sharifi Yazdi pointed out that students would turn to private institutions to learn these majors and that there would be a tendency for students in these fields to emigrate due to this decision. The 'Ensaf News' website reported that a student from the University of Art confirmed that the Cinema and Sculpture majors had been removed from this year's selection booklet, attributing the reason to the events that occurred during the 2022 protests at the University of Art. This student explained that last year, Sculpture students and their department head, Kourosh Golnari, faced many problems. This student activist emphasized that this department experienced the highest number of strikes regarding its classes in 2022, stating that 'the university has had issues overall with its professors, the management of this group, and its students.' The removal of the Cinema major occurred despite the National Organization for Educational Testing having held practical exams for this major. Consequently, a group of students from this university and professors who conducted the practical cinema exams protested this situation. One of the professors involved in this exam told 'Ensaf News' that they were 'shocked' because the University of Art and Damghan University are the only universities in the country that offer a bachelor's degree in Cinema. This professor added that the removal of the Cinema major was likely initiated by the university itself, not by the National Organization for Educational Testing. The University of Art has also been in the news recently, and in a statement released by the students on Sunday, June 18, they wrote to government officials, 'There is a sea of blood between us and you' and 'We have nothing to say to you, except one word: no.' In the statement from the Fine Arts students at Tehran University, criticizing the 'radical and reckless actions of the security forces,' it was written that 'every blow to the body of art students and other student groups will, on a larger scale, harm the body of society, which will provoke anger and direct reaction.' The confrontation of the University of Art students with government directives escalated when the mandatory hijab policy was announced. This announcement indicated that starting from 'June 17, 2023,' the hijab would be a condition for girls' entry into the university. This led to gatherings of some students at the university, and according to university information channels, ten students were arrested in front of the university on the morning of Saturday, June 17. With the arrival of plainclothes officers and special guards to the students' protests, the atmosphere became tense, and Ali Sharifi Zarachi, a professor at Sharif University, also wrote in a message published on Twitter (now X) that 'The students of the University of Art in Tehran have gathered inside the university in protest against the university's new decision to make the hijab mandatory for female students. The responsibility for creating any tension and psychological pressure on students, especially during exam season, lies with the university management.' Nana Valajam: 'The students of the University of Art are at the forefront of the struggle for freedom; everyone must support them.' A citizen's account of graffiti supporting the students of the University of Art: 'One Iran, no.' The expansion of support for the resistance of the University of Art students in other universities in Iran. Users' reception of the statement from the University of Art students in Tehran: 'We have nothing to say to them except 'no.' The continuation of the 'no' from the University of Art students; today a thorn in the side of oppression. The continuation of student protests and a big 'no' to the Islamic Republic; the expulsion of an active student from the university. A wave of support for the protests at the University of Art; 'One Iran, no,' this generation does not turn a blind eye to 'a sea of blood.'