Universities are under pressure, the government has cut funding and the majority of universites are making cuts everywhere. For many it means putting building or refurbishment plans on hold, or reducing number of non-essential staff. Not it seems for my University.
Not only is building work pushing ahead with 2 new lecture theatres, new teaching buildings, but we have also had a complete refurbishment of some of the bigger campus cafe's, oh and a flashy new one built. So how does it afford such improvements? By sacking staff, essential staff. Oh and closing valuable services like the sexual health advice centre, and threatening student support with closure. Neat eh?
The cuts have been across campus, but Life Sci has been particularly badly hit, set to lose one third of its staff. Courses that are set as options for 3rd year may not run, and the faculty who are staying have no idea who is going to run the courses if the redundancies go ahead, as they are all tied up with their own teaching. Additionally the job losses are coming from good lecturers, really good lecturers, the ones who are engaged with what they are teaching, and who are capable of teaching complicated biochem in a way that even I understand it. Ones who are always there ready to answer questions and help. I believe such things used to be called good-quality teaching.
So was the man responsible for the decision to cut lecturers? Our new Head of School. His somewhat odd reasoning is that he is sacking staff who are not bringing in the money in terms of research. I had the rash idea that students are the bread and butter of Universities, but according to our illustrious leader, I am out of date. As is the idea that Universities are there to provide a solid education, and turn out good quality UG's into the job or research market. Funny because most of the faculty I have spoken to still seem to believe that too. Seems our Head of School is somewhat on his own.
The farce of students rep meetings have been held with our myopic leader, the 'all views will be considered' and ' I am keen to communicate and answer all questions' cards have been played. Casper the Ghost could have sat there instead, said the same lines and been less transparent!
The most amusing thing, for me, was when an irked student decided to write on the Head of School office door, and imply that he was a " derogatory name for female genetalia" but in a one-word kind of way.Got it? Good. His response was to put out a blanket email, with seemingly genuine surprise that someone would do such a thing, and that they would do it rather than talk to him about their concerns.
I had kept quiet about the cuts, believing it admirable but pointless to protest, but the naivety of that email provoked an ever-so-slightly snotty email. It is a little lengthy, but I have posted it below.
Names have been obscured to protect the stupid.
Dear Dr *****
Thank you for your email informing us of the unfortunate vandalism on your
office door. Please do not think this is how we (the students) behave or
that our opinion of you fits the graphic description. Many of us have
developed a more wide ranging repertoire of derogatory comments at our
disposal when expressing our opinion of you personally and the proposed
changed to life sciences school.
You question why this student did not feel that he/she could make an
appointment and address you personally; well it is rather like shutting the
stable door after horse has bolted. Students are the bread and butter of
the University, but as far as any influence over managerial academic
funding is concerned, we are as paid the briefest of lip service. Inviting
us to share concerns an then fobbing us off with banal explanations and
hyperbole is transparent. I admire the student union and associated bodies within
the University for rallying to stop the cuts, but I suspect that yourself,
and the management regard them as a necessary evil to ignore whilst trying
to implement your plans.
While I am here, I must congratulate you on the signs, £700,000 for signs
that do not always illuminate and still don't give clear directions around
campus. Ever heard of the Crpc centre Dr *****l? Yes? Well the vast majority
of students haven't. I wonder how many more faculty we could have kept had
we not had those signs. We could even have kept hold of some of the
excellent lecturers you have seen fit to let go, of course I assume you
remember how important quality of teaching is to undergrads? Some of the
best, most engaging lectures, capable of teaching the most mundane topics
with style are threatened with redundancy. Courses important to degrees
are being cut; perhaps you could post the lecture notes up on the
ineffectual signs.
And as for the new teaching buildings, very impressive. Two 160 seat brand
new up to date lecture theatres, how thrilling! Of course the small fact
that many of the courses run just in Life Sci school have over 200 students
on them, and therefore will still need to be run in Chichester LTr, an already
oversubscribed lecture theatre is a minor concern in comparison to Sussex
being able to show how progressive it is. We all appreciate the need for
development and improvement, and the need to ‘tighten belts’ but not
when it at the expense of education.
I expect by now you have tired of reading this, and have written me off as
an idealistic 20 something without a clue about the world. Well let me
refresh you with the knowledge that I am closer to your age than I am my
peers Dr *****l. I am a cynical realist, and know exactly how things are
done within the management hierarchy, which explains why you have not heard
from me before and my absence at protests. I may be resigned to the fate
of Life Sci, but that does not preclude me from spotting the irony that the
ONLY thing that has provoked you into a response is graffiti on your door.
I do hope my email has answered your query, if not please do contact me for
more information, I would be delighted to elaborate some more for you.
Yours Sincerely
Variola
