Keep Sociology at the University of Birmingham
The Petition
Staff and students at the University of Birmingham are fighting a proposal to close the Sociology Department, amidst growing concern about the University’s entire strategy for managing the social sciences. This would be the third time the University has closed the Department, with the most recent closure being in 2002 (the Department re-opened in its present form in 2004). The current proposal would lead to substantial, unjustified, staff redundancies and deep uncertainty for students midway through their degrees.
The review of the Department was one of a series being conducted or planned across the University, which are damaging staff morale and excluding students. It has become clear that the Sociology review was based on flawed evidence and lacks legitimacy. In October, the Birmingham branch of the University and College Union (UCU) criticised Birmingham’s review processes for a lack of openness, transparency and accountability. With regard to Sociology it noted that “The Department appears to have had little input into the information and documentation used by the review panel, no members of the Department have been included on the review panel, the external assessors on the panel appear to have had no opportunity to meet with staff and students from the Department.”
UCU added that if reviews “are not conducted objectively and fairly with proper and open involvement of staff and unions, they can appear to be cynical ploys misused by management to force through reductions in staffing levels and even compulsory redundancies without proper consideration and discussion.” In a recent letter to the Times Higher Educational Supplement (29 October) the British Sociological Association stated that “It is inconceivable that any serious university with a mission to serve its region and wider society can abandon a commitment to high-quality and high quantity sociology” and has urged “the relevant decision-makers at Birmingham” to reconsider. The staff and students of Birmingham’s Sociology Department urge you to sign this petition which calls on the University of Birmingham’s Council at its meeting of 26 November to:
1) Reject the proposals of the College of Social Sciences Executive Board as being based on a flawed review process and evidence base.
2) Institute a new, transparent review of Sociology that includes all stakeholders, lifts the threat of redundancies and addresses the institution’s wider strategy for the social sciences.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO KEEP PRESSURE ON MANAGEMENT THROUGH OUT THE CONSULTATION PROCESS! PLEASE ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO SIGN IN SUPPORT OF THE ONGOING CAMPAIGN. THE FIGHT IS NOT OVER.
If you could add a brief description of yourself e.g. undergraduate student, PhD research student, university lecturer, concerned parent, BSA member etc. then it will help to illustrate the broad constituency that is affected by this serious situation. Thanks for your support. Please forward on to others! (note: your signature will be added without making a payment to i-petitions)
