Confrontatrion Over Job Cuts At University

Government plans to save £1bn from the higher education funding budget will see job losses at Reading University's highly-regarded computer science, electronics and cybernetics, biology and chemistry departments.

The move is hoped to save £10.6m for the educational establishment, but staff have accused RU of "taking a wrecking ball to the sciences" as Reading faces the largest cuts in the country.

University Vice Chancellor Professor Tony Downes pointed out that many other universities were planning far higher numbers of job losses, arguing that "Research in science is a real strength of our University and we are determined that the savings needed will not undermine this."

University spokesperson Alex Brannen said the institution wants to protect research in areas of excellence such as Sytems Engineering, although signs are that this area has already begun to see staff losses as 'reshaping' begins.

In total Reading University will recieve grants of £30.54m for teaching and £18.26m for research. It will also receive £1.9m from the higher education innovation fund.

Tim Astin representing the University College Union was unimpressed.

"After the shambolic closure of the physics department in 2006 we hoped we had seen the last of cuts to vital subjects but it would appear that we were mistaken,"

adding that the "decision is another huge blow for staff and students from a management that has failed to give any coherent reasons for the cuts."

He concluded, "These plans make no sense whatsoever and will take away huge bodies of knowledge from the university."

-

More on Reading University in Transition

Gown To Takeover Town

Students from Reading University are stepping up their campaign against unfair funding and will launch a week of events designed to raise awareness of the issues surrounding tuition fees and student debt.

Adam Hewitt previews the events, which will start with a 'sculpture stunt' in the Oracle to visualise the mountain of debt being run up by students and culminate with a debate on the future of funding for Higher Education.

The debate will take place on Thursday at 7pm in the Palmer Building, with local MPs and political candidates facing off in front of what is expected to be a large audience. The meeting is free and open to members of the public.

RUSU President Sinead Brennan explained the campaign is designed to raise awareness of the future of education across society, as it is something which has an impact on everybody's lives.

She said "we want students, staff of the Union and the University, parents of the kids in local schools, anyone and everyone to come along" as this is the best way to "hold our politicians to account on matters close to our heart."

Campaigners have also set up a facebook group to keep people informed of new developments.

They are hoping to build support for Early Day Motion 1085, which calls for a wide-ranging inclusive debate on university and student finance issues.

Meanwhile Linda Fort interviews RU LibDem Society president Mark Whiley.

He points out that many students are already graduating with debts of over £20,000, despite having no guarantee that their qualification will help them get any job.

Since Labour came to power in 1997 the government has colluded with educational institutions to triple the fee cap, he says, and where the official Dearing report recommended students contribute 25% to their education many are now contributing as much as 80%!

-

Update: RUSU Student Officers report back on the efforts to raise awareness by their educational activists.

-

More stories on Reading University.

It Was 20 Years Ago Today...

...that the wall came down.

It has also roused some more personal memories back from the days way back when...

Reading University's Centre For East German Studies has celebrated the occasion with a special event, including documentary films showing the Berlin Wall from the official and underground positions.

Elizabeth Thomas remembers the times well as a moment to look forwards.

She was hopeful then that her new-born baby "would have a wonderful future in a peaceful world."

So too does Conservative MEP Dan Hannan, but he prefers to give the benefit of his hindsight. He was on his gap year at the time and used the opportunity to witness the collapse of the Eastern bloc first-hand - from the refuge of a pub inhabited by drunk British journalists!

He was taken by surprise by the suddenness of the events, but revels in the democratic revolutions which ensued. He drew several conclusions from his vantage point, all of which fed into his negativity towards European integration.

On the other hand I have a look around and feel slightly more optimistic.

Meanwhile John Breakwell is on the spot to provide some photos of some of the sights of Berlin today (here the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial church in the Ku'damm) - looking forward to the rest, John!

-

Update: Graham Jones discusses the benefits and consequences of the freedom brought to former DDR residents when the wall came down - he notes that the revolution in the control of information formerly exerted by members of the politburo has recently gone through another cycle as newspaper editors are being swamped by the technological possibilities of Twitter and Facebook.

He says: "Back when the Berlin Wall existed the people of Berlin effectively outsourced their information filtering to the state," adding that the only way to be sure you're not 'being fed a line' is by having a range of "information filterers" to compare and contrast what each are saying.

John Breakwell continues his tour of the sights of Berlin. He describes the celebrations at the historic epicentre of events from a first-person p-o-v.

Caversham's noodle miner has also decided to visit the city. She is a regular to Berlin and took these photos last time there.

University 'Green Week' Comes To Close

A prize-giving ceremony today marks the end of Reading University's 'Green Week', which the University hopes will raise the profile of environmental issues facing the country and the local community.

A series of events organised by the University started with a pledge by the Universtity Vice-Chancellor to halve its landfill waste by August 2012 and make 20% reductions in carbon emissions by 2013.

This was followed by debates and lectures as well as a concert, an exhibition and a tour of the new Hopkins building to highlight the challenges and explain some of the ways in which we can deal with them.

Reading University also reaffirmed it's environmental credentials on its' new 'Clean and Green' web-page - advertising the ethical policies of the intitution and it's status as a premier research facility for environmental sciences.

-

More about Reading University

Rumpus Over Campus Patrols

Swiftly following the start of the new academic year Reading University has announced further spending cuts and will withdraw funding for campus patrols.

Anna Roberts reports that the news comes only days after a female student became a target for sexual assault on Shinfield Road, highlighting the need for visible signs of protection.

BBC Berkshire advertises for witnesses here.

But now economic concerns have overridden the safety and orderly conduct of students.

Cllr Benson, who has campaigned for a more effective Police presence in the University area since she was elected in 2006, is dismayed and angry at the news.

She notes how less dramatic issues such as burglary and fly-tipping have been positively impacted by the presence of a pro-active Police presence. The communication links which have provided vital infomation to this vulnerable group could be lost, and she says the timing could not be worse.

Meanwhile the issue has taken on a political complexion as Reading East PPCs for both LibDems and Labour are taking action to raise awareness of the issue.

LibDem candidate Cllr Gareth Epps has set up a Facebook group to share information about how to put pressure on the University authorities, while Labour candidate Anneliese Dodds has visited Eastern Avenue and Granby Gardens to collect signatures on a petition.


Oranjepan asks:
Conservatives have been making lots of headlines during their party conference this week about honestly admitting the scale and size of cuts in spending they'd make, so will Reading East's Conservative MP risk his re-election chances by supporting this cut?

The Fresh Face Of Students At Freshers Fayre

Every October a new intake of students comes to Reading University bringing with them a whole range of issues and concerns.

According to the National Student Survey Reading University offers a better than average experience, with the quality of teaching and student support particularly praised.

However with the current economic climate putting pressure on tax-payer funded services the imperative to balance budgets may have negative effects.

Charges are already being introduced for counselling, which a spokesman for the University and Colleges Union described as a false economy.

Meanwhile financial dependency is a major cause of stress for students, many of whom are living independently for the first time in their lives. Student support officer Cheryl Milne described the transition period as normal but expressed concern for the 'hidden victims' of the system who get caught in the bureaucratic complexities.

Reading's LibDems have been campaigning on behalf of students and reasserting their opposition to top-up fees.



Cllr Benson notes how unemployment among recent graduates and young people has almost doubled in the past year, before going into greater depth to describe how social mobility has reduced under Labour as inequality has become more ingrained.

A further worry is the threat of criminals who deliberately prey on student innocence. Police attended the Freshers Fayre as a public information initiative which forms part of Operation Breaker.

The aim is to help reduce burglaries targetted against the students by reminding them of the few small steps they can take which ultimately has a damatic impact on their safety and the ability to protect their property. The operation claims to have helped reduce burglaries by almost 15% in the 11 weeks since it started compared to previous years.

-

Update: Rob Wilson MP has issued a press release showing he turned up long enough to get his photo taken, talk about 'a range' of issues, and says RUCSOC signed up 'a lot' of new members.

Labour candidate (and former councillor) Richard MacKenzie has decided to become a mature student at Reading University since becoming unemployed. He notes that Labour had a petition to 'to force the Uni to make space for a car club on campus to reduce car use'.

Press Criticised For Sensationalising TVU Shake-up

The future of further education at Thames Valley University has been the subject of some controversy after the Board of Governors reached a decision 'in principle' to divest further education provision from it's Reading campus.

A six-month review has been commissioned by the Learning and Skills Council and will decide how course provision will be restructured.

Cllr Gareth Epps, LibDem PPC for Reading East, said "This is the clearest sign yet of an ill wind being blown over further and higher education."

Calling for Labour to stop it's counterproductive education cuts, he added that

"The first priority must be to ensure quality sixth form provision for Reading students. Those students intending to go to college in September, in particular, deserve reassurance after TVU's sudden announcement."

Professor Peter John, the Vice Chancellor of TVU, responded:

"We want to assure students that our plans for the future of the Reading campus will not impact on their studies. The changes are about the management of courses in the future rather than the courses that will be available. We believe that the needs of all learners, employers and employees in Reading are best served by recreating separate further education provision for the region."

But it's not just courses at TVU's Reading campus which are due to be reorganised. Slough will also see changes in a move which is claimed "will be closely aligned to the skills needs of Slough employers," according to TVU Deputy Vice Chancellor, Ian Tunbridge.

University managers have signalled their intention to 'minimise the impact on courses and on staff', and it is not expected that there are to be wholesale redundancies as a result.

However this hasn't stopped some from whipping up the spectre of industrial confrontation, despite the declaration that only one FTE teaching job at Reading is effectively redundant.

So it's interesting to read one TVU teacher speaking out on the subject from the sharp end.

The vocational business course remains over-subscribed for the next academic year, but he recognises that the economic situation is causing many young people to think again about staying in education.

He points out that the role of the press is crucial in forming perceptions and makes a sharp criticism of 'sensationalist' headlines which proclaim the impending closure of courses: using public spaces to spread uncertainty is damaging as it could actually drive potential students away.

Oranjepan says:
With confidence in civic institutions on the line the 'fourth estate' must also recognise its responsibility to the public not to sacrifice long-term interests and education for short-term commercial imperatives.

Cont Ed Cut

Reading University Council voted on Tuesday to close it's School of Continuing Education following funding cuts which meant it would be looking to fill a £1/2m shortfall.

A variety of options have been sought to keep access to education open for mature students at all levels and while some courses may be transferred to TVU, Oxford University has agreed to operate a programme of public courses from Reading's Whiteknights campus from 2010.

Course restructuring has been ongoing since the announcement first came to light, with the Professional Management Programme transferred unchanged to the Henley Business School and the Town Hall lecture series continuing. The future of Day Schools, the Wide Language Programme and the Careers Studies Programme are still unconfirmed but Reading University has responded to the public pressure by making commitments to work with other institutions to ensure student disruption is minimised.

The Workers Educational Association has also held discussions with the University of the Third Age and other providers such as New Directions to ensure short academic courses are available more widely - showing that the economic case for a more proactive attitude, reaching out into the local community to expand student enrollment has gained weight.

Meanwhile, former Cont Ed student June Stoute watches on somewhat wistfully as her son graduates.

-

Update: Linda Fort quotes RACE campaigners Paul Kingston and Lindsay Mullaney. They said:

"While we cannot claim our campaign persuaded the university to find innovative ways of continuing these courses, we are sure our petition – signed by over 900 students – was an indication of people’s strong feelings over this matter."

-

History: Funding cut announced; Campaigners get organised; Action plans take shape; Decision time

Top Marks For Triple-H

In an positive move Reading University has opened a new £17m facility for biomedical and pharmaceutical sciences.

The building will be named after the renowned late Professor Harold H. Hopkins, who worked on the campus for 17 years and helped develop modern key-hole surgery techniques. It will house Reading University's new Institute for Cardiovascular and Metabolic Research (ICMR).

Reading University Vice Chancellor Professor Gordon Marshall expressed his excitement at the state-of-the-art facility, explaining that it "demonstrates our commitment to developing further our ability to undertake internationally important research," while honouring the inspiration of Prof Hopkins "whose talent for theoretical maths and physics combined with an inventive genius led him to achieve significant life changing contributions to society himself."

Attending the ceremony were the Mayors of Reading and Wokingham, as well as Professor Hopkins' son, Kelvin Hopkins MP.

According to Michael Hawes, Rob Wilson MP echoed the sentiments of Professor Marshall, saying "Such a significant investment highlights the Reading determination to continue to be one of the World’s top institutions."

Diane Berry, Reading University pro vice-chancellor for research, agrees with the need to support a wider base of research recently arguing that "we cannot afford to conceive our science base too narrowly" because "addressing current and future global challenges depends on the successful interplay of all subjects."

Oranjepan says:
No new knowledge is ever a waste of money!

'Save Our Brains'

Protesters fighting Reading University's proposal to close a second department this year gathered en masse on Wednesday outside Earley Gate to demonstrate their opposition as the University Senate met to discuss whether to implement the propsals.

Campaigners are unhappy about the level of consultation as suggestions continue to circulate that the final decision is cut and dried.

However the Senate decided against voting on the proposals in order to assess alternative arrangements, which may include transferring the department to another institution.

University spokesman Alex Brannen explained that a £450,000 government funding cut to ELQ qualifications in 2009/10 at Reading meant other courses would have to subsidise the department to keep it open.

Meanwhile an unnamed tutor commented that "the local community has been let down" as the closure will "leave a gap in the heart of Reading intellectually and culturally."

"Thousands of people participate and are involved in lifelong learning which the Government is supposed to be promoting and showing there is life beyond watching the wall and retirement."

Continuing student Sara Scott, said "We should be encouraged to keep ourselves intellectually alive rather than sitting at home waiting for dementia to hit us."

Reading University later released this statement:

"The Senate has urged the University to apply its best endeavours, in collaboration with other parties, to facilitate the continued availability of public programmes in the locality. This view was reached by consensus and no vote was taken. The view of the Senate will now be passed for consideration to the University’s Council, the University’s governing body."

Reading University Council will meet on Tuesday 7th July to make a final decision over whether to close it's School of Continuing Education.

-

Update: In other news statistics provided by the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education show the proportion of adult learners has fallen to it's lowest level since Labour came to power.

-
History: Funding cut announced; Campaigners get organised; Action plans take shape
-
Reading Action on Continuing Education provides further information on the campaign.

Campaign To Save Continuing Education Continues

The campaign against the closure of Reading University's School of Continuing Education is keeping up the pressure ahead of the deciding votes by the University council and senate.

Redlands LibDems advertises the latest developments - which includes a question asked by campaigners at a recent meeting of Reading Borough Council - as students worries about a "spiral of decline" grow.

In response RBC lead councillor for education, Labour's John Hartley, expressed regret that the decision had been announced as well as hope that the University remember its' civic responsibility, although Cllr Benson notes the irony of his attempt to distance himself from the effects of decisions taken by the Labour party at national level.

Meanwhile the campaign group RACE (Reading Action on Continuing Education) notes the difference between the words and actions of University of Reading Vice-Chancellor Prof Gordon Marshall, who previously pledged support for the school but is now moving ahead with the plans for closure.

June Stoute also gives her bloggers view from the inside as a student at the school.

She describes the distress of other students and makes connection between the intellectual stimulation provided by education and mental well-being.

The HE Finance Trap

University funding is on the agenda again.

A recent survey of the UK's 133 Vice-Chancellors has highlighted the 'financial uncertainty' facing higher education establishments, which makes it almost certain that tuition fees will have to rise to £5,000 and possibly as high as £7,000 per year. However Labour Minister for HE, David Lammy MP has ruled out a rise in the cap before the next general election.

The Daily Whinge commented that it is "absolutely criminal that... we are even ‘considering’ raising University Student tuition fees" and described their imposition as a financial 'trap' designed to make young adults subservient to the aims of the state.

Mr Lammy's former shadow and Conservative MP for Reading East Rob Wilson urges fee rises as soon as possible. He also uses the report to provide context to the university funding position justifiable reasoning for the closure of the oversubscribed and profitable School of Health and Social Care at Reading University.

Mr Wilson explains the closure was "based on tight finances rather than the quality of provision... because it costs more to teach social care courses," arguing the necessity of cutting back student places - even on essential training courses for vital services.

He goes on to catalogue a list of bad decisions by universities which he says make tough choices such as regards SHSC inevitable. Bad financial planning with regard to over-generous pay deals and excessive dependency on equity returns has combined with diminished social philanthropy to bring about the current "toxic period" he says.

The perilous financial position of Reading University is exacerbated by it's current plans for a massive development program of its' landholdings in the area, which includes housing, a science park and other debt-financed ventures.

Meanwhile International Studies Abroad (ISA) highlights an alternative way out of the trouble, as it announced it has lowered the price of its forthcoming academic programs in this country (including at the University of Reading). ISA declared,

"as a result of the current global recession, the US Dollar has reached a 23-year high against the British Pound, contributing to a more affordable experience for US students studying abroad in England."

ISA has managed to drop fees for courses at Reading by almost 7% against last year, although the real cost remains more than three times more than UK students will be expected to pay even after review.

Oranjepan asks:
When managers get things wrong, why is it 'inevitable' that they scapegoat those who get things right?

Is Big Pharm Fund A Silver Bullet?

Reading University has recieved a big funding boost after it was named as one of 77 learning and skills centres to be allocated a share of a new fund.

The £53m Economic Challenge Investment Fund uses public and private money to provide 'targetted' help for short-term employment and advice as government tries to avert an employment crisis among the 400,000 people expected to graduate this year.

Labour minister for HE, David Lammy MP, said he was 'encouraged' by the commitment but TUC general secretary Brendan Barber offered a stark warning about this short-term emergency measure which uses taxpayers' money but does not include sufficient safeguards.

RU spokesman Alex Brannen described the pharmaceutical industry as "a sector of prime importance to the South East" and explained that the grant of almost £700,000 "will help the bio-pharma industry prepare for the economic upturn" by employing industrial fellows to provide specialist training for nine additional interns.

This is the second recent funding success for Reading University's Chemistry department. It was only in March that it was awarded £500,000 by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council to undertake studies on four projects, include investigations into drug synthesis, Alzheimer's treatments, as well as other materials science research.

The importance of the sector to the region was demonstrated recently as over 100 delegates and 11 industry heads attended the second annual pharmaceutical 'Responsibility and Reputation' conference held at Thames Valley University. The event emphasized the "importance of reputation and stakeholder management" as sustainability is now recognized as integral to corporate strategy and business organisation.

The news also comes only shortly after Reading University announced it would be closing it's highly respected School of Health and Social Care which trained professionals to provide therapeutic alternatives to medication based on clinical psychodynamics.

Oranjepan asks:
Is a short-term fix good for the health of the economy and society as a whole?

Simply Reading

Reading University's Simplification Centre is to hold a document clinic on Thursday 14th May, where attendees will be able to get an instant review of their work from experts and can share experiences of working with customer communications.

Corrine Pritchard is enthusiastic about the service provided by the committed team under Professor Rob Waller, which she says "offers much more than the usual plain English training!"

The clinic is free but space is limited, to reserve places in advance contact simplification@reading.ac.uk

Oranjepan says:
It is sure to be well-attended both by local politicians looking for advice on their election literature, as well as Reading council executives, following recent advice from the LGA.

So get in there fast!

RACE To Save Uni Department

Protesters have gathered to demonstrate their feelings against the proposed closure of another department at Reading University.

The School of Continuing Education organises and runs around 40 classes on a short or part-time basis in a mix of day and evening schedules, including such subjects as Sandra Smith's forthcoming day school at Reading Museum on British Master Drawings on Saturday 17th October.

Reading University has said a funding shortfall has left it with 'no choice' but to close departments outside it's priority areas, irrespective of the economic viability of those departments - as was seen last week when the University Council voted overwhelmingly to shut the profitable School of Health and Social Care, which also fulfills a vital social function as the only training college for social workers in the region.

Reading Liberal Democrats have been outspoken in their criticism of the University authorities and have offered their full support to the campaigners efforts.

LibDems education spokesperson on RBC, Cllr Kirsten Bayes commented, "These cuts are absurd. They come at the worst possible time for the thousands of local people being made redundant, who are looking to retrain in order to resume their careers."[1]

The University issued a press release explaining their decision to cut the public programme of courses in which Pro-Vice Chancellor (Enterprise) Prof Christine Williams explained the cut in ELQ support will impact funding for over 55% of students enrolling on the open programme courses as well as 37% of Certificate students. She says that if the department were forced to remain open it would require a subsidy of about £500,000 per year to cover the lost grant from taxpayers funds allocated by central government.

Lindsay Mullaney who has helped set up the campaign web-site Reading Action on Continuing Education described the news as "a huge blow to hundreds of people" and hopes that the campaigners efforts will help secure alternate arrangements to ensure that high-quality courses remain available to those who want to keep their brains active into later life.

Neighbour Paul Kingston, who helped set up the site, explained that he was drawing on his knowledge from studying 'The Terrible 20th Century' to conclude that the decision to close the school is "absolutely ridiculous".

Reading University Senate will discuss the recommendation 'in the summer term' before a final decision is made in July by the University Council.

Oranjepan asks:
Is this what is meant by 'lifelong learning strategy'?

University Development Plans

Reading University may be closing highly-regarded and valuable departments as fast as it can, but this isn't stopping it from moving ahead with plans to transform itself into a corporate entity.

RU plans to build over 800,000 sq ft of building space for companies in a technology park at Cutbush Lane in Shinfield.

Consultation organisers promoted the plans by arguing that "Reading needs more economic development in this area," although they did not comment on how the proposals have been effected by previous decisions by Reading University to close down departments.

Members of the public are encouraged to 'Have Your Say' on the Cutbush Lane development, the plans can be viewed here and you can give feedback here.

-

Update: Reading Chronicle reports that fears are increasing as the plans evolve and the scale of the proposed development increases.

University Council Votes to Close SHSC

Reading University's Council has voted to close it's School of Health and Social Care.

The decision is reported to have been made with 23 votes in favour of the proposal, 4 against and 1 abstention.

The news comes as a blow to activists who have mounted a vigorous campaign to save the facility which united staff, students, professionals, local residents, borough councillors and which attracted widespread support against the unpopular move.

The British Association of Social Workers offered a stark warning about how the future of the profession will be affected by the closure, already suffering from a lack of adequate training in what is a highly sensitive area. Numerous local authorities have been hit by scandal as the the pool of proficient social workers has not been able to fulfill needs and this situation is only expected to worsen.

The school has about 350 students enrolled on courses, graduating 65 new social workers each year, in addition to providing a high-level education for nurses and counsellors.

The school has closed its doors to new registrations and will now set up a restructuring committee and transition management group.

LibDem Councillor, Daisy Benson, who proposed a motion opposing the closure which gained all-party support, writes her view of the story here.

She describes the decision as 'arrogant and illogical', explaining that the decision contravenes the University's strategic plan by talking up its responsibility to staff and students while ignoring its statutory responsibility to competent economic management and to serve community interests.

SHSC administrators have flatly denied there is a financial case for the closure, pointing out that the school is profitable overall and actually provides sizable contributions to the University's balance sheet.

However the University of Reading remains under financial pressure after a 4% reduction in grant funding from HEFCE*.

Meanwhile it is also reported that University Vice-Chancellor, Prof Gordon Marshall, who oversees and directs policy at the institution, received an inflation-busting 8% increase to his personal salary to £217,513 pa.

-

*The HEFCE grant allocation formula stresses research funding. Reading's funding reduction stems from a similar decision to close the internationally-renowned physics department, which had a specialisation in research.

-

Update: Reading Chronicle provides a unique insight - into the depth and bredth of it's reporting abilities.

107fm crackles to life.

Heart arrives, late on the scene.

Support For Campaign Against Course Closures Come From Far Afield

South-coast local authority representatives Cllr John De Mierre and Cllr Pat Arculus have offered official backing from West Sussex County Council to help the campaign against Reading University's proposed closure of its School of Health and Social Care.

The councillors, who are the West Sussex Cabinet members for Adults’ Services and for Children and Young People’s Services respectively, have written to Secretary of State Ed Balls to say that "With the present shortage of social workers nationally, such a proposal causes us deep concern."

Conservative-dominated West Sussex is one of eight councils across the country reported by Ofsted for providing 'inadequate' levels of care for children, but according to Ombudsmen still has 'a long way to go' to make sufficient improvements.

The government has intervened with nine councils, as 22 local authorities showed a decline in performance. A massive shake-up in assessment has been announced following the loss of confidence in the system of 'star-ratings'.

...Now Open Courses Are To Close

Hyperactive Redlands councillor, Daisy Benson, notes a new threat to Reading University following the cut in their HEFCE grant.

Pro-vice chancellor Professor Christine Williams explained that subsidised courses cannot be afforded, although UCU General Secretary blamed bad management for the funding problems

Reading LibDems are on the ball, providing a variety quotes from spokespeople, including RUSU Mature Students Officer, Karl Hobley, who said,

"This is [not just] bad news for mature students, but bad news for the local economy, the region, the University as a whole, Readings' widening participation agenda and staff now about to lose their jobs.
Now more than ever we need a government who think long term, who look after students and local people - unlike the current lot!"

-

Update: Ben Rice notes the funding cut threatens a diverse range of courses at both the University of Reading and TVU.

University Senate Vote

Yesterday Reading University Senate supported the recommendation by managers to close the School of Health and Social Care, despite a concerted campaign by students, staff, residents, professional and democratic representatives and everyone all the way up to and including Reading Borough Council Chief Executive, Michael Coughlin.

Ann Quinn, of the UCU staff body at the school, complained that University bookkeepers were attempting to make the decision in isolation, without any accountability. The school is financially self-sustaining and performs an essential public service role training skilled social workers in a sensitive sector with many vacancies.

The decision will now move to a final stage where it will require confirmation by the University Council on 20th March.

Redlands LibDems have reported back on the decision to go ahead with the closure.

UCU branch secretary Ian Bland notes that the campaigning efforts have not been wasted as the Senate was split over the decision, returning a vote of 32 for the closure, 27 against with 6 abstentions - ie by a plurality of votes, not an overall majority.

This actual result of the vote shows how contentious the decision is proving to be, and that it could yet be reversed as pressure mounts.

LibDem Parliamentary spokesman for Reading East, Cllr Gareth Epps, has also commented, explaining how the proposed closure contravenes recommendations made in the Laming Report - a view also held by Michael Gove MP.

A public meeting has been organised for 7.00pm-9.00pm on 16th March in Waterhouse Chambers, Reading Town Hall.