Save our staff

As we all know the Vice Chancellor and the powers above him have decided to make several lectures redundant even though they want to bring more students in! 

This will put a huge strain on all the staff staying on. The case of one staff member in particular Dr Clive Penkett, is going to appeal. Clive is known as a vital part of the Organic department in both a teaching sense and with his ongoing research projects. If he does go he will be missed hugely most people who have been taught by him agrees that their organic chemistry understanding would be much less without his teaching ability. As previously mentioned, his case is going to appeal and many of the staff are trying their best to keep him here. I propose that as the students both past and present we need to step up to the plate and show our displeasure at how the staff are being mistreated and kick up one hell of a fuss to keep him here. This small victory could then lead to more.. The chemistry department (which was number 1 in the Guardian rankings for 2010) adds more to the reputation of the university then most other subjects. However, the decisions on cuts is seemly based on how much money is brought in by each department and not on what other quality's a department brings to the table that are worth more to the university then money alone. In 2006 we almost lost the department and it was only do to a collective effort from everyone including the undergrads, staff and people from outside that manage to keep our department open. If we all work together we can win. I am also planning to produce a petition with signatures as I feel it will have more of an effect and something that the review board will not be able to ignore.

This petition is in support of all of the staff members in the chemistry department and the rest of the university.

Yours sincerely

 David Neill-Hall