Monday 19th February

Scotland’s HE in continuing turmoil

I have received the following letter which completes the earlier posting about Dundee’s campaign against redundancies and financial incompetence.

“Dear all,

I'm sorry to again clog up the mailing list with this kind of plea, but our efforts have so far had such an impact, that the Principal of Glasgow University has been taken aback about the level of support the Glasgow University Crichton Campus (GUCC) has received against its possible closure over the last month.

Since I last wrote, e-mails and letters of support from all over the country, and indeed, the world, have drawn the issue into the national press, and certainly to Scotland's politicians and Sir Muir Russell, the Principal of Glasgow University. See:

http://www.thes.co.uk/current_edition/story.aspx?story_id=2035271

However, at a meeting of the University Court on 14 February, which was picketed by around 150 staff, students and members of the public, the decision was taken not to admit new students to GUCC in 2007, effectively beginning a 'wind down' phase for this institution.

Although that news was grim, it isn't over just yet, as Glasgow University's statement indicated that although there would be no new student intake, they would continue dialogue about the situation with relevant bodies.

As many letters to Scotland's first minister, Jack McConnell, have been received, including letters from the UCU, he issued a letter to David Bleiman, who is the president of UCU Scotland. The tone of the letter (as well as feelings from our senior UCU colleagues at Glasgow) implies that Dumfries and Galloway doesn't need arts and humanities education, and that Crichton Campus will successfully deliver 'skills' oriented courses from our partner institutions, with the remaining HE provision nested within business management (or similar) courses. This is simply scandolous.

Although it's great that our very good, supportive and competent partners, the University of Paisley and Bell College, will no doubt deliver a great suite of courses that can develop jobs skills, Jack McConnell needs to be asked why the people of Dumfries and Galloway aren't ENTITLED to arts and humanities courses, as can be accessed easily by most of the population in the rest of Scotland.

In the same vein, however, we still need to keep saying that the Principal should be making a PRO-ACTIVE effort to pressure the Scottish Executive about this; at present (and indeed throughout the last month), he simply insists that he's been talking to the SFC. Only the Executive can now save us, but we need help from the highest levels to attain that saviour.

In the Parliamentary debate last night, the First Minister agreed to engage in further talks with relevant partners. This is our last glimmer of hope.

So..............It would help enormously if concerned parties could write to the following authorities to pressure them to act to reverse the closure decision, and demonstrating pleasure that the Scottish Executive is taking action to meet with the Scottish Funding Council and the other relevant bodies.
And we have every confidence that a decisive and competent Executive, a knowledgeable and unprejudiced SFC and committed and active Principal can resolve the matter swiftly to the benefit of the campus. If members of the list could e-mail just two or three of the people below it could influence decisions about the future of the campus. To the following we would be grateful if you would emphasise the importance of Arts and Humanities provision in higher education, and encourage them to do all in their power to pressurise the responsible bodies to reverse the decision, and ensure that adequate funding is provided for University of Glasgow at the Crichton Campus.* Jack McConnell - First MinisterThe Scottish ParliamentEdinburgh EH99 1SPJack.Mcconnell.msp@scottish.parliament.uk
* Nicol StevenMinister for Enterprise and Lifelong LearningThe Scottish ParliamentEdinburgh EH99 1SPNicol.Stephen.msp@scottish.parliament.uk

To the following, we would be grateful if you would ask that they reverse the decision with regards to funding for the University of Glasgow Crichton Campus:Sir Muir Russell,The PrincipalUniversity of GlasgowGlasgow G12principal@gla.ac.uk Roger McClureChief ExecutiveScottish Funding CouncilDonaldson House97 Haymarket Terrace Edinburgh EH12 5HDrmcclure@sfc.ac.uk

Over and above the GUCC issue, Scottish HE is currently in crisis. Please also support campaigns against redundancy at the University of Dundee and the University of Strathclyde.

Thanks so much for taking the time to read this.

Sincerely,

Angela McClanahan”