Keep the Earth Sciences Admin Team in the Department during the Academic Restructure and move to the School of Engineering, Physical and Mathematics
25 Comments
Y
Yasir Said
7 years ago
Absolutely ludicruos! Never with Psychology
M
Matt Neason
7 years ago
Featured
Absolutely no way we should be merged with psychology and similar, how in any way are the two subjects connected? I also cannot see how having one help desk for that many students studying that many subjects will help
A
abdi rahman
7 years ago
stop just thinking about money and think about our education!!
M
mahaajay bhaga
7 years ago
dont do it
H
Harry
7 years ago
save them!!!!
C
Conor Graham
7 years ago
Yes.
R
Ryan Payton
7 years ago
The bulk of research taking place in our department fits nicely in a school containing the likes of Physics, Maths and Computer Science rather than with Psychology. The core concepts in Earth Sciences revolve around these disciplines and great benefit would come from promoting interdisciplinary research and learning in this direction. Not doing so seems to be a huge loss of potential in my opinion.
Part of the reason I decided to remain in this department after completed UG was due to the smooth functioning and well organised nature of the admin team. Relocation and division of an integral part of our community would be a mistake. The negative impact of such a decision would undoubtedly be felt by each department member and make the day to day functioning of our community more difficult, impacting learning, research and teaching activities.
M
Max Coleman
7 years ago
The re-structure poses two primary concerns to me:
1. The inaccessibility of admin staff has potential to make many tasks more time-consuming and difficult. For example, within the last few weeks I've needed to speak to the admin team to pay for registration at a conference, which involved using a department card for payment - this would definitely take longer if the admin team are relocated. It also has potential to affect the supportive feel of the department, which was a reason for originally choosing RHUL over other institutions when I started studying here.
2. The specific school grouping isn't one that seems ideal for me or the research group I'm a part of, which focuses on atmospheric chemistry, which has more commonalities with physics, engineering and computer science than psychology for example. Hence, I'm not sure this grouping is particularly beneficial.
D
David McGowan
7 years ago
Featured
The Earth Science department is a very tight-knit group and relatively small to the other departments we are being merged into, doing so will cause Earth Science students to miss out on amazing opportunities and be overlooked.
A
Anonymous
7 years ago
Featured
It is ridiculous to merge administration when they are such an integral part of our department. Especially when considering the cumulative student capacity of the new school.
M
MM
7 years ago
Loss of a department's admin staff seems to only to the detriment of any department, but especially towards the more specific needs of Earth science, often requiring the dedication of much more time working directly with students, to solve uniquely Earth science created problems experienced by students. This could also be a potential threat to social aspect of the department, the pride and core of every Geology department.
The content of Psychology, Biology, and Geography are so detached and distinct from the current areas of study and trending movement of the department and graduate prospects for the industry in general. Despite the nature of this restructure being on an administrative level the potential opportunity lost of working more closely with other departments, more relevant an able to generate an actual improvement to potential future and current courses.
These changes could potentially cripple the department for years to come, or lead to the department further pushing the boundaries able to equip graduates with additional adaptability and flexibility through further robust development of key skills.
J
Jade redford
7 years ago
Featured
This would be very damaging to the Earth Science students, having a help desk in the department means that the staff are aware of all the current information for your course and those similar courses. To move the admin team out of the department would reduce students likeliness to ask questions they have as well as reduce the admin team's ability to provide the most up to date answers.
A
Arabella Smeaton
7 years ago
Please don't do this, it's a really bad idea.
A
Andrew Bond
7 years ago
Having been based within the Department of Earth Sciences for the past five years I have experienced a great deal of change, a lot of it good I might add. However, change for the sake of change does not equate to progress.
One of the things that makes the Department so easy and well-oiled is the accessibility and personal nature of the administration team. The administration team are always on hand to personally attend to any queries regarding: personal circumstances, deadlines, fieldwork, changing degree programme etc. However this will become a lot more out of touch, and considerably less personal, if the administration team are re-located outside of the department.
Furthermore, the research currently being undertaken within the Department does not conform with the remit of 'Life Sciences'. The department is very much Geology-focussed, undertaking research into: Reservoir characteristics and petroleum geology, environmental geoscience, the geology of SE Asia, structural geology, the modelling of pore and mantle flow, the geochemistry of the atmosphere, the past geochemistry of the oceans. With the exception of several esteemed researchers who focus on palaeontology the department is very much physics and chemistry orientated. Therefore amalgamating the Department of Earth Sciences with the departments of Biology and Psychology is about as logical as grouping History and Geography. The Department of Earth Sciences would be much better suited to the research of the Departments of Engineering, Mathematics and Physics.
I strongly beg that the relocation of the administration team is reconsidered in light of how it will affect the undergraduate experience. Furthermore, I emplore that if the department must be allocated to a school that due care and consideration are taken to ensure that interests of the department strongly reflect those of the school.
G
Gabriel d'Arce
7 years ago
The ES department is strong because of its current structure. It is a shame to see it being ignored. It will not be able to flourish, the Queens Building is the heart of the ES department both academically and socially.
H
Holly
7 years ago
Stop pushing earth science students and staff to one side!
E
Emma Lucas
7 years ago
Why change something that isn’t broke.
S
Salim Ayomaya
7 years ago
This will affect the quick logistics and proper functioning of the department. Hence, I am against this restructuring.
B
Benjamin Hart
7 years ago
Featured
I have been lucky to spend the last three and a half years in the department, enjoying the benefits of such a close-knit community. Moving our admin team away from that would be removing a cornerstone. I think it would be totally unfair on students still completing their courses and on those yet to join the department to deny the high level of personalised support we currently receive.
As for the move to the life sciences school, how on earth is that a relevant place for us? Our undergraduate courses include petroleum geology, digital geology and environmental geology, all heavily influenced by physics and chemistry.
A
Alex Townsend
7 years ago
This would have a negative impact on the functioning of the department and be most unhelpful for my degree path. I strongly oppose this academic restructure.
Absolutely ludicruos! Never with Psychology
Absolutely no way we should be merged with psychology and similar, how in any way are the two subjects connected? I also cannot see how having one help desk for that many students studying that many subjects will help
stop just thinking about money and think about our education!!
dont do it
save them!!!!
Yes.
The bulk of research taking place in our department fits nicely in a school containing the likes of Physics, Maths and Computer Science rather than with Psychology. The core concepts in Earth Sciences revolve around these disciplines and great benefit would come from promoting interdisciplinary research and learning in this direction. Not doing so seems to be a huge loss of potential in my opinion. Part of the reason I decided to remain in this department after completed UG was due to the smooth functioning and well organised nature of the admin team. Relocation and division of an integral part of our community would be a mistake. The negative impact of such a decision would undoubtedly be felt by each department member and make the day to day functioning of our community more difficult, impacting learning, research and teaching activities.
The re-structure poses two primary concerns to me: 1. The inaccessibility of admin staff has potential to make many tasks more time-consuming and difficult. For example, within the last few weeks I've needed to speak to the admin team to pay for registration at a conference, which involved using a department card for payment - this would definitely take longer if the admin team are relocated. It also has potential to affect the supportive feel of the department, which was a reason for originally choosing RHUL over other institutions when I started studying here. 2. The specific school grouping isn't one that seems ideal for me or the research group I'm a part of, which focuses on atmospheric chemistry, which has more commonalities with physics, engineering and computer science than psychology for example. Hence, I'm not sure this grouping is particularly beneficial.
The Earth Science department is a very tight-knit group and relatively small to the other departments we are being merged into, doing so will cause Earth Science students to miss out on amazing opportunities and be overlooked.
It is ridiculous to merge administration when they are such an integral part of our department. Especially when considering the cumulative student capacity of the new school.
Loss of a department's admin staff seems to only to the detriment of any department, but especially towards the more specific needs of Earth science, often requiring the dedication of much more time working directly with students, to solve uniquely Earth science created problems experienced by students. This could also be a potential threat to social aspect of the department, the pride and core of every Geology department. The content of Psychology, Biology, and Geography are so detached and distinct from the current areas of study and trending movement of the department and graduate prospects for the industry in general. Despite the nature of this restructure being on an administrative level the potential opportunity lost of working more closely with other departments, more relevant an able to generate an actual improvement to potential future and current courses. These changes could potentially cripple the department for years to come, or lead to the department further pushing the boundaries able to equip graduates with additional adaptability and flexibility through further robust development of key skills.
This would be very damaging to the Earth Science students, having a help desk in the department means that the staff are aware of all the current information for your course and those similar courses. To move the admin team out of the department would reduce students likeliness to ask questions they have as well as reduce the admin team's ability to provide the most up to date answers.
Please don't do this, it's a really bad idea.
Having been based within the Department of Earth Sciences for the past five years I have experienced a great deal of change, a lot of it good I might add. However, change for the sake of change does not equate to progress. One of the things that makes the Department so easy and well-oiled is the accessibility and personal nature of the administration team. The administration team are always on hand to personally attend to any queries regarding: personal circumstances, deadlines, fieldwork, changing degree programme etc. However this will become a lot more out of touch, and considerably less personal, if the administration team are re-located outside of the department. Furthermore, the research currently being undertaken within the Department does not conform with the remit of 'Life Sciences'. The department is very much Geology-focussed, undertaking research into: Reservoir characteristics and petroleum geology, environmental geoscience, the geology of SE Asia, structural geology, the modelling of pore and mantle flow, the geochemistry of the atmosphere, the past geochemistry of the oceans. With the exception of several esteemed researchers who focus on palaeontology the department is very much physics and chemistry orientated. Therefore amalgamating the Department of Earth Sciences with the departments of Biology and Psychology is about as logical as grouping History and Geography. The Department of Earth Sciences would be much better suited to the research of the Departments of Engineering, Mathematics and Physics. I strongly beg that the relocation of the administration team is reconsidered in light of how it will affect the undergraduate experience. Furthermore, I emplore that if the department must be allocated to a school that due care and consideration are taken to ensure that interests of the department strongly reflect those of the school.
The ES department is strong because of its current structure. It is a shame to see it being ignored. It will not be able to flourish, the Queens Building is the heart of the ES department both academically and socially.
Stop pushing earth science students and staff to one side!
Why change something that isn’t broke.
This will affect the quick logistics and proper functioning of the department. Hence, I am against this restructuring.
I have been lucky to spend the last three and a half years in the department, enjoying the benefits of such a close-knit community. Moving our admin team away from that would be removing a cornerstone. I think it would be totally unfair on students still completing their courses and on those yet to join the department to deny the high level of personalised support we currently receive. As for the move to the life sciences school, how on earth is that a relevant place for us? Our undergraduate courses include petroleum geology, digital geology and environmental geology, all heavily influenced by physics and chemistry.
This would have a negative impact on the functioning of the department and be most unhelpful for my degree path. I strongly oppose this academic restructure.