Reading University slammed over plans to axe 'vital' department
12 February 2009
Reading University is under fire over plans to axe its School of Health and Social Care. Critics have slammed moves to shut a department that produces social workers at a time when one in six social worker positions are unfilled.
UCU described the proposals as 'pointless and ill-thought' and warned shutting the department would have huge consequences not just for the university, but the country as a whole.
The department runs hugely successful social work courses at both undergraduate and postgraduate level. With an estimated one in six social work positions in the UK currently unfilled, UCU says it fails to comprehend why the institution is considering axing a department that is not losing money and achieved a higher score in the recent Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) than its local competitors.
Reading University controversially axed its award-winning physics department in November 2006.The recommendation to close the department from the university's senior management board will be discussed by the university council and a final decision will be taken next month.
Reading University UCU representative, Linda Shockey, said: 'The department is one of the finest in the country at what it does and to axe it would be a disaster. We lost an award-winning physics department recently and to lose another department now sends out a worrying message that Reading University is only interested in a bottom line, not excellence.'
UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: 'Reading University needs to explain exactly why it believes axing a vital department, that provides the region and the country with social workers, is the right thing to do when there is a desperate shortage of social workers. The university can rest assured that we will be fighting these plans all the way through to the council meeting next month that will decide the department's fate.'
The department runs hugely successful social work courses at both undergraduate and postgraduate level. With an estimated one in six social work positions in the UK currently unfilled, UCU says it fails to comprehend why the institution is considering axing a department that is not losing money and achieved a higher score in the recent Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) than its local competitors.
Reading University controversially axed its award-winning physics department in November 2006.The recommendation to close the department from the university's senior management board will be discussed by the university council and a final decision will be taken next month.
Reading University UCU representative, Linda Shockey, said: 'The department is one of the finest in the country at what it does and to axe it would be a disaster. We lost an award-winning physics department recently and to lose another department now sends out a worrying message that Reading University is only interested in a bottom line, not excellence.'
UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, said: 'Reading University needs to explain exactly why it believes axing a vital department, that provides the region and the country with social workers, is the right thing to do when there is a desperate shortage of social workers. The university can rest assured that we will be fighting these plans all the way through to the council meeting next month that will decide the department's fate.'
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