Hi Michael,
This unbelievably depressing turn of events is the culmination of a
series of destructive and wasteful actions taken by the senior
management team at Writtle College over the last 5 years.
The extraordinary quality of teaching and research staff was recognised
in Writtle's first 2014 UK Research Excellence Framework submission and
in Quality Assurance Agency reports. Back in 2010 Writtle Art and Design
course was listed in the top 10 Arts BAs on offer in the country.
In addition to the personal hardship for staff and students that will
flow from this action, a wonderful opportunity to establish an exemplar
of 21st century higher education has been lost. The vision, enthusiasm,
and resources were there, to grow a unique educational institution that
would develop interdisciplinary teaching, learning and research across
agriculture, animal sciences, sustainable environments, arts, landscape
architecture and design. At this time of global environmental and
political stress this institution would have given its students the best
chance to thrive, while shaping and contributing to progressive future
cultures and economies.
It's hard to interpret the torrents of small acts of sabotage against
the courses in the School of Design over the years as anything other
than capricious. I was Head of the Writtle School of Design 2011-14 and
was haunted for years after I left, by the ineptitude and lack of
ambition I witnessed within senior management and governance processes:
failure to commit to the state college mission and values, and a failure
to realise and build on the value of the academic community.
I'm so sorry that the staff and students are now going to have to suffer
yet another stressful onslaught and wish them well in all actions to
resist and/or rebuild.
Ruth
On 10/04/18 23:42, Michael Szpakowski wrote:
Big thanks to both of you Marc and Rob! Much appreciated! Michael
Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone <https://yho.com/footer0>
On Tuesday, April 10, 2018, 11:21 pm, Rob Myers <[email protected]> wrote:
Signed.
Funny not funny how the people who are the most obsessed with an
aesthetic of businesslike behaviour are the least able of
identifying those courses that most add to their bottom line.
- Rob.
On Tue, 10 Apr 2018, at 3:14 PM, marc.garrett via NetBehaviour wrote:
Hi Michael,
I have signed it but will add comments tomorrow when I've got
more time - they are utter scum.
wishing you & those losing their jobs well.
marc
Marc Garrett
Co-Founder, Co-Director and main editor of Furtherfield.
Art, technology and social change, since 1996
http://www.furtherfield.org
Furtherfield Gallery & Commons in the park
Finsbury Park, London N4 2NQ
http://www.furtherfield.org/gallery
<http://www.furtherfield.org/gallery>
Currently writing a PhD at Birkbeck University, London
https://birkbeck.academia.edu/MarcGarrett
Just published: Artists Re:thinking the Blockchain
Eds, Ruth Catlow, Marc Garrett, Nathan Jones, & Sam Skinner
Liverpool Press - http://bit.ly/2x8XlMK
Sent with ProtonMail <https://protonmail.com> Secure Email.
‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ Original Message ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐
On 10 April 2018 8:50 PM, Michael Szpakowski
<[email protected]> wrote:
Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone <https://yho.com/footer0>
Begin forwarded message:
On Tuesday, April 10, 2018, 8:27 pm, Michael Szpakowski
<[email protected]> wrote:
Thanks so much Gill!
Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone <https://yho.com/footer0>
On Tuesday, April 10, 2018, 7:42 pm, Gill Davies
<[email protected]> wrote:
Signed, Michael. Best of luck.
On 10 April 2018 at 19:38, Michael Szpakowski
<[email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote:
And for those of you who have a connection with the
course and with Writtle, please leave a comment...If
you're an artist or writer &c any sort also please
identify yourself... :)
I'm pasting below my sig the motion passed today nem
con in our UCU branch meeting..
Please also tweet, FB, e mail...
thanks!
Michael
Sign the Petition
<https://www.change.org/p/tessmaths1-gmail-com-defend-education-at-writtle-university-college-no-to-course-cuts-no-to-redundancies/share_for_starters?just_created=true>
Sign the Petition
[email protected]: Defend Education at Writtle
university College! No to course cuts, no to
redundancies!
This branch *feels* a sense of déjà vu.
This branch *notes *that whilst members, other
teachers and support staff were conscientiously
doing their usual best the entire senior management
team /failed/.
/Failed/to see any problem coming, /failed/ to open
up any sort of discussion and /failed/ to show any
concern for staff as evidenced by the inept and
cold-blooded way in which a package of course cuts
and job losses was presented as a fait accompli, the
day before the Easter holiday weekend.
This branch *notes *the Vice Chancellor’s highly
insulting comment
“/We have not driven the business to achieve
excellence – our portfolio, in HE especially, is too
broad for us to be outstanding in all fields of study/”
(‘Strategic Change Agenda’ p3 bullet point three)
This branch *notes* that the VC and presumably the
SMT believes that Writtle University College is a
‘business’(ibid.) rather than an educational
institution.
This branch *notes *the hugely successful campaign
waged by our colleagues in the pre 1992 universities
to defend their pension rights and also the recent
no-confidence vote by Open University UCU members in
their vice chancellor when faced with a similar
package of cuts, a similar rationale and similarly
insulting language.
This branch *believes* in education.
This branch *believes *that the entire SLT at
Writtle has /failed, /we have *no confidence* in it
and therefore *resolve* to call upon all its members
to resign forthwith and for the governors to replace
it with a team which believes that the 100 year plus
educational legacy of Writtle deserves celebrating
and defending, rather than yet another round of cuts.
This branch further *resolves* to call upon the
governors to withdraw the cuts and closure proposal
by the end of this week. If the package is not
withdrawn then a dispute will exist between the UCU
and WUC and we will seek permission to ballot for
industrial action.
This branch *resolves* to inform students of what is
happening, both directly and through the NUS and to
seek their active support for a public campaign
against the cuts package including, but not limited
to, social media and a Change.org petition.
In addition we *resolve* to seek common ground in
fighting the cuts with our colleagues in other WUC
unions and other UCU branches.
Passed nem. con.
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Furtherfield
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