Tuesday, 10 March 2009

Press Releases


Here's what the rest of the internet has to say about the departmental closures:


From the Beeb...





From the Guardian...




From the Times Higher Education supplement...




In the Local News...






On the University webzine...



On Facebook...






And here are some interesting related articles, including some background information on our current Vice-Chancellor, Sir Howard Newby; and a little more detail on how the Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) works.

"Mixed Views on Howard's End" - From the Times Higher Education supplement, posted 20.07.2007









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Mission Statement




Welcome to the SOS: Save Our Subjects campaign blog. 

On Wednesday, March 11th, the University of Liverpool will decide upon the future of three University departments:

  • Philosophy
  • Statistics
  • Politics & Communication Studies
As a result of their failure to obtain any 4* ('world class') accolades for research activity in the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise.

Five more departments:

  • Dentistry
  • Cancer Studies
  • Civil Engineering
  • American Studies
  • Sociology 
Will be considered for "realignment and repositioning", "transfer of activity to another Higher Education institution" or "closure" due to their low scores in the 2008 RAE.


The University has questioned whether it is "acceptable" to maintain low-scoring departments, given our Russell Group member status . We believe that such departments are not only acceptable, but that they play vital roles in educating people; providing them with the tools to comprehend and critically analyse the world around them.  We hope that you agree, and you will respond to our SOS. 


HOW YOU CAN HELP


1. EMAIL OUR VICE-CHANCELLOR TO PROTEST AGAINST THE THREATENED CLOSURES

hnewby@liverpool.ac.uk




2. PICKET THE SENATE MEETING ON WEDNESDAY, 11th MARCH 

Students will be meeting outside the Victoria Building, Brownlow Hill at 1PM. It would be great if you could join us!




3. WRITE TO YOUR LOCAL MP 

Find his or her address here

and send them a letter or email registering your concerns. Alternately, use the template provided below:

_______________________________________________________________


Dear,


As my local MPs at home and while I'm at University, I am writing to express my concern about the potential closure of the Philosophy, Politics, Communications and Statistics Departments at the University of Liverpool. The University has decided to disinvest in these departments focussing on those which received excellent rating in the most recent RAE assessment. This is by no means a comprehensive mode of judging the department as a whole. It does not consider the excellent quality of teaching which we receive and the judgement of the submitted research is highly subjective. For example, greater weight is given for research published in a book, rather than in a journal. 

Following this latest RAE assessment, the University of Liverpool was awarded the third highest level of funding based on its research from the last 5-7 years. However, the RAE assessment is not the only assessment to which the University's departments are subjected. The Arts and Social-Sciences Schools recently performed very well in the AHRC Assessment. Subsequent to this, these schools received a grant of £3 million. One is forced to ask how the University must disinvest in Politics, surely a Social Science, when it has just received a provision of £3 million to invest in this subject. Apparently its decision to disinvest in these subjects is to boost the rankings of the 
University within the research focused Russell Group. I feel that the subjects in question are vital within a Russell Group University. Philosophy, as the study of knowledge and arguably the oldest area of study, should be integral to any establishment which considers itself to be an academic institution. 

The standard of teaching I receive across my degree programme is exemplary and while I am assured that my degree programme will continue as normal, I am nevertheless concerned about the impact that this decision would have on the quality of teaching I will receive, should the professors decide to leave following this announcement. Not to mention possible industrial action on their behalf and the implications this has on my degree and later career. The manner with which this decision has been relayed has been underhand, with many students finding out over Facebook before many of the staff themselves were even aware. There was no official announcement about this plan. Further to this, we understand that this is not a matter which will be voted on by the University Senate, but a decision taken by senior management. We are particularly concerned about the newly appointed Vice Chancellor, in whose hands this decision lies. At his previous tenure at UWE he instigated the closure of several departments. I am also deeply concerned for pupils enrolling for the academic year 2009-10 who are doing so under false pretences. 

Last year was a fantastic year for Liverpool and we were promised that the legacy of the Capital of Culture 2008 would serve to benefit the 1.3 million inhabitants of Merseyside with educational opportunities. The closure of departments, teaching such integral subjects at the areas leading academic institution can only be detrimental to any education opportunities.

All of the students and staff are outraged by this decision, but have shown great solidarity between one another in light of this threat. We are planning to protest at the Senate meeting on Wednesday in order to show the Chancellors our feelings but we would like to bring as much attention to this matter as possible. Please could you table an Early Day Motion about this issue on our behalf?

Many thanks, 
Yours sincerely,  

______________________________________________________________








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