The university has officially reversed the decision to close the workshop. This outcome represents a significant recognition of the vital role our staff play in the quality of our academic research. We will remain attentive as the transition back to normal operations begins.
October 16, 2017
Final supporters
Dear CDS Students,
You may be aware that Cranfield University is currently undertaking financial savings. As part of this, 33 CDS staff will lose their jobs. For further information, see: https://www.cranfield.ac.uk/press/news-2017/statement).
It is proposed that the workshop should close and the 13 members of staff who work there will lose their jobs and we students will lose a valuable resource.
We are asking you to help us fight this closure by signing this petition.
This closure affects our student experience here at CDS:
- We rely on the workshop staff to advise us on the conceptual stages of component design.
- They have the knowledge and experience to interpret our drawings even though many of us are unable to produce standard engineering drawings.
- They provide a wealth of knowledge and experience to assist students with their studies.
- They take an active role in commissioning, testing, and maintaining experimental rigs.
- The cost of low volume, high customisation components such as testing rigs and jigs will increase dramatically if the requirement is outsourced. This may well detract from the provision of other resources that are critical to your research experience.
- It is uncertain whether similar expertise and knowledge could be accessed externally.
- The time for component delivery will be affected, resulting in less streamlined operations and delays to your research project.
- Ad-hoc solutions will be hindered (modification or quick fixes of components), again impacting on your research timetable.
- External provision of similar services will cost more, take longer and be more problematic to amend.
This proposal will not enhance the experience of students studying at CDS. It will also impact negatively on the academic staff, our supervisors.
Other leading universities, both national and International, offer several workshops, some within departments, and see this as essential provision for taught and research student activity.
The Vice Chancellor argues that “The world within which we work is changing very rapidly and will continue to evolve. The global economy and higher education funding, the way people learn and conduct research, student and customer expectations, and growing international competition all require us to adapt and innovate.”…“In moving forward, we need to continue to strengthen our reputation and resilience.”... “We must focus on those areas of excellence and distinctive strength which will contribute to the future growth and success of the University, enhancing the student experience and meeting the needs of our customers in Government and industry.”
Getting rid of the workshop does not add value. Student expectations and experience will be negatively affected. The research community at CDS and its future growth will be negatively affected. Student feedback and, as a result, Cranfield’s status and reputation will be negatively affected.
We urge you to please sign this petition and add comments on how you view this proposal or how the workshop has helped you with your research.
Updates
September 18, 2017
The stories shared in the comments illustrate how essential our workshop staff are to the success of our research. I am currently working to ensure these personal accounts reach the administration during our upcoming discussions regarding the proposed closures.
September 18, 2017
The steady growth of this petition shows that many students recognize how central the workshop is to our academic research. This momentum confirms that our collective experience at the university is deeply tied to the expertise of our staff. We are now preparing to present these arguments to the administration with a clearer sense of our shared goals.
Reached 100 supporters
September 18, 2017
80 Comments
As a military student at Cranfield this would have a significant impact on our education and therefore future effectiveness. We learn the most by practical work as we return to education and the loss of practical facilities would heavily impact our learning.
The workshop is a vital university capability which allows students to work alongside engineering staff to develop and refine the test rigs which enable practical experimentation. This this capability is lost then it will reduce the quality of research and increase the burden on students to fund scarce funding.
As someone at the end of my PhD I cab honestly say I wouldn't have got this far without the support and expertise of the work and the same goes for many of my colleagues. Removing this resource from the university will have a detrimental impact on all future research projects.
I've worked there and benefited from the institutional expertise of those workshops. If they are closed and work is outsourced, that expertise will be lost forever. The final cost in quality and time will build up drop by drop and will likely be higher than any short-term saving.
The Electricians are there to PAT test a wide range of kit that gets brought onto site. Free of charge to the students. This is one of the universities own h&s requirements. Who is going to do this now?
Since we are undergoing a technical course, workshops help us assist in our learning, also the workshop will be of great help in our projects.
The workshops were invaluable during my time previously at the University. Not only during the manufacture of items related to my project but on the problems associated with manufacturing such items; this advice hugely contributed to a successful project and has improved my knowledge of the practical side of manufacturing.
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The university has officially reversed the decision to close the workshop. This outcome represents a significant recognition of the vital role our staff play in the quality of our academic research. We will remain attentive as the transition back to normal operations begins.
October 16, 2017
Final supporters
Dear CDS Students,
You may be aware that Cranfield University is currently undertaking financial savings. As part of this, 33 CDS staff will lose their jobs. For further information, see: https://www.cranfield.ac.uk/press/news-2017/statement).
It is proposed that the workshop should close and the 13 members of staff who work there will lose their jobs and we students will lose a valuable resource.
We are asking you to help us fight this closure by signing this petition.
This closure affects our student experience here at CDS:
- We rely on the workshop staff to advise us on the conceptual stages of component design.
- They have the knowledge and experience to interpret our drawings even though many of us are unable to produce standard engineering drawings.
- They provide a wealth of knowledge and experience to assist students with their studies.
- They take an active role in commissioning, testing, and maintaining experimental rigs.
- The cost of low volume, high customisation components such as testing rigs and jigs will increase dramatically if the requirement is outsourced. This may well detract from the provision of other resources that are critical to your research experience.
- It is uncertain whether similar expertise and knowledge could be accessed externally.
- The time for component delivery will be affected, resulting in less streamlined operations and delays to your research project.
- Ad-hoc solutions will be hindered (modification or quick fixes of components), again impacting on your research timetable.
- External provision of similar services will cost more, take longer and be more problematic to amend.
This proposal will not enhance the experience of students studying at CDS. It will also impact negatively on the academic staff, our supervisors.
Other leading universities, both national and International, offer several workshops, some within departments, and see this as essential provision for taught and research student activity.
The Vice Chancellor argues that “The world within which we work is changing very rapidly and will continue to evolve. The global economy and higher education funding, the way people learn and conduct research, student and customer expectations, and growing international competition all require us to adapt and innovate.”…“In moving forward, we need to continue to strengthen our reputation and resilience.”... “We must focus on those areas of excellence and distinctive strength which will contribute to the future growth and success of the University, enhancing the student experience and meeting the needs of our customers in Government and industry.”
Getting rid of the workshop does not add value. Student expectations and experience will be negatively affected. The research community at CDS and its future growth will be negatively affected. Student feedback and, as a result, Cranfield’s status and reputation will be negatively affected.
We urge you to please sign this petition and add comments on how you view this proposal or how the workshop has helped you with your research.
Updates
September 18, 2017
The stories shared in the comments illustrate how essential our workshop staff are to the success of our research. I am currently working to ensure these personal accounts reach the administration during our upcoming discussions regarding the proposed closures.
September 18, 2017
The steady growth of this petition shows that many students recognize how central the workshop is to our academic research. This momentum confirms that our collective experience at the university is deeply tied to the expertise of our staff. We are now preparing to present these arguments to the administration with a clearer sense of our shared goals.
Reached 100 supporters
September 18, 2017
80 Comments
Fast turnaround to make adjustments on an item between firings on range is all that kept my project from going wrong and needing repeating. this could only be achieved with a workshop on site
As a military student at Cranfield this would have a significant impact on our education and therefore future effectiveness. We learn the most by practical work as we return to education and the loss of practical facilities would heavily impact our learning.
The workshop is a vital university capability which allows students to work alongside engineering staff to develop and refine the test rigs which enable practical experimentation. This this capability is lost then it will reduce the quality of research and increase the burden on students to fund scarce funding.
As someone at the end of my PhD I cab honestly say I wouldn't have got this far without the support and expertise of the work and the same goes for many of my colleagues. Removing this resource from the university will have a detrimental impact on all future research projects.
I've worked there and benefited from the institutional expertise of those workshops. If they are closed and work is outsourced, that expertise will be lost forever. The final cost in quality and time will build up drop by drop and will likely be higher than any short-term saving.
The Electricians are there to PAT test a wide range of kit that gets brought onto site. Free of charge to the students. This is one of the universities own h&s requirements. Who is going to do this now?
Since we are undergoing a technical course, workshops help us assist in our learning, also the workshop will be of great help in our projects.
The workshops were invaluable during my time previously at the University. Not only during the manufacture of items related to my project but on the problems associated with manufacturing such items; this advice hugely contributed to a successful project and has improved my knowledge of the practical side of manufacturing.
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Fast turnaround to make adjustments on an item between firings on range is all that kept my project from going wrong and needing repeating. this could only be achieved with a workshop on site