Students and graduates have been in the building for more than 24 hours

Seven students and graduates have been occupying the King William building for more than 24 hours in protest over the axe of the single honours philosophy degree course, which has been running for the past 20 years.

The Save Philosophy at Greenwich campaigners claim the only window where they received food has been screwed shut and they have been told they cannot charge their phones and laptops as it amounts to stealing electricity.

But the group says this will not stop them from occupying the building.

Campaigner Katy Maydon said: “They blocked the window which is distressing because we have no contact with the outside world.

“If professor Finkelstin came down she would have been able to sort this out within a few minutes.”

The group wants the philosophy cuts to be put on the agenda for the academic planning meeting on May 5.

They are also demanding a face to face meeting with the dean of humanities and social sciences, professor Joanne Finkelstin, vice-chancellor Baroness Blackstone and deputy vice-chancellor for academic development, Simon Jarvis.

Graduate Lloyd Duddridge said: “Universities seem to run themselves on business lines but I wouldn’t accept the way they have dealt with us in any other business.

“If this was a restaurant I would have walked out by now.”

The 23-year-old added: “The university has been down right rude and used avoidance tactics. It’s just not good enough.

“I have a lot of time for the teachers but the management doesn’t live up to that standard.”

An online petition to save the course has 1,380 signatures and 577 people have joined a Facebook group called Save Philosophy at Greenwich.

The university has decided not to recruit students for the course in 2011/12 but insists no decision has been made about the future of the programme.

A university spokeswoman said: “As you would expect, we are not encouraging protesters to stay within the small corridor that they are currently occupying.

“It is not an appropriate area in which to eat or sleep. A small number of people, including students and people from outside the university, are present; some have chosen to leave.

“We have agreed to provide full access to toilet facilities. We do not want food to be brought in and have taken steps to prevent this.

“Electricity supplies have been maintained to the area. The university is now very quiet, we are in the Easter vacation, and we anticipate that this situation will be resolved soon.”